1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tension with wit., April 6, 2010
This review is from: Evan's Castle (Paperback)
Evan's Castle is a romance novel in first person, narrated by an apparently attractive, intelligent, brash, at times almost excessively frank young woman who has left behind a failed but still haunting relationship, and who applies for a job despite, and partially because of, the mysterious challenges posed by the position. Her self-confidence partially hides her vulnerabilty.
The dialogue is clever and engaging, especially the unspoken dialogue which takes the reader inside the head of this passionate, at times tormented soul. A subplot significantly impacts the course of the plot right to the end.
Each character is fully developed and memorable. Descriptions are largely part of the dialogue or action and neither lacking nor excessive. The pace of the story is appropriate throughout. I found the book hard to put down.
I expected great writing when I obtained this novel, and I was not at all disappointed. Highly recommended.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Bodice Ripper Even a Man Could Love, December 12, 2008
This review is from: Evan's Castle (Paperback)
Edmund Wilson, the pre-eminent American literary critic of his time, once wrote off an entire genre of popular fiction--detective stories--in a single essay, "Who Cares Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?" I was looking forward to doing the same thing to romantic fiction--disparagingly referred to as "bodice rippers" in the trade--when a copy of "Evan's Castle" by Tracy Fabre arrived in the mail.
I wanted to write a "Who Cares Who Slashed Rachel Kane's Tires?", but I couldn't. Rachel is The Heroine Who Bears a Tragic Wound--a failed romance that she's running from--and Evan Callahan is The Misanthropic Brooding Genius to whom she's fatally attracted. His Castle (an essential element of the gothic subset of this chick lit genre) is a drab warehouse where he pursues whatever strikes his polymath fancy--astral nebulae, molds, fungi. What's not to love?
Rachel is a research librarian hired to catalog Evan's--stuff. After a few initial rounds of sparring, she is drawn to him, and he to her. The closer they get, however, the more Rachel is dogged by escalating acts of vandalism, from late-night phone calls to slashed tires. Until she is nearly killed by her nemesis, she maintains a smart-aleck gallows humor that makes the dialogue--both internal and spoken--snap like a pack of Chinese firecrackers.
The atmosphere of the book is a bit claustrophobic, but no matter; Ms. Fabre can work more drama into Rachel's tortured decision to reply to an email from her ex than a community theatre production of "Arsenic and Old Lace." The action is confined to a few academic settings--to paraphrase Allen Iverson, "We're talking cataloging here"--but the pace picks up as the romance and violence escalates. Isn't that always the way?
As an unpaid on-line critic with high standards of professionalism, I am compelled to point out minor flaws; on page 35 Ms. Fabre splits an infinitive, and when a rock is thrown through Rachel's window, the heroine concludes that her nemesis was the one to "pitch a home run."
"Pitch" a home run? Ain't that just like a woman.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful romantic comedy, October 31, 2008
This review is from: Evan's Castle (Paperback)
"Evan's Castle" was a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I don't generally read romance novels, but I'd call this more of a romantic comedy. If you imagine a screwball comedy such as "Bringing Up Baby" with its fast-paced, witty dialogue, add a touch of mystery, and spice up the romance a bit, you'd have a good idea of the feeling this book evoked for me. The author has a great facility in maintaining romantic and dramatic tension, thus keeping the reader completely engaged. She dishes out dollops of information and romance at a teasingly perfect pace. The characters are seductive and clever, and the villains are despicable and slug-worthy. The romantic scenes always have an edge or a twist to make them keenly felt and memorable. A great good time!
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