India Black and the Widow of Windsor (Madam of Espionage, Bk 2)
Author:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Picked this up because I saw it described as a fun, light read. I wasn't feeling well, and thought it might be nice to read while lying in bed. Unfortunately, I found reading it to be a tedious chore, interspersed with moments of serious aggravation.
Our heroine, India Black is supposed to be the proprietress of a brothel. It's nothing more than a gimmick, because we never see her acting as such. She makes a few callous remarks regarding her "sluts," but that's it. The problem is that India isn't a sympathetic character (you can't really have sympathy for a person who truly doesn't care whether her "girls" are murdered in her whorehouse), but neither is she the sort of character whose amorality the reader can revel in (she's no 'Talented Mr. Ripley,' and Carr is no Patricia Highsmith.) She's just sort of annoying and unappealing, a shallow, self-centered bigot whom the book treats as a light-hearted heroine. I got sick of her company quickly.
I also got sick of hearing about how Queen Victoria (and others) were fat and ugly every three pages. It's not just India's perspective, everyone in the book harps on the Queen's gluttony nonstop. It's her only character trait. I was left with the impression that Carr may have some body-image issues.
The Queen's Indian servants appear only as window-dressing, and, apparently, for other characters to make disparaging comments about. None even have a speaking role to stick up for themselves.
The historical setting was unconvincing, and I felt it was poorly researched, as far as the general goings-on of life at court. The characters were flat, and the 'mystery,' (who is planning to assassinate the queen?) didn't have enough detail to catch my interest. (You can't try to figure out whodunnit, or, more accurately, 'who-wanna-do-it' when there aren't any clues to unravel.) India doesn't show any particular talent as a spy, and I was unconvinced that she would have been recruited as one.
Yes, I may be feeling crankier than usual due to being sick while reading this, but this is really just not a very good book.
Our heroine, India Black is supposed to be the proprietress of a brothel. It's nothing more than a gimmick, because we never see her acting as such. She makes a few callous remarks regarding her "sluts," but that's it. The problem is that India isn't a sympathetic character (you can't really have sympathy for a person who truly doesn't care whether her "girls" are murdered in her whorehouse), but neither is she the sort of character whose amorality the reader can revel in (she's no 'Talented Mr. Ripley,' and Carr is no Patricia Highsmith.) She's just sort of annoying and unappealing, a shallow, self-centered bigot whom the book treats as a light-hearted heroine. I got sick of her company quickly.
I also got sick of hearing about how Queen Victoria (and others) were fat and ugly every three pages. It's not just India's perspective, everyone in the book harps on the Queen's gluttony nonstop. It's her only character trait. I was left with the impression that Carr may have some body-image issues.
The Queen's Indian servants appear only as window-dressing, and, apparently, for other characters to make disparaging comments about. None even have a speaking role to stick up for themselves.
The historical setting was unconvincing, and I felt it was poorly researched, as far as the general goings-on of life at court. The characters were flat, and the 'mystery,' (who is planning to assassinate the queen?) didn't have enough detail to catch my interest. (You can't try to figure out whodunnit, or, more accurately, 'who-wanna-do-it' when there aren't any clues to unravel.) India doesn't show any particular talent as a spy, and I was unconvinced that she would have been recruited as one.
Yes, I may be feeling crankier than usual due to being sick while reading this, but this is really just not a very good book.
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