Customer Reviews

The Five-Minute Marriage

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

 

 

This wonderful tale held my interest from the first page. All the characters are finely drawn with a great deal of warmth and humor. Miss Catheret is alone in the world, trying to take care of her sick mother by teaching music. At a friend's urging she decides to get in touch with her mother's estranged family, hoping they will do their duty and help her as she is almost out of funds. Arriving at her mother's childhood home, and introducing herself, the family there declares she is an imposter, and they have been taking care of the REAL Miss Carteret all along, and her mother could not be alive, because she died giving birth. What ensues is a DELIGHTFUL romp and mystery. If you can find a copy you should read it! It is VASTLY entertaining!!!!!!!!

this is a perfect book for a rainy afternoon; joan aiken's stylishly written tale of murder, villains, heroes and misunderstandings is just a laugh and really entertaining. Escapism for sure, but delightfully witty and never insulting the intelligence of the reader. definitely recomended!

The plot: Philadelphia Carter and her mother are forced to scrabble for a living. As a result of her mother's youthful indiscretion, the two women have no money, and no hopes of getting any. And yet, there is a possibility that an old relation might see his way to giving them a portion of the inheritance that should have been theirs, and so Delphie goes on a quest to Kent to see if she can secure her family's future. Plans go awry, the plot thickens, and we are introduced to a hero with nothing going for him except his expectations (and even those are low).

The good: The heroine is plucky and loyal. Her beauty is mentioned but not harped upon, the author preferring to make more of her adaptability, intelligence, and resourcefulness (a nice change from the typical regency romance). Our hero, Gareth, is neither charming nor particularly handsome, but we like him because he is just as loyal and loving towards his own family, and the crosses he must bear (a harpy for a sister, 10 children underfoot, and a mess of debts not his own) make him ever more sympathetic to us and the heroine.

The bad: Although we know there must be a romance happening in there somewhere, it can be somewhat difficult to find. There is evidence of regard in Delphie's thoughts and in Gareth's actions, but neither is particularly satisfying for either the protagonists or the reader. There is little (if any) sexual tension, and the happy ending happens without us really realizing that it's coming.

The bottom line: It's Austenesque in its restraint, and the plot is healthy. But don't expect much romance. If you're looking for a modern take on the Austen type but with a bit more actual interest shown between the protagonists, read Indiscretion instead.