Cont. Book Five, "The Other Boleyn Girl"
I'm about 250 pages in, and I've decided that I'm going to start reading something new on the 1st of February even if I'm not done with this. I'm still going to keep this book around and pick it up now and again - but I'm not going to concentrate on it anymore.
Thoughts so far? I'm not really enjoying it all that much. The ease of the read has more to do with simple words and descriptions rather than enjoyment of writing style. Its difficult for me to read books like this - period novels - without comparing them to such great works as Diana Gabaldon. Her details and descriptions were so real that I never had to think to myself, "Oh, this is just filler" - which I often think when I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl. When she's riding here and there and describing land and weather, I'm bored. So bored I just skim. I don't need you to sell me on the green pastures and the humble farmers, I need you to sell me on the fact that you're not just fulfilling some kind of commitment to period novels by including such useless background information. I felt the same way about the atmospheric descriptions in Tulip Fever, which we all know I didn't really enjoy. I wish I was enjoying this book. Quite a few people I've talked to enjoyed this book and I wanted to as well. I feel I went into it reading this with less than high expectations - but I thought that would make the book better - it hasn't though.
In fact, maybe I should just stop reading it now. I'm not even interested in seeing the movie anymore and I really wanted to enjoy the movie. Perhaps if I stop now I can still enjoy the theatrical version without being boggled down by the remembrance of how mediocre the novel was.
PS: My apologizes to anyone who really enjoyed this book, I mean no offense to your taste in books! I'm just so picky :(
Thoughts so far? I'm not really enjoying it all that much. The ease of the read has more to do with simple words and descriptions rather than enjoyment of writing style. Its difficult for me to read books like this - period novels - without comparing them to such great works as Diana Gabaldon. Her details and descriptions were so real that I never had to think to myself, "Oh, this is just filler" - which I often think when I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl. When she's riding here and there and describing land and weather, I'm bored. So bored I just skim. I don't need you to sell me on the green pastures and the humble farmers, I need you to sell me on the fact that you're not just fulfilling some kind of commitment to period novels by including such useless background information. I felt the same way about the atmospheric descriptions in Tulip Fever, which we all know I didn't really enjoy. I wish I was enjoying this book. Quite a few people I've talked to enjoyed this book and I wanted to as well. I feel I went into it reading this with less than high expectations - but I thought that would make the book better - it hasn't though.
In fact, maybe I should just stop reading it now. I'm not even interested in seeing the movie anymore and I really wanted to enjoy the movie. Perhaps if I stop now I can still enjoy the theatrical version without being boggled down by the remembrance of how mediocre the novel was.
PS: My apologizes to anyone who really enjoyed this book, I mean no offense to your taste in books! I'm just so picky :(
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Comments
I'm usually with you on the descriptions, but I loved them in this novel. They really took me back to the time period. I never could get into the Outlander novels though so we must have different tastes in historical fiction.
I say put it down and read something else if you're not enjoying it. As Referencegirl said, life is too short. There are too many books to waste time reading ones you don't like!
My copy was just delivered yesterday... I was a history major, and I have always been interested in the Monarchy, so hopefully...
If a book is going to call itself a historical novel, it will have to have some description, just to back up its claim. But to lean entirely on that would make it all style and no substance.
Land and weather happen all the time. Give me details! Things only a young girl in the early 16th would see and feel!
Have you ever read the Poldark novels? They take part in the 18th century, they aren't based on a historical figure, and they always worked for me.