Customer Reviews

The Dead Travel Fast

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(32)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

So, a big fan of the three Lady Julia Grey novels by Deanna Raybourn, I preordered this book long ago, assuming it was the fourth Lady Julia book (I guess we know what that makes me) and forgot about it. It arrives this week and turns out to be a Gothic/vampire/werewolf plot, not my favorite genre. But I read it anyway, having paid for it and also being, as said, a big fan of Raybourn's other novels. And, to my surprise, I liked it. I found it to be well written, perhaps the characters not as well developed and three-dimensional as they could be, but the plot was fun, had a couple of unexpected things that happened, and, in general, the book could be read by someone who does not like the paranormal and prefers things that happen in the world to not be otherworldly. It has romance, mystery and murder. Could you ask for more?

Theodora Lestrange is a budding author who receives an invitation from her friend, Cosmina, to stay in her fiancee's castle in Transylvania. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to gain inspiration for the novel she's always wanted to write, Theodora goes to Transylvania--and finds herself immediately attracted to the castle's owner, count Andrei Dragulescu.

I'm not quite as fond of this novel as I am of Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey series, and I'll tell you why. Theodora Lestrange is a pale copy of Lady Julia, I'm afraid, unrestrainedly modern and not quite as interesting. There's not quite the same amount of wittiness that Lady Julia gave us time after time. There are also a lot of discrepancies in her character, especially when it came to her friendship with Cosmina.

I can't help but compare this romance to the one between Lady Julia and Brisbane in Raybourn's Silent series. I think the problem lies in the fact that, whereas the Lady Julia-Brisbane romance had time to evolve over a few novels, here the romance aspect simply seems rushed, and based more upon physical chemistry rather than emotional or mental (how many times are we told about how physically attractive the count is?). We're told over and over that there's a mental connection, but I'd rather see it firsthand.

I loved the premise of the book, and I wish that there had been more of the supernatural in it. Theodora is the ultimate skeptic, I know, but I would have liked to have seen more vampires, werewolves, strigoi, or whatever. This book had the potential to be extremely scary, but I thought it fell down in that aspect. Also (and this is a minor point but it annoyed me all the same), the author is very selective about the British spellings she uses (why "faery," for example, and not "mediaeval?").

Deanna Raybourn is a talented writer, and she knows her Victorian period extremely well. She's obviously put a lot of time and energy into the research and writing of this book, but I for one can't wait until she returns to the Lady Julia Grey series. If you're a newcomer to Deanna Rayboun's novels, this is probably not the place to start.

Theodora Lestrange has just lost her adored grandfather and is left with a handful of unappealing yet sensible choices for her near future, when an old school friend extends an invitation to visit her in Transylvania. The independence of the journey and the exoticism of the destination beckon to this young writer and she departs for the myths and mysteries of Eastern Europe with scarcely a thought for her safety and well-being. Once there, she meets with the requisite assortment of intriguing characters, including the reclusive and mysterious Count Andrei.

Sadly, the characterizations in this novel, unlike in the Lady Julia series, are not particularly well developed. The attraction between the main characters seems inexplicable or unbelievable. I personally love the Lady Julia series (in spite of the unfortunate cover art in the more recent editions) but this is a pale shadow of that richly developed world. The

For the last couple of weeks I've been obsessively checking my local bookstore's stock online to see if Deanna Raybourn's THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST just happened to get in early. Yes, I actually am that nerdy and it's much too late to do anything about it. But, in this case, the effort paid off as a nice, healthy stack of them awaited me on the "New Fiction" table when I dashed in from the rain on my way home from work. As you know, I am a devoted Lady Julia Grey fan. I adore that series and am anxiously awaiting the upcoming fourth installment--Dark Road to Darjeeling--due out this October. But when I heard she was working on a standalone historical set in Transylvania and featuring a would-be lady novelist and a mysterious count...well...I was equal parts intrigued and excited. Who knew what delights and promises it would hold?

Miss Theodora LeStrange has come to the end of her rope. When her grandfather and guardian passes away, her well-meaning if rather insipid brother-in-law takes it upon himself to determine what exactly is to be done with her. Terrified of what he will come up with, Theodora grasps at the nearest straw in the form of a letter from her old school friend Cosmina who now resides at Castle Dragulescu in Transylvania. She invites Theodora to come and stay in celebration of her approaching nuptials. A budding novelist, Theodora convinces her friend and publisher Charles Beecroft the experience will serve to inspire her imagination and fuel the novel she knows is lurking inside just waiting to be brought forth. Against their better judgement, her family and friends let her go and the adventure of a lifetime begins. Upon arrival Theodora is reunited with Cosmina and introduced to the aging Countess and her mysterious son--the newly appointed Count. In a land where the sinister is a daily occurrence and the horrifying merely commonplace, Theodora's imagination is more than stimulated. It is driven into overdrive as her Scottish pragmatism wars with the inexplicable and increasingly nightmarish events unfolding in this small Roumanian village at the edge of the world.


This was such an interesting read. It was at times exactly and not at all what I expected and my response to it evolved as the pages turned. I liked Theodora from the beginning. She is much more pragmatic, yet somehow less sure of herself than Julia Grey and I wondered how she would handle the--what seemed to me--clearly supernatural events at Castle Dragulescu. But just when you (and she) think you have the story and Count Andrei figured out, the narrative takes a meditative turn and you find yourself not at all sure. Perhaps it is merely smoke and mirrors and can all be explained away by an ancient grudge, a marital infidelity, or a genetic predisposition. And so the tale winds on, weaving back and forth between the mundane and the spectacular, never revealing its secrets. At first I was impatient to discover the truth, but it was when I gave myself up to the story that I enjoyed Deanna Raybourn's wonderfully gifted way with words. I was amazed at how seamless the writing and the dialogue were. Initially I wanted to like Andrei as much as I do Brisbane, but he is an entirely different breed of alpha male and not nearly as instantly likable. But he isn't meant to be, I don't think. Much more Rochester than Thornton from the word go. And once again, it was when I sat back and let it wash over me that I really was able to appreciate this novel for what it is--a pitch-perfect Victorian Gothic romance. And the ending was perfect. What a talent for endings Ms. Raybourn has and how much I look forward to each of her books--whatever style or genre they may be.

