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Barbara B. - Reviews

1 to 4 of 4
First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice
First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice
Author: Alexa Adams
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 8/27/2015


This is a light and breezy reimagining of events in P&P, with some very satisfying endings. It has not nearly the angst of P&P and so is less dramatic. I did find the numerous misspellings, problems with usage, and punctuation errors maddening. It could have used a good editor. But it is an enjoyable read as far as fan fiction goes.


Jane Austen's Charlotte : Her Fragment of a Last Novel
Jane Austen's Charlotte : Her Fragment of a Last Novel
Author: Julia Barrett
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 8/11/2012
Helpful Score: 1


I admire what Barrett was trying to do, and it does make "Sanditon" come alive with possibilities. However, I was so distracted by Barrett's Germanic sentence construction that I could hardly follow the story. JA's prose was much more straightforward.


A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar: A Novel
A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar: A Novel
Author: Suzanne Joinson
Book Type: Audio CD
  • Currently 2.6/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 5/13/2013


This is an original and refreshing work of the novelist's art. It alternates between three British women's experiences in the East in the 19th century and characters in present-day London. The portrayals are interesting, and many of the plot twists are unexpected. I found it engrossing, and I hope she writes more!


The Rug Merchant (Audio CD) (Unabridged)
The Rug Merchant (Audio CD) (Unabridged)
Author: Meg Mullins, Bill Camp (Narrator)
Book Type: Audio CD
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 11
Review Date: 5/30/2012
Helpful Score: 1


I found this to be an exquisite and intriguing portrait of the clash of cultures, with Uzman, the Iranian rug merchant on the fulcrum, his family in Iran at one end, and two very different American women on the other. Uzman is a complex character who takes actions that seem inexplicable, but as the story unfolds, one begins to understand how they are driven by his core values that are in conflict with how he is expected to be in America. The women, too, are driven by their own conflicts, but so are most people. It is not a book to be read or listened to quickly and then put aside, but rather a thought-provoking portrayal of real people who have to face the consequences of their actions.


1 to 4 of 4