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Wed Reading Meme
Aug. 27th, 2014 10:48 pm1. What you just finished reading?
A Lady's Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran
I enjoyed this one. A wee bit melodramatic and flowery in places, and repetitive in others. But I thought it did a good job of depicting the differences in class, as well as the battle between mind and heart.
The heroine's struggle is learning to trust her heart, and trust in her dreams. To believe in the impossible. And ultimately to believe in love. Duran does a good job of depicting her struggle and journey.
While there is a villain and supporting characters - the majority of the book is focused on the relationship between Simon St. Maur, Earl of Rushden, and Nell (the missing Cornelia, the old Earl's daughter). It's mainly their thoughts, and dialogue. And through their relationship - the author explores issues of trust, faith, and belief in love.
I didn't find it as dark as some reviewers, but I also read George RR Martin's Dance of Dragon's prior to it along with various urban fantasy novels and Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth, which combined basically make this book look sort of fluffy and rather light in comparison. I suppose if you are used to fluffy romance novels, it probably seemed really dark to you? Like most things - it depends on what you are comparing it to. Also, I don't tend to categorize "romance" as necessarily equaling light, happy, and fluffy.
In some respects I preferred it to Judith Ivory's The Proposition - which felt a bit silly in places and played more like a comedy, so far less realistic. This feels more realistic, and grittier.
It's probably worth noting that I like Duran's writing style quite a bit. I've read three of her novels to date: Duke of Shadows, At Your Pleasure, and A Lady's Lesson in Scandal. Can't really say which I liked best, all were quite different.
2. What you are reading now?
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt - which takes place during the 1700s (not my favorite historical decade, prefer the regency period to be honest but at least it is different.) Hoyt seems to prefer the 1700s. Hoyt also is that rare romance novelist who likes to write about characters who are not beautiful. Both the hero and heroine are described as rather plain. The heroine, who is smitten with the hero, describes his eyes as his best feature, and possibly his hair, but other than that he's not pretty. Long face. Big long bulbous nose (which made me think of my Dad, so was a wee bit jarred there). Lines edging his face. Meanwhile the hero describes the heroine as non-descript and rather plain. Blondish-brown hair, brown eyes, nothing the lease remarkable about her. [This is quite a change from the last couple of books I read, although to be fair, Sherry Thomas and Duran don't waste that much time on physical description either. Duran does, however, like to describe beautiful men. All her male heroes are pretty.]
The book is rather light in tone so far, and reminds me a great deal of Georgette Heyer, except less wordy and archaeic, possibly because it wasn't written in the 1920s?
She is witty.
Hoyt also likes to tell a fairy tale, which she either has made up or found somewhere, as a sort of analogy to the story at hand. Segments from the fairy tale introduce each chapter. The fairy tale feels a bit allegorical to the romance.
Interesting writer. Quite different from most.
3. What I'm reading next?
Wherever the spirit moves me. OR the heart. I'm letting my spirit and heart be my guides towards reading material at the moment. The head has enough on its plate.
On another topic...I've been trying to watch the tail end of True Blood. Is it just me or is every story but Eric's and Pam's deathly dull? I'm having troubles caring about the other characters for some reason.
A Lady's Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran
I enjoyed this one. A wee bit melodramatic and flowery in places, and repetitive in others. But I thought it did a good job of depicting the differences in class, as well as the battle between mind and heart.
The heroine's struggle is learning to trust her heart, and trust in her dreams. To believe in the impossible. And ultimately to believe in love. Duran does a good job of depicting her struggle and journey.
While there is a villain and supporting characters - the majority of the book is focused on the relationship between Simon St. Maur, Earl of Rushden, and Nell (the missing Cornelia, the old Earl's daughter). It's mainly their thoughts, and dialogue. And through their relationship - the author explores issues of trust, faith, and belief in love.
I didn't find it as dark as some reviewers, but I also read George RR Martin's Dance of Dragon's prior to it along with various urban fantasy novels and Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth, which combined basically make this book look sort of fluffy and rather light in comparison. I suppose if you are used to fluffy romance novels, it probably seemed really dark to you? Like most things - it depends on what you are comparing it to. Also, I don't tend to categorize "romance" as necessarily equaling light, happy, and fluffy.
In some respects I preferred it to Judith Ivory's The Proposition - which felt a bit silly in places and played more like a comedy, so far less realistic. This feels more realistic, and grittier.
It's probably worth noting that I like Duran's writing style quite a bit. I've read three of her novels to date: Duke of Shadows, At Your Pleasure, and A Lady's Lesson in Scandal. Can't really say which I liked best, all were quite different.
2. What you are reading now?
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt - which takes place during the 1700s (not my favorite historical decade, prefer the regency period to be honest but at least it is different.) Hoyt seems to prefer the 1700s. Hoyt also is that rare romance novelist who likes to write about characters who are not beautiful. Both the hero and heroine are described as rather plain. The heroine, who is smitten with the hero, describes his eyes as his best feature, and possibly his hair, but other than that he's not pretty. Long face. Big long bulbous nose (which made me think of my Dad, so was a wee bit jarred there). Lines edging his face. Meanwhile the hero describes the heroine as non-descript and rather plain. Blondish-brown hair, brown eyes, nothing the lease remarkable about her. [This is quite a change from the last couple of books I read, although to be fair, Sherry Thomas and Duran don't waste that much time on physical description either. Duran does, however, like to describe beautiful men. All her male heroes are pretty.]
The book is rather light in tone so far, and reminds me a great deal of Georgette Heyer, except less wordy and archaeic, possibly because it wasn't written in the 1920s?
She is witty.
Hoyt also likes to tell a fairy tale, which she either has made up or found somewhere, as a sort of analogy to the story at hand. Segments from the fairy tale introduce each chapter. The fairy tale feels a bit allegorical to the romance.
Interesting writer. Quite different from most.
3. What I'm reading next?
Wherever the spirit moves me. OR the heart. I'm letting my spirit and heart be my guides towards reading material at the moment. The head has enough on its plate.
On another topic...I've been trying to watch the tail end of True Blood. Is it just me or is every story but Eric's and Pam's deathly dull? I'm having troubles caring about the other characters for some reason.