Love the cover! This is the second installment in the Veronica Speedwell mystery series. I read the ARC for book one, A Curious Beginning, and was thoroughly delighted with it. You can read my review HERE.
I didn't enjoy A Perilous Undertaking as much. Veronica is a high-spirited, free-thinking young woman that doesn't mind discussing her dalliances and her feelings about "physical congress." Here's a quote from Veronica, "Whilst I was perfectly forthright about such matters, Stoker possessed a charming reticence to discuss his baser urges." I thought there was too much of Veronica's forthrightness and it grew wearisome. Add to Veronica's coarseness a courtly, elderly woman, Lady Wellingtonia, who was every bit as salacious.
A few days before starting this book I had added Veronica to a list of favorite characters. I don't think that highly of her anymore and she is not someone I want to identify with as I tend to do with the main female character.
It's interesting to me that I was put-off by Veronica's crassness, but not bothered by the debauchery of a group of people involved with the accused murderer. Perhaps it is because I didn't become personally attached as I did to the main character.
Raybourn's writing style, idioms, and vocabulary seemed to fit the late 1800s, though I'm not an expert. It just felt like I was reading in that time period. I highlighted many words that I wouldn't know their meaning if they had not been in context. I like picking up new words and idioms.
Would I recommend this book? Not readily and certainly not without conditions. There are so many books that entertain, enlighten, and enrich - why waste time of less than satisfying reads?
1 comment:
An author I have always meant to read, but just have not got around to. One day!
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