Yes, we're a bit late with this post, but it's taken us awhile to recover from our disappointment. After waiting for months to read a new take on the Bluebeard folk tale (that could have been based on a real serial killer), we eagerly jumped in, only to drown in 300+ pages of so-so development and boring events.
After the death of her father, Sophia receives an invitation to live in the plantation manor house of Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, a friend of the family. Due to the financial strain that her father's death has put on her siblings, not to mention the fact that Monsieur Bernard is very handsome, she accepts. But soon after her arrival, Sophia learns that she may be part of a familiar and deadly pattern culminating in the mysterious death/disappearance of his past wives.
Nickerson sets her re-telling in the Pre-Civil War South, complete with plantation slaves and a mention of the Underground Railroad. The writing is fine, we just struggled to get through the set-up to the final reveal. Sophia is as forgettable as is her family (who make a cameo-like appearance). She interacts with a few of the slaves in order to establish setting characteristics, but there is little to no development of the secondary story line. Ultimately, it just feels like there were grander plans that were never fully realized. We really did want to like this one.
Next up: Every Day by David Levithan- Apr. 12th
No comments:
Post a Comment