Review: A Mysterious Historical Adventure
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 16, 2014
Period pieces are challenging things to do well, and while there has been a recent swell in their numbers in recent years, it doesn't mean that everyone can tackle the genre and actually write a solid book without sounding foolish. Fortunately, Fenton did his due diligence and has masterfully created a sense of Victorian England on every page. I immediately felt sucked into the time period and overall atmosphere, and his ability to grab a reader's attention is clear, particularly from the first scene with the slightly disturbing illusionist. To be completely honest, I felt that the pace of the book stuttered and started, and Fenton occasionally got caught up with descriptions or seemed sidetracked in the plot thread that led the reader through the book. His prose was marvelous, however, and the development of Kate throughout the novel was enough to keep me going.The mystery aspects were well done, although the symbolism and insinuations were occasionally heavy-handed, while at others, Fenton was truly a genius with his word choice. All in all, I enjoyed the experience of reading the book, and I liked the ambitious time period and subject matter than the author tackled, but there were some spots where I felt taken out of the experience or at least a bit distracted. I would definitely suggest this as a solid read for my friends, and I hope that the author take a bit more time to construct a more streamlined or clean-cut novel next time. I will surely be keeping my eye out for more of his work!