I do not think that a senior Assistant Commissioner of Police would burst a balloon under your chair and laugh heartily over your dilemma for example. In the same vein, I expected an excellent book to win the Booker every year. It is not as if there is a dearth of books.
At first, I thought I was not concentrating and rapped myself hard on the knuckles and sat down to study. I studiously went back to get the characters names and their relationship to one another. One time, I was thoroughly piqued to find that the character, who had hitherto been mentioned somewhere along with the many Annes and Liz-es, was a member of the domestic staff in either the protagonist’s sister’s family or the king’s lover’s family, and had no relevance to the plot whatsoever.
I suppose some folks call it style – as for me, I call it bad writing. I look to fiction with a view to enjoying my time. If, while doing so, I also pick up a thing or two about History and the Medieval Ages, I am all for it. But 65% of the book later, if I am still struggling to find the plot, I question the existence of one.
Sometimes I would be bounding along thinking Thomas is saying something and he also did this, only to realise that midway through the sentence, the “he” had shifted to the Cardinal, who due to unforeseen circumstances (beyond the control of the writer) was unable to actually be among those physically present. A fair bit of dialogue happens in one’s imagination – the protaganist’s imagination I mean.
I am all for imagination, and actually thought I had to come up with the rest of the story by myself. After the first chapter, the book failed to grip and once it had lost its hold on me, it continued on its path, and I on my own, only to find myself drooling on the story.
There is one sequel I will not be reading.
Nourish-n-Cherish 
Now I know which book not to pick up next time I visit the stores. Thanks for the review 🙂
Thanks Sapna – long time no see. how are you
Remember talking to you about this and twice I was about to order it in Kindle. Happy I didn’t. Phew!!
Yep…you owe me $12.95 – ha ha how is it?!!
If you can’t read it.. I am dropping it out of my next-Jenma’s reading list 🙂
I have to put my review on Rasa Leela (from a Tamizh author who proclaims he has to get Nobel prize for his writings)
Well…if Rajini should get an Oscar, then why can’t Rasa Leela get a nobel or at least a booker?
I was just checking the reviews on Amazon for this book. A lot of the readers have mentioned the same thing- they lose track of the characters. Interestingly a lot of readers are thrilled by the book.
Darn, now my curiosity is piqued and I have to read it for myself 😦
All I expect the book is to be engaging, if it fails it is a failure, booker prize or not. thankfully havent heard of this one.
🙂 Just entertain us somehow huh…
Just read this one – got auto-linked to my post on Wolf Hall, and this will probably explain why some folks loved it and some did not.
http://bookmunch.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/another-interview-with-a-reluctant-reviewer-this-time-on-the-subject-of-wolf-hall-by-hilary-mantel/
I tried it too – I think you are underestimating Wolf Hall. I think the idea of the book is to confuse you, daze you and therefore stimulate your involvement in the story by giving you nightmares about it 😛
Yeah, I think that’s the creative route there.
Sounds like a plan – nothing else can kindle our interest huh?
Thanks for stopping by Chetana.