setting things aside

[ksmith]

After some hemming and hawing, I've set aside the book I've been reading. I liked the first third or so, even though it moved rather slowly and the plot seemed subordinate to the developing relationship between the female protag and the tall, dark & dangerous male. The book hit near the top of the NYT hardcover list, and is still in the middle of the extended list. I wanted to like it at least enough to finish it because it's categorized as "gothic suspense," which is something I would like to write, and I wanted to see how the various elements played out.

But the protag is just irking the hell out of me. She's in big trouble, researching dangerous stuff in her field of expertise, and afeared for her life. She's Powerful. Headstrong. Yet she fled England with Tall, Dark & Dangerous, then remained behind in France with his vampire mother--yes, it's a beastie book--while he returns to England to get the lay of the land and try to work things out with the various parties. All the tense stuff happens offstage while protag moons and misses TD&D and researches a completely different documents and oh hell, I just gave up.

The Amazon reviews are funny. There's a significant number, and most are 4-5 stars. But there are over a hundred 1-star reviews, and from the few I read, those readers are irked for the same reasons I am. It's a romance with a suspense plot that occasionally comes up for air, and if the lovers aren't working for you, there's no reason to keep reading.

I've moved on to a supernatural thriller by an author I've never read before. But he's an award-winner, and very well thought of. I'll see how this one goes.

Line of storms moving through, courtesy of a cold front. Tomorrow's highs will be in the 60s, a good 30 degrees lower than today's. The heat hasn't been very comfortable, but it's done the tomatoes a world of good. They've tripled in size over the last couple of days, I swear.

Comments

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I think maybe I know what that one is. Maybe. Haven't read, just noted.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I read good reviews, and I really wanted to like it. But there's only so much I can take. GAUDY NIGHT struck the balance between plot and romance, for me at least. But then, I *like* Harriet Vane and Peter Wimsey is one of my literary crushes, so it worked for me. But in the Book In Question, I didn't like the protag, the broody male left me cold, and there wasn't enough plot to keep me interested. But the book is working for a lot of folks.

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

I find that a lot with romantic fantasy - a book has received dozens of five star reviews and I nearly always end up agreeing with the lone one star review.

I do like romance - I adore 'Gaudy Night' - but the romance has to arise from character and plot rather than the other way around, which I suppose isn't easy when you are contructing a romantic novel...

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

Title of book, please?

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

::sigh::

A Discovery of Witches. It's doing very well, and the folks who love it, *love* it. For them, it moves well. They finish it in one sitting. The characters grab them and the suspense thrills them.

I've seen it described as "Twilight for grown-ups." Maybe that covers it. Makes me reluctant to go back and give it one last try because that description doesn't indicate to me that ADoW's protag is going to wake up and take the reins.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Then you have to make sure that the relationship makes sense by adjusting the characters and plot accordingly. Unless they arise organically and do what they will, and work out in such a way that they will not go together no matter what you do. That happens, and anything you try to do to fix it will stick out like hot pink duct tape.

This book reminded me of The Historian. Written by an expert in the field in question. Much attention paid to background and setting. The Historian's plot, such as it was, moved along better--that made up for the fact that the characters didn't grab me at all. But when your plot *is* the character interplay, and that doesn't work for a particular reader...oh well.