by Linday Eland
ages: 10+
First sentence: “It was upon turning the last delicate page of my leather-bound copy of Pride and Prejudice that my transformation into a delicate lady of quality was complete.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy sent to me for the Cybils (2010, I think.)
Polly is a twelve year old girl, with aspirations to live in the nineteenth century, stuck in the twenty first. She is also a bit of a budding matchmaker. And a lover of All Things Austin.
My thought process as I read this book went something like this:
“Oh, Polly’s talking like she’s in an Austin book. Though maybe it’s more like Anne Shirley. I loved Anne Shirley. Maybe this will be cute.”
(reads about 30 pages)
“Okay, this stilted dialogue out of a 12-year-old’s mouth, even one who’s going through an Anne Shirley phase sounds a bit, well, forced.”
(reads about 30 more pages)
“No, not forced. Dang annoying.”
(reads about 30 more pages)
“I wish Polly would just shut up now. And stop trying to set everyone else up. This is just like Emma but not nearly as well written.”
(reads about 2o more pages)
“GAH! She’s driving me INSANE! I quit.”
(Reads the end to figure out if what I thought would happen, happens. It does.)
The end.
LOL! Great review! Sorry it was a disappointment, though.
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Now this is a useful review!
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Hah! I loved the cover and was excited about the concept thinking it might be a Prom and Prejudice kind of book. But that book was fun, so apparently this one doesn't nail the tone.
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Lol! Fabulous review. Bless you for telling it like it is.
I envy your read-a-thon accomplishments this weekend. You are a machine. I haven't done anything productive except clean the blinds.
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Thanks Jen. 😀 And Pam, I thought it'd be clever, too, because the cover is quite lovely. But it just didn't deliver. Sad.
And Jane — thank you. My blinds are very dusty, though.
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Once again, I'm right there with you on a book. I was kind of sad to put this down, because I'd been looking forward to it, but OH LORD did she get on my nerves.
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