Thursday, April 18, 2013

Seduction by M.J. Rose

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Obtained from: Netgalley/Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Read: April 17, 2013

From the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances comes a haunting novel about a grieving woman who discovers the lost letters of novelist Victor Hugo, awakening a mystery that spans centuries. In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed. Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey—where Hugo conducted the séances—hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different—Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher. What follows is an intricately plotted and atmospheric tale of suspense with a spellbinding ghost story at its heart, by one of America’s most gifted and imaginative novelists.

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Victor Hugo
Is it possible to be intoxicated by the written word? I don't know that I'd given the idea much thought before reading M.J. Rose's Seduction, but afterward I'm inclined to say it is. 

Few authors have as distinct a writing style as Rose, at least in my experience. Her narrative is heavy, though like a heady perfume, it reveals a beautiful array of notes the longer it is allowed to breathe. From the first page I was quite literally swept up in the artistry of her words, charmed by her elegant prose.

Naturally there is more to a story than how it is written. What you write is of equal importance and here again I was rather impressed. Rose seamlessly blends history, psychology, mystery, theology, romance and suspense into one astoundingly unique volume. Perhaps this is indicative of all her novels, but this being my first experience with her work, I found the combination surprising as well as enjoyable. 

If only I'd been able to connect with the characters. I'm not sure why but I never felt as if I knew them. I could understand them, but something I can't put my finger on kept me from really getting inside their heads. This disconnect may, in part, be attributed to my not having read earlier installments of the series, but I am still someone disappointed I was unable to appreciate the cast as much as I did the telling of their story.

This small criticism aside, I loved this piece, how it made me think and feel, and hope to come across more of Rose's work in the future. 

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I did more than allow him in. I gave the devil a warm hearth and a hospitable place to rest for as long as he wanted one. I gave him access to my very soul.
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Check out all the stops on M.J. Rose's historical fiction VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR


Monday, March 25
Review at Luxury Reading
Tuesday, March 26
Review at Peppermint, Ph.D.
Wednesday, March 27
Review at Bibliophilic Book Blog
Thursday, March 28
Interview at A Bookish Libraria
Friday, March 29
Review & Guest Post at vvb32Reads
Guest Post at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Monday, April 1
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review & Guest Post at The Lit Bitch
Tuesday, April 2
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, April 3
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Thursday, April 4
Review at The Musings of a Book Junkie
Friday, April 5
Guest Post at The Musings of a Book Junkie
Monday, April 8
Review at Girls Just Reading
Tuesday, April 9
Review & Guest Post at Kinx’s Book Nook
Wednesday, April 10
Review at Booklover Book Reviews
Thursday, April 11
Review at Psychotic Book Reviews
Guest Post at Literary Marie
Friday, April 12
Review at West Metro Mommy
Monday, April 15
Review at Layered Pages
Tuesday, April 16
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Wednesday, April 17
Review at Reflections of a Book Addict
Thursday, April 18
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Guest Post at Reflections of a Book Addict
Friday, April 19
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary
Monday, April 22
Review at Impressions in Ink
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Tuesday, April 23
Review at Review From Here
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Wednesday, April 24
Guest Post at The Maiden’s Court
Thursday, April 25
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Friday, April 26
Review at Girl Lost in a Book
Monday, April 29
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review at As I Turn the Pages
Tuesday, April 30
Interview at A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, May 1
Review at Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, May 2
Review at Unabridged Chick
Guest Post at Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, May 3
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Tuesday, May 7
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Wednesday, May 8
Review at Buried Under Books
Review at Diary of an Eccentric
Thursday, May 9
Review at Amused by Books
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Interview at Buried Under Books
Friday, May 10
Review at Savvy Verse & Wit
Tuesday, May 14
Review at Words and Peace
Review at Kimba the Caffeinated Reviewer
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry
Wednesday, May 15
Review at Stiletto Storytime
Thursday, May 16
Review at From Left to Write
Guest Post at Stiletto Storytime
Friday, May 17
Review at A Novel Review
Monday, May 20
Review at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, May 21
Review at Confessions of a Book Hoarder
Guest Post at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, May 22
Review at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi
Guest Post at Confessions of a Book Hoarder
Thursday, May 23
Review at Man of La Book
Guest Post at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi
Friday, May 24
Review at The Calico Critic
Monday, May 27
Review at Paperback Princess
Tuesday, May 28
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Guest Post at Blood Mother Blog
Wednesday, May 29
Review at Cheryl’s Book Nook
Guest Post at To Read or Not to Read
Thursday, May 30
Review at Book Nerds
Guest Post at Cheryl’s Book Nook
Monday, June 3
Review at A Book Geek
Tuesday, June 4
Review at Tribute Books Mama
Guest Post at My Shelf Confessions
Wednesday, June 5
Review at Bippity Boppity Book
Thursday, June 6
Guest Post at Book Nerds
Friday, June 7
Review at Book Drunkard
Monday, June 10
Review at Jenny Loves to Read
Tuesday, June 11
Review & Interview at Pure Textuality
Wednesday, June 12
Review at From the TBR Pile
Thursday, June 13
Review & Guest Post at Books by the Willow Tree
Friday, June 14
Review at Bibliophilia, Please
Monday, June 17
Review at Mari Reads
Tuesday, June 18
Guest Post at Mari Reads
Wednesday, June 19
Review at Daisy’s Book Journal
Thursday, June 20
Guest Post at Daisy’s Book Journal
Friday, June 21
Review at Judith Starkston Blog
Review at Just One More Chapter
Monday, June 24
Review at The True Book Addict
Tuesday, June 25
Guest Post at The True Book Addict
Wednesday, June 26
Interview at Judith Starkston Blog
Friday, June 28
Review & Giveaway at A Writer’s Life: Working with the Muse


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