Review: Trite and depressing
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 03 16, 2014
In general, I like Nuttall's books.  I liked the premise of this one and was generally OK with the first third of it.  After that, I simply found myself disliking all of the characters, with the possible exception of George IV, mirabili dictu, who seemed to be the only one of the lot who could articulate the situation in a reasonably objective fashion.  I especially disliked the one-dimensional stereotyping and artificial black vs. white choices everyone seemed to determine to create for themselves.  The level of chaos in the final third of the book reached absurd levels, kind of like Les Miserables on steroids: "A bas les aristos, mes amis!  Vive les citoyens!!"  I bought the second volume at the same time as the first, so I suppose I'll read it at some point, but I really hope Nuttall settled down.  The potential was there, I just don't have much in the way of expectation; perhaps I'll be surprised.  Right now I'm simply annoyed.