Review: Not getting the love for this book
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 12 14, 2013
I downloaded this book based on the stellar ratings and was rabidly excited to read it. Sadly, after 100 pages, I have to say I am not feeling the love for The Gauguin Connection and am genuinely surprised by the number of rave reviews.The novel offers a fascinating premise, an enthralling set-up, and a likeable protagonist in Genevieve. Unfortunately what it doesn't offer is a skilled writer or, failing that, a competent editor. This novel clangs with almost every line. Just as an example, the word "control" appears 25 times in the first 100 pages, sometimes four times in one page. The characters -- all of them -- speak with an unnatural and grating lack of contractions. The stilted, repetitive writing is not sufficient to carry a reader along through the really quite clever plot, and I say that as someone who is almost entirely a plot-driven reader.Overall, a deeply disappointing and ultimately unreadable let-down.