So, when I’m reviewing a slower, character-driven novel, I always joke that it’s not exactly full of car crashes and chase scenes. *grin*
So, too, are these “slower” novels…
–Marissa
The Longest Night by Andria Williams is definitely a SLOW read – it took me ages to finish it! Set in the 1950s, this is about the families who worked a (real) nuclear reactor, and what happened when things went badly wrong. The “action” of the book was only the last 40 pages or so, the ensuing 300 were all slow, SLOW character buildup. It could have been such an interesting snapshot of a little-known fact of history, but man, it was just boring.
Keep Me Posted by Lisa Beazley was…fine. Two sisters decide to correspond via written letter about their marriages and their lives, and, gasp, the letters are made public. I think this was supposed to be more scandalous and jaw dropping, but it just didn’t have enough shock value to tantalize, nor enough character development for me to really care. Bummer.
Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift was short, and is a good stopgap for those wanting a glimpse into the world of Downton Abbey. A serving girl and a man of the manor hook up, and the assignation has long-reaching consequences. This was a fine, slim novella, but didn’t keep me super engaged the entire time. S’okay.
Burn It Up by Cara McKenna was also a recent read. I had been super impressed with McKenna’s other novels I’ve read, so this was a major disappointment for me. Y’all, I think I’m in a major reading rut, and I need to get out!
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