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bookish_ann's review
1.0
Well, I’m furious that I spent $0.99 on this tripe in pursuit of internet points. The author does not deserve my pennies.
THIS. IS. AWWFUL. In every possible respect.
First the major... I was appalled that this was written in 2012. Read this only if you love colonialism and casual racism. Early example of Melanie contemplating non-whites:
“ They were on the whole quite attractive, the island people. They were Polynesian in origin and although they had none of the Negro ebony beauty one might expect, nor any of the porcelain beauty of the Orientals and nor did they show a trace of the finely-chiselled features one saw among the Indian classes, the locals here were … she searched for the word … wholesome people, with soft-skinned faces and a broad bone structure. Greg had once told her that the Kanaks were especially lovely in comparison to the aboriginals of Australia”
WTF There’s no addressing that bullshit in the text. What modern writer could just plop that down as perfectly fine? Oh, one that thinks the British are literally the White Saviors of the world . From the author’s blog:
http://turquoisemoon.co.uk/blog/the-british-empire-was-a-force-for-good-not-evil/
“Every black African in Africa has never to worry about being enslaved by slavers and sold overseas or to Arab lands because institutionalized slavery is effectively dead and gone. Without Great Britain stopping the slave trade in the Atlantic, slavery still exists.
Every Indian who enjoys the modicum of freedoms they possess they can directly thank the teachings and laws of Great Britain and the people who forced it upon your ancestors. Same with Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, (good lord, this list will go on for a while…)”
And the list does go on, and on.... OMFG. I feel like my browser and purchase history is forever tainted.
And finally, the minor: this needed editing. And proofreading. BADLY. There is a lengthy section that is a repeat of the pages that came before. At first I thought I lost my place due to hating this book and was re-reading, but nope... just self-published junk so in love with itself it could not be bothered with the bare minimum of critical effort. It reads like a very early draft - lots of scene and voice (and tense) shifting without context, and not in an experimental way.... the characters are insipid and miserable.... the book somehow becomes more dull when it turns into a mystery/caper....the only good thing I can say about this book is that I’m done with it. Thank god I can speed read.
THIS. IS. AWWFUL. In every possible respect.
First the major... I was appalled that this was written in 2012. Read this only if you love colonialism and casual racism. Early example of Melanie contemplating non-whites:
“ They were on the whole quite attractive, the island people. They were Polynesian in origin and although they had none of the Negro ebony beauty one might expect, nor any of the porcelain beauty of the Orientals and nor did they show a trace of the finely-chiselled features one saw among the Indian classes, the locals here were … she searched for the word … wholesome people, with soft-skinned faces and a broad bone structure. Greg had once told her that the Kanaks were especially lovely in comparison to the aboriginals of Australia”
WTF There’s no addressing that bullshit in the text. What modern writer could just plop that down as perfectly fine? Oh, one that thinks the British are literally the White Saviors of the world . From the author’s blog:
http://turquoisemoon.co.uk/blog/the-british-empire-was-a-force-for-good-not-evil/
“Every black African in Africa has never to worry about being enslaved by slavers and sold overseas or to Arab lands because institutionalized slavery is effectively dead and gone. Without Great Britain stopping the slave trade in the Atlantic, slavery still exists.
Every Indian who enjoys the modicum of freedoms they possess they can directly thank the teachings and laws of Great Britain and the people who forced it upon your ancestors. Same with Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, (good lord, this list will go on for a while…)”
And the list does go on, and on.... OMFG. I feel like my browser and purchase history is forever tainted.
And finally, the minor: this needed editing. And proofreading. BADLY. There is a lengthy section that is a repeat of the pages that came before. At first I thought I lost my place due to hating this book and was re-reading, but nope... just self-published junk so in love with itself it could not be bothered with the bare minimum of critical effort. It reads like a very early draft - lots of scene and voice (and tense) shifting without context, and not in an experimental way.... the characters are insipid and miserable.... the book somehow becomes more dull when it turns into a mystery/caper....the only good thing I can say about this book is that I’m done with it. Thank god I can speed read.