A Note: For Lady Julia Grey aficionados, there is a delightful little reference to that series hidden in THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST. It left a happily satisfied smile on my face. See if you can spot it.

I struggled with how to rate this book. The first third drew me in instantly: a spirited heroine goes to a creepy, centuries-old castle in Transylvania to attend her friend's wedding and work on her novel. The setting was well-described by the author such that you feel you're there. There's good slow, suspenseful build-up to the mysteries that surround the house and the family of the Count, to whom Theodora is instantly attracted.

The middle part of the book seemed to drag; some of Theodora's behavior was so out of character from how she had initially been presented, that at times I found her irritating. It seemed like the author was trying to show how living in such a haunting atmosphere would affect someone's character, but it was so jolting that it didn't seem realistic. Characterization was sacrificed in the interest of plot development.

The last part picked up again, with some thrilling plot twists that I didn't see coming (and I can usually spot them miles away). It regained the momentum of the first part of the book, along with the spine-tingling anticipation and suspense. The good qualities of the book include a wonderfully rendered Gothic atmosphere, romance, and suspense. I would have given it four stars, if not for the middle third. I wish Amazon had half star ratings because it rates three and a half stars. Worth reading, particularly if you like mysteries, but it could definitely have been more even with more attention to consistent character development.

I feel like the black sheep here. The story is about an old maid, Theodora, who is invited by an old boarding school friend to visit Rumania. Apparenlty her friend, Cosmina (what an awful and corney name), was planning a wedding and wanted her there. Theodora, without a backward glace went. Upon arriving at the castle of Count Dragulecus (another awful and corney name), she discovers that her friend is not engaged and the Count has the hots for her. Why? You got me.

I think Rayborn was trying to create a creepy horror story. When I started reading the book and read the names and premises of the story I thought she was creating a corney funny take on Dracula. As I read further I realized that she was not, and was trying to actually be serious. I think she would have been better off in her writing if it was all just a joke. My other problem, Raybourn did not show the reader anything. She simply stated facts. Like when she had Theodora brag about herself and her expert writing ability. Who does that? I also hated the first person point of view. Theodora was not a strong character. More wishy-washy. "Do I stay. Do I leave. I will ignore and stay away from the count. Oh, no he's not coming to get me out of my room so we can spend most of the night alone together."

Raybourn also attempted to create a murder mystery in the story. When it was obvious what was really going on. Then there is the character of the count. I mean was I suppose to be surprised about the ending when he simply told her one night around page 100 that he was just pretending to be what she wanted so that she could become another of his conquest? Also, showing how weak the character of Theodora was to put up with it. I thought she was suppose to be intelligent?

I wouldn't recommend this book to read.

Anyone reading Raybourn's blog or the blurb of the pre-release would know this is not a Lady Julia Grey novel. I knew it was about the Carpathians and vampires -- or is it? In the end, humans are more dangerous than the supernatural.

Parts of this book I loved, little gems like Dragulescu washing Theodora's hands in welcome, a scene more sensual than the actual one sex scene. Parts didn't sit so well with me - the Cosmina revelation for one. And the pace of the suspense was such that half-way through, I started reading chapters from the back, so it's clear the pacing was too artificial and forced for it failed to keep me in its grasp. This to me is a major flaw. I would never, ever violate the pace of a Michael Connelly mystery, for example.

However, the atmosphere was solid, and it was an enjoyable book even if I did read half of it backward. Is it a keeper like the Gray-Brisbane series? No.

The story moved at a snail's pace--when the heroine pondered to herself (which was often,) it dragged on and on with too much repetition. Also, I thought the story was going to be more...mystical, magical, enchanting, frightening...more something. For me it was rather dull and I was disappointed as I really enjoyed her Lady Julia Grey novels.

*SPOILER ALERT* When I opened the book and found the prescript page,asking readers to let themselves be swept away by the lore the author was about to delve into, I was hooked. I wanted to dive into that world she promised. Unfortunately, The Dead Travel Fast, made me feel as if I swan-dived off of the high diving board only to land in the shallow end of the pool. Raybourn's style of writing is fresh and interesting, it showed a lot of potential. And I LOVED the chemistry between the two main characters- Theodora and Andrei in the beginning. However, about 3/4 of the way through, I had no idea where the Theodora's heart should belong and I really didn't care. I felt no allegiance to either of the men in her life. I was actually surprised when in the last page of the book, things wrapped up so...romantically. All things considered, I liked the book purely for the writing style and the potential it had, especially at the beginning once Theodora arrives at the castle. But beyond that - I feel gypped. I only wanted what was promised: an escape into dark imagination and whimsy. Perhaps the author should have asked herself to believe, rather than her readers. The result could have been amazing. All I can say is - what a bummer.

The trajectory is going down. The author started out so well. The first book was very good and I recommended it to friends. It made me anxious for the next. The second book was merely OK. The third, I'm still waiting to read -- skim? -- it. But I was out of town and got this one. UGH. Really silly, poorly done. I hope Ms. Raybourn gets back to her original form, otherwise I won't be following her any more.