Customer Reviews

Dark Birthright

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

But this book was exceptionally disappointing to me. I excitedly purchased the book after reading the excerpt posted on the author's site (which I linked to through the Lady's of Lollybroch site). Being a fan of big, meaty books (hence my affinity for Diana Gabaldon's work), I anxiously awaited the book's delivery. The author's descriptive style is nice and the illustrations truly add to the character in the mind's eye. However, this book is severely lacking when it comes to "dialogue." The exchanges are so choppy and "monotone," it's almost as if one can "hear" a 2nd grader reading the story. Some dialogue is downright laughable. Whether this is the fault of the author or the editor, is unknown. I just know after all was said and done, this was not an enjoyable read. There is some "guilt" associated with writing this "review." After all, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. However, I feel "duped" by other reviews and feel compelled to say something. Ms. Treat has a story to tell, but she REALLY needs to hone her craft.

This could have been a really good book but the dialog was very rough... a good editor could have corrected most of this. Because of the bad grammar and poor dialog continuity it made what could have been a good book bad. I cannot reccomend this book because it's difficult to read. I would love to see it re-edited and re-released.

If you expect a 'Diana Gabaldon' experience from Dark Birthright, prepare to be disappointed. The author clearly fancies herself an equal talent to Ms. Gabaldon, and was, quite obviously, inspired by Ms. Gabaldon's excellent work. But Ms. Treat's writing ability does not come close. Maybe with time, practice and a few college-level creative writing classes she could develop her talent and create a readable story. But not yet.

This book seems to have had little or no oversight by an editor or publisher. Even a casual reader, unschooled in critical literary analysis, can see how the story could be improved. It is difficult to understand how this book made it to market. The basic story is a good beginning point, but the author needs to rewrite, refine and improve. Better luck next time.

I love history, and historical fiction if it is well-written, because good historical fiction is the best way I know to get ordinary people interested in history. For that reason, it drives me nuts when someone sets out to write historical fiction and does not do their homework. Dark Birthright is so full of anachronisms, historical inaccuracies, and grammatical errors that I could barely concentrate on the plot. For example, Ms. Treat has her Scottish noblemen smoking cigars, in 1636! While tobacco was "discovered" by the Spaniards in the early 1500s, to the extent that it was enjoyed at all in Europe in the seventeenth cenutury, it was enjoyed in pipes, not cigars. Ms. Treat has her rural Scots villagers making cranberry biscuits, despite the fact that the cranberry is a New World fruit, and was totally unknown to Europeans until the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts in 1620. I doubt very much that cranberries had made their way from the New World to the rural villages of Scotland in the 16 years between 1620 and 1636. Ms. Treat also has the Earl's castle decorated with Christmas trees - 200 years before the custom came from Germany to the British Isles with Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert. She also has one of the women in her tale wearing a bustle - 250 years before they became fashionable! Passing from anachronisms to inanities, Ms. treat writes that when the hero of the story decides to flee from his evil father, his pursuers discover that the heavy snowfall has erased all traces of his passing - so they decide to use dogs to follow his scent! Did it never occur to Ms. Treat that heavy snowfall erases scent as easily as it erases footprints? She also has her characters worried that they'll run out of water because the heavy snowfall prevents them from getting from their cottage to the stream. Duh! I know I'm beginning to rant, so I'll stop here (despite having many more bones to pick). As other reviewers have pointed out, the dialogue can be quite trite at times, and many of her characters are little better than stereotypes. It's a pity: Ms. Treat had a good idea for a story, but failed utterly to set it believably in context. It's not entirely her fault, I suppose: where the heck was her editor?

I was so disappointed in this book, especially after the hype it got prior to release

the dialogue is stinted and historically inaccurate. For example, Dugall and his family are "low born" yet when they encounter Dugall's birth father and grandfather, both aristocrats, their language and dialog is the same.

The characters are very shallow, and I thought the part about the boys experiencing each others sexual feelings was just pandering.

I am an avid reader of scottish historial fiction, and this is the worst one I have read

While I think the author has a good story to tell, her lack of skill in dialogue writing left me frustrated and disappointed with this book. I wanted to like it after reading all the glowing reviews, but I just can't recommend it to anyone.

I met the author last week at the Maine Highland Games. I haven't read a book in years. After talking with her about her first book, I was hooked. Does she have the gift! She explained how she felt drawn to Scotland, how she spent quality time in the area researching and understanding the era. The characters came to her and the story that unfolded was exquisite. It's the whole package, simply and beautifully told. How appropriate to start reading it at a Scotish festival while listening to the beautiful Celtic pipes in the background. Thanks Jeanne! Now I wish I'd bought all three as you suggested.

I recently purchased this book at the NH Highland Games. As A lover of Scottish history and historical fiction, I was eager to read what appeared to be a good story. As soon as I started reading the first chapter, I reaized that I had wasted my money. The characters were not well-developed and the dialogue between them was so choppy and at times, silly. As a matter of fact, "silly" was the word I used when asked if the book was good. The basic plot could have been excellent in the hands of another author. I would not recommend this book.

I couldn't have been more disappointed with this author's take on "historical fiction". The history was practically non-existent; the characters were one dimensional; most of the dialogue was truly dreadful; and the plot was predictable from the outset. For readers looking for historical fiction with substance, Dark Birthright reads more like a Dick and Jane nursery rhyme. For an extremely satisfying read, try something by Dorothy Dunnett - I highly recommend her Lymond Chronicles (6 volumes starting with The Game of Kings).

I love this book! Great character development and I love the way she describes the scenes. I feel like I'm really there! I've just started the second book and can't wait to finish it.....