3 STARS I liked the characters and I liked the writing, but I had a problem with the plot. The relationship between Mary and Duncan was realistic and they were both likable. Conversations seemed authentic and I liked how they worked through their problems. There were some great quotes. This one describing a nightmare Duncan experienced was visceral: "In a moment of lucidity, he recognized the effects of laudanum wearing off. A nightmare was coming, Horrors he could not face. Oh, sweet Angel of Mercy, I cannot face it. He begged, he thrashed, he cajoled until a liquid the sound of red and color of a creaking door met his lips, and he was back in the meadow with Caesar beneath him, Mary riding at his side, his men singing in chorus." And I loved this amusing comment regarding Mary's breeding: "Politeness was ingrained. She could make a rat feel welcomed and comfortable in a drawing room." As I said, the writing was really good, but the plot had one significant issue. ****Spoilers may follow**** A person who is paralyzed from the waist down, specifically having no feeling below the waist, will by definition be incontinent. There is no way of getting around this. If Duncan were, in fact, paralyzed from the waist down, his ability to walk or get an erection would be the least of his concerns. His incontinence would be his greatest embarrassment and discouragement. If he was embarrassed his valet had to help bathe and dress him, the humiliation of having someone change his diaper would have been unbearable. Getting past this very real side effect of paraplegia was impossible for me. I could not ignore the implications of his paralysis and that made it difficult for me to see walking (and eventually, sex) as concerns. I can still believe Mary would love him, but things would be very different. This one blunder brought what could have been a five star story down to just three. April 20, 2020
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Elizabeth J ConnorWriter. Editor. Proofreader. Archives
September 2022
Categories |