My response - This is my blog. I am very clear in my Policy for Reviews that I offer balanced reviews, and if I don't like anything...I will say so...but I'll try to be balanced about it. So whilst a book may be completely not worth reading, I'll try and find something to be kind about. What I won't do is flame the author and rant and rave. That's not me (although I've seen it elsewhere on blogs).
I haven't had many books which I haven't managed to finish to date (a couple). This just happens to be one of them.
If you want a glowing review of Travelling Light, then the publisher informs me "the good review of Travelling Light is the 3rd review in a Google search" or words to that affect....so there you have it folks!
Author: J.L. Morin
Publisher: Harvard Square Editions
Published: 31st July 2011
ISBN: 978 0983321699
Rating: 2/5
The cover on this is light and with the addition of shadows on the beach, hints at a foreign link.
This is the first book I've come across with human trafficking as a subject. I have to admit I couldn't get on with the way this was written. I tried persevering and made it to just over 40 pages and then gave up, as there wasn't enough to hold my attention.
It's clear from the book that the main character feels she's unhappy and feels she's abandoned her dreams piece by piece whilst losing her relationship with her husband, who we don't get to interactive with or know well as readers.He comes across as distant and uncaring.
What I read barely touched on the human trafficking element of the story, although there was a murder and undertones of violence and a different way of living. As a subject matter this is something I wanted to read about to understand. I've come away with an itch to read something more on the subject, but for me this book wasn't captivating enough.
If anyone in the UK is intrigued by this and wants to read and review it then please email me, as I'd like to read another review on this to see what others think.
Book synopsis:
A novel on human trafficking by the author of the award-winning novel SAZZAE, whose work was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2011. TRAVELLING LIGHT presents slavery in the form of a thrilling suspense by welcoming readers to Styxos, the newest EU accession candidate, head over heels in modernization as investment pours in. Travelling light to this remote island 'paradise', Mac finds herself trapped on the lowest level of society with only the ghost of a call girl in her entourage. She befriends Farouk, a French businessman derailed from his ensuing marriage when he is implicated in the murder of a call girl at a highbrow investors' gala. Will Mac become one of the 27 million modern-day slaves (see UN web site) who fall victim to human trafficking rings? Can Farouk escape a journey into instinct and extend the benefits of civilization to this newest EU accession state? Watch Mac in the company of this charming connoisseur with more to lose than an infrastructure bid.
3 comments:
hmm...not sure that this one would be for me.
I am amazed that the publisher is pressing you to remove your review. Like you, I never set out to give bad reviews, and occasionally I have made a decision not to review a book that I didn't care for. But no one has ever asked me to take back or remove I review that I've published. Stick to your guns and keep the review up Michelle. The publisher will do far more damage to its own reputation and this book's by trying to get you to remove it than if they had quietly ignored a bad review.
Wow I can't believe they're still trying to get you to remove the review! I think you gave an honest opinion and you weren't rude & didn't make horrible comments on the author - I've seen much nastier reviews out there! We all come across books that we just can't get on with, that's only natural and if I'd been really interesting in reading this book your review wouldn't have stopped me - I'm quite capable of knowing that what you didn't like might appeal to me.
What has put me off reading the book is the fact that you're getting harrassed by the publisher. Considering I write honest reviews about EVERY book I read (be it one I bought or a review copy) I'd now be very wary of picking up anything by this publisher in case I didn't get on with it & ended up being harrassed myself. Way to shoot themselves in the foot!
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