The problem I had with this book is that I couldn’t get into the book. The way in which it was written was very good, the way in which it changed between Zarita and Saulo was very clear.
The main characters are Zarita and Saulo; Zarita is the magistrate’s daughter and one of the main characters. Because I couldn’t get into the story I can’t talk about her in the sense of a character. But what I can talk about is they way in which her voice is portrayed by Theresa Breslin. The voice at first is more flowing and easier to read, it has in my opinion a more poetic flow. Where as the other main character Saulo; who is the son of the beggar who was killed by the magistrate. Saulo by comparison is a harder voice more rugged. He is a more down to earth character; a character even though I couldn’t get into the book, was a character I could relate to, I could have a conversation with him.
Now I have a problem with the plot, I can’t remember it. This is because I could not get into the book; I finished the book and found myself staring at the book wondering what I just read. That sounds terrible, but I believe it is because I never liked the inquisition, the book did not appeal to me at all. I feel terrible because the way it is written is amazing.
As I have said through out the way Theresa Breslin writes is amazing. Even though I can’t remember the plot when I finished the book, I found my self marvelling at the splendid way I which she wrote. The way she changes between the two is rather like you are in an interview and you are listen to two stories that need each other and fill in the gaps.
In conclusion I am in two minds about the book I read. I loved the way it was written but I couldn’t, no matter how hard I tried, get into the book.
Sofie
Year 12
Know what you mean, when you feel slightly guilty about not loving something that you thought you would/should!
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ReplyDeletedon't feel bad about not getting into it- you've obviously got a lot out of it anyway! I haven't read it myself but I think that as a reader it's easy to think that it's your fault when you can't engage with a book but actually I tend to think that this has more to do with the way the book is written. Some books I've found hard to read but that's part of the fun (James Joyce is like this) but some just aren't written terribly well. I have to admit that I'm not a fan of the Harry Potter books because as they went on I don't think she handled the plot as well as she did in the first one. I got very confused towards the end of the books as I think she lost the grip on her plots and then tried to pull all of the narrative threads together at the last minute making a reader very confused. For a while I thought it was just me but actually, having spoken to other people, I think it was her writing! I wonder what other people have thought of the plot in this book?
I enjoyed your review, it was very honest and it asks a lot of questions :)
i found it completly oppositefrom you and i was gripped from the first few sentences but i can see what you mean.
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