Review: Characters are one-dimensional
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 4, 2013
This book is a so-called "classic," having been written in the late 1800's.  I have to say I was disappointed in it.  The characters are very one-dimensional.  Phoebe is good.  Hiram is  bad.  Phoebe's brother is  wishy-washy, and his wife is a witch.  I cannot understand why Phoebe sticks around being everyone's favorite doormat once she turns 18 and is legally released from her brother's guardianship.There were strong female protagonists created by other authors in the same time period, so the lack of complexity in Phoebe's character cannot be completely explained by time and place.  If you are interested in reading novels of this era, I highly recommend those written by Anna Katharine Green.  Green's characters are much more fully drawn, and the stories more satisfying.