English as a Second Language by Megan Crane
As you may have realised, I rarely (as in never) give up on a book once I've started it. i keep going, hoping for the best and trying to find a redeeming feature. However, this is one I truly struggled with...I disliked the main character of Alex, she was totally self-absorbed and although she finally realises that there was nothing endearing or sympathetic about her in the meantime. The supporting cast were poorly drawn and uninteresting, even the love interest left me cold. I'm aware York Uni isn't the most inspiring campus in the world, but the book didn't even manage to sell York itself as a place of any value! Okay, I've been a student, yes i drank copious amounts, but the amount of time spent in the pub was just lazy.
Maybe I'm coming from the wrong angle and it's definately aimed at the US market, but sadly a waste of a few hours reading.
The Return by Victoria Hislop
I soooo wanted to read this and waited impatiently for it to come out in paperback. It's good, but doesn't live up to The Island. (Which is one of my all time favs!) Interesting but not enough "feeling" in the middle section about the the Civil war...in parts it was a bit text book description rather than novelisation. Loved the flamenco bits. Still good, but not what I hoped for.
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