Lauren Willig's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation started out really well. Eloise Kelly is writing her Ph. D dissertation on a British spy named the Pink Carnation. She is too cute in the introduction to the book, and I found myself laughing hysterically at some of her comments. Especially "'Aristocratic Espionage during the Wars with France: 1789-1815' Rather a dry title, but somehow I doubt 'Why I Love Men in Black Masks' would have made it past my dissertation committee." Okay that is a great line, a really great line. So great that I read on the radio station here when I was interviewed. Did I mention that quote comes on page 3? I had high hopes for this one.
The book turns in the second chapter to the actual story of the Pink Carnation and all the other British spies. I was cool with that, kind of like time travel. Okay. The only bad thing about that is once Eloise is gone the book is no longer funny. Barely engaging. I left it as my good book to read after homework and I found myself wanting to go to bed. That's a problem. And Eloise barely reappears for most of the book. So you can probably figure out how I was feeling when she wasn't around. I missed Eloise, she was my girl. And these new people were kind of boring.
So basically, I didn't read this book all that thoroughly as I was falling asleep during quite a bit of it. I know some people think it is a really smart and good series, I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. I felt like the story wasn't going anywhere. On page 188.
If you have positive review of this book then please comment with a link and I will post it at the end of this review.
This book earned a D.
Sumthinblue at Bookmarked! also has a review of this book that is more positive than mine. I really respect this review and if you're looking for a different opinion you should check it out!
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