Re: Eden's Winter by Marie de Merle

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Comments:
: : : Marie de Merle

: : Dear Marie,

: : I read the first chapter of Eden's Winter and would like to comment.  First, my disclaimer:  the book is yours and you must always be true to your concept of how the story should be told.  I am just one voice with one opinion.

: : The genre sounded interesting to me, but the synopsis made me wonder who the target audience was.  It sounded like it was geared to teenage girls, as a coming of age story, but this is not what I found when I read chapter one.

: : In class, I have been taught that in chapter one, the writer should introduce the main characters and set up the conflict that will propel the reader through the book.  I did not find that in this book.  I found myself wading through eons of flowery description and unable to find the action.  I kept having to go back to Martine and rereading what she was actually doing to be able to follow the story.  I think description should hang on the story, not the other way around, which is what I was feeling here.

: : In the end, not sure of where the story was going, and becoming lost in all the description and bored with the lack of action, I decided not to read chapter two.  I will readily admit, I may have made too hasty a judgement.  I have a notoriously short attention span, and so what I saw as fault, most readers may appreciate.

: : I do enjoy reading historical fiction/historical romance, so I am anxious to hear what the others have to say.  I may be convinced I need to go back and give it another chance.

: : Chris

: 
: Hi Chris,

: Let me preface my comments first by saying I am no great reader. While other kids in school were reading all the great novels, I was playing softball and basketball and volleyball and tending to all notions of social concerns, so that now when discussions of books come up here, or I spend my much coveted time perusing the isles of Barnes & Noble, I kick myself (*kick*) and kick myself (*kick*) for not having read more as a youth. I didn't enjoy reading until I was in my thirties (can you believe that? -to self-absorbed I guess). BUT NOW, I LOVE to read and I do know what I like, and I know I gravitate toward the "Diana" genre of books, and that is whatever book or subject interests me. It may be fiction or romance or historical accounts. So maybe I'm naive to certain "types or genres" of books, so I'm sure my perspective is different from others.

: I agree a bit with you Chris, in that I found I had a hard time following some rather descriptive passages, but then I was able to get into the character once I was able to get into Marie's rhythm of writing. I actually got freezing cold reading this chapter. When I reached the end I thought, "Oh No, this isn't all of it, is it?" SO...all I know, without a lot of critique which I have said I'm not qualified to do, is I read what I like and I liked it! WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT SECOND CHAPTER? DAAAAMMMMMIIIIITTTTT!!!!


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