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Review: The Wild Rose, by Jennifer Donnelly


Pages: 640
Original date of publication: 2011
My copy: 2011
Why I decided to read: received a copy from the publisher for review
How I acquired my copy: Amazon Vine program, 2011

Although I wasn’t too keen on the first two books in this trilogy—The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose—I picked this one up hoping my mind had changed. Each book in the story offers a different perspective on one family at the turn of the century; this book begins just before WWI and focuses on Seamie and Willa. I think the story is meant to be fast-paced and give the reader a good overview of early 20th century history, but the story lines were so unrealistic and predictable that I had a hard time finishing the book. There were so many characters and coincidences that the book got pretty convoluted after a while. The characters’ dialogue also didn’t seem era-appropriate. This might be a good book if you’re looking for a period romance, but be prepared to suspend disbelief at the plot and characters.


Comments

Lark said…
I haven't read The Wild Rose, or any other books in this trilogy, but I did read Donnelly's A Northern Light; it's a YA book and it's actually really good; if you haven't already read it, you might check it out.

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