3.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe a little too ambitious, November 29, 2007
This review is from: Broken Bonds: The First Part of the Trevu Trilogy (Paperback)
This book is the beginning of one of those sprawling "family" sagas that go through the experiences of several generations. In this case, the family is that of Captain Redvers Trevarthen, a mining magnate in Cornwall at the turn of the nineteenth century. This part of the saga picks up when Redvers' illegitimate son has been dropped on his doorstep. To make things interesting, the baby is mulatto, the result of Redvers' long-standing affair with an independent black woman in the nearby town. Despite the fact the baby was born in adultery, Redvers' wife insists that they keep him. The book then follows the developments of young Paul Trevarthen's life to the point where he becomes the master of Trevu (the family estate).
This novel strongly reminds me of some of the "gothic" novels I read while growing up -- there's plenty of hob-nobbing in society, titillating action, illicit unions, forbidden love, and family secrets. Maybe too much! The plot seems to meander along at times, with periods of intense action followed by description of the less exciting times of Paul's life. There's also a secondary plot concerning a young smuggler that is a little confusing because there's not a clear designation when the story switches from one plotline to the other. Clearly, this story is a setup for the rest of the trilogy in which events will be played out to a dramatic conclusion. I guess I'm wondering if it might have all fit in two books if some of the more mundane plot points had been left out.
I wasn't really that enthralled with the character of Paul; the smuggler, Joey Bolitho, was more compelling to me. However, this is Paul's story. I thought there was a missed opportunity to discuss the social consequences of being mulatto in the early 19th century. When Paul is a child, he faces discrimination for being dark-skinned; however, once he comes into young adulthood and is rich and good-looking, suddenly everyone (except the villain) seems to forget about it. I'm not so sure that's realistic. People might have been nice to him to his face, but I bet there would at least be some nasty remarks behind the closed doors of "withdrawing rooms." The book doesn't really explore that aspect, but then again, the focus is on the family story, not social commentary.
Again, the style and tone of the book remind me of nineteenth-century novels - sort of a chatty, gossipy aunt voice that seemed appropriate. I was disturbed by the number of typographical errors - the book needed a more thorough job of editing.
My overall evaluation? If you like the "family saga" genre, this book has all the elements that make for an interesting and entertaining saga. If you prefer a more intimate, "character study" style of book, you may feel that you're peering in through the parlor window, not quite able to get to know the characters.
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