Being a Fforde Ffan, I had high expectations of a novel in which heroines from classic literature show up at an Illinois bed and breakfast for rest, relaxation, and a break from the drama of their inky lives.
I will tell you this book was not what I expected. The drama in the story had more to do with the narrator, daughter of the innkeeper, than the heorines that came to stay, but because of what happens in the story--a thirteen-year-old daughter feels slighted by her mother in favor of the Heroines--there are some good literary moments.
I really, actually, enjoyed the structure of the story. The chapters were laid out in the way classic literature used to be (the chapter title, and a few subtitles letting the reader know what to expect in the chapter), and the chapters went back and forth between the current plot and giving background to let the reader know why that part of the plot is significant or how a certain situation came to pass. In effect, there were two stories going on, but it worked.
One criticism I have for the book is the way it wrapped up. I felt the ending was sort of tacked on in an attempt to give the readers some sort of satisfaction. I would much rather have had an open ending than the one I was provided. It's not that I didn't like the ending, or that it didn't fit necessarily, but the way in which it was written left a lot to be desired, in my opinion. It should have been longer, or omitted completely.
For those looking for a light, fun read about an interesting situation, this is a pretty good read. I prefer Fforde, but it wasn't bad.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Add a little caffeine to my life...