When I first picked up this initial book in the series, I thought it would be a whodunit, and while that ended up being partially true, this is really When I first picked up this initial book in the series, I thought it would be a whodunit, and while that ended up being partially true, this is really more of a combination of a romance novel and a historical saga.
Maisie Dobbs is raised as the daughter of a fruit and vegetable peddler in Britain, and after her mother dies, goes into service with the formidable but kindly Lady Rowan. But she is whip smart, and the Rowan family decides to support her education at the women's college at Oxford.
Then WWI comes along, and everything changes (cue the dashing military surgeon who falls in love with her).
The novel moves back and forth from Maisie's newfound occupation as a private eye/psychologist and her history as a nurse in the war, dealing with the horrible maiming injuries of the front in France. Threads of that experience come together in the case she investigates, of a quiet rural retreat set up for the severely wounded, and where something is amiss.
The story was strong enough -- the period of history interesting enough -- to keep me engaged, but I can only hope that Winspear has learned how to write more skillfully as the series has gone along. This first book is full of amateur blunders -- Maisie is always shuddering, or gasping, and readers are constantly being given filler lines in the midst of dialogue ("Billy stopped to tap his leg to emphasize the point," etc. etc.) that are unnecessary and irritating.
Probably won't continue with the series, but I didn't put it down either, did I?...more
So let's call this a half-review. I may get around to finishing this opus on the leadup to WWI someday, but for now, it's being put aside for some fre So let's call this a half-review. I may get around to finishing this opus on the leadup to WWI someday, but for now, it's being put aside for some fresh reading starts.
Margaret MacMillan is an erudite, clear writer who has a tendency ever so slightly to repeat herself, but nevertheless did a good job of showing how complicated the arms race, suspicion of each other and clashing personalities were that contributed to the Great War. I left off before the specific crises that presaged Sarajevo and the assassination of Ferdinand, so it's possible I've left out the best part, but what preceded it was magisterial and for the most part interesting, especially the thumbnail sketches of the politicians and generals who were part of the end of the long peace....more
I read this for a project I'm doing on the 100th anniversary of WWI. The photos are mesmerizing and sometimes absolutely gripping, particularly the de I read this for a project I'm doing on the 100th anniversary of WWI. The photos are mesmerizing and sometimes absolutely gripping, particularly the dead staring with their eyes open, juxtaposed with cheerful, singing men in the midst of their misery.
The textual sections that introduce the photos of the war -- and this is told from the British perspective -- are rather didactic but do give the basics of the battle movements, and what comes through so strongly is what horrific loss of life there was for such few miles of territory gained. This was not the first war where lethal technology outstripped tactics, but was one of the deadliest, and of course was the last major war that used poison gas as well as bullets and shells.
Cashed it in early on this book. While I enjoyed some of the remembrances by surviving World War I veterans and appreciated Rubin's efforts to tie the Cashed it in early on this book. While I enjoyed some of the remembrances by surviving World War I veterans and appreciated Rubin's efforts to tie their memories into larger themes, in the end it felt like he was so overawed at finding centenarians to talk to that he felt obligated to use all their stories, and as anyone who has dealt with a very old person knows, sometimes those memories are vague or their role in the war was not interesting enough to warrant separate chapters.
I think this book could have been about half the length....more
Loading...
