Title: A Reason to LiveAuthor: Maureen McKade
Published: 2006, Berkley
Category: Historical Fiction - Western
Rating: 5/10
Going camping last week put me in the mood for a rustic story. Lol. So I picked up this western. People seemed excited that a new western was actually being published, and it was getting pretty good reviews. I thought it was nice, but, well, pretty meh.
The setting is the south right after the Civil War. Laurel Covey is a war widow who was a nurse through the war. Whenever a soldier died on her watch, she wrote down his last words. Now that the war is over, she's vowed to visit all those soldiers' families to deliver their final messages. On the way, she meets Creede Forrester, who is the father of one of her patients who died. Laurel is mentally scarred from all the horrific things she saw nursing, and has a great deal of guilt over not being able to save everyone. Creede is dealing with his grief over his dead son. Together they travel through the south delivering messages.
This was just...fine. Nice enough. I thought Laurel's fears about her mental stability were interesting and realistic. I can only imagine what nursing on a battlefield would do to one's psyche. The love story was sweet.
But it just didn't really grab me. I found myself not caring all that much about the characters. And the writing did not seem very inspired to me. Too often falling back on tired and overused phrases. Maybe I'm being too harsh. I did think it a nice story. And the cover is so pretty! ;p
6 comments:
Me and westerns just don't click. Ever. Unless it was that movie Wild, Wild West and that's because it was steampunk!!!
Other than that? Meh. Sorry it sucked for you. :-(
I'm on the same page with Mailyn... I like western even less than regencies... And I've read one book by Maureen McKade. It was okay... Hopefully, you'll read a better book :D and, I don't think you're being too harsh (I'm worried sometimes that I am too), but if that's what you think, then that's what you think.
I like regencies. Fact, I love them! But I wouldn't like to live there. LOL.
Yeah, I like the idea of westerns, but I don't think I've read any really good ones. They're always disappointing to me.
Now regencies? Love 'em. Obviously there are way too many out there, and lots of them are stupid. But as a time period it's awesome. And Mailyn, I'd want to live there! LOL. As long as I was a wealthy woman with nice, open-minded menfolk. ;) Of course, if I lived back then, I'd be a serious old maid by now, which would suck! LOL.
Nath--It's hard to say bad things about books, isn't it? But you have to be honest, or what's the point?!
Jennie - I know! I mean, as long as there was something wrong with the book, then you have to be honest. I mean, i don't like ppl who say bad thing, because they think it's cool to be mean... For me, I always find it harsh because I'm like: is it really me or am I trying to find things? am I being too picky?
I think that real life Regency is a little too backwards, and dirty, for my taste. Oh and imagine having to marry with some old man for the family. Eeeewwwww!!!! LOL.
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