Kate Taylor (1) (1962–)

There's a lot going on in this book, too much really. There are four narrative voices, which are all puportedly written by our protagonist, a writer named Sharon who is dying of cancer. The premise itself I quite liked but the execution left me less impressed; the pacing seems uneven and I never really got into the story emotionally. Sharon comes across as whiny, constantly obsessing about the grad student her husband has left her for and any tiny shred of sympathy was destroyed by the revelation that Sharon was her husband's mistress before thier marriage. (You don't get to be surprised that your husband is cheating on you when you knew he was a cheater right from the beginning.) The chapters about Nelly Terman and Charles Dickens are not nearly as factual as I would have liked, although I certainly enjoyed that plotline the most. Overall, not an unpleasant read but not really my thing, as I cannot bear characters who think their love can reform another human.

Thank you to Penguin Random House who were kind enough to award me this advance reading copy.… (more)

I received a copy of Serial Monogamy through the Goodreads Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautifully written book that toggles between a present-day writer/mother/wife battling cancer and her fictionalized serial of Charles Dickens' mistress as it is published weekly in the newspaper. The author does a wonderful job of imagining what life must have been like as a woman and lover of a prolific writer in 1800s England; I was engrossed in the story from the first page, and appreciated Taylor's ability to animate each of her characters in a way that made me feel emotionally invested in each of them.… (more)

I don't think this book is really aimed at an audience like me (30 something year old man), but I won it from a goodreads giveaway, so I figured I'd give it a chance. The Charles Dickens chapters were alright, but when a couple of them were from the point of view of Dickens wife, it kind of confused me, they didn't really fit in.The chapters about the cheating and cancer and such never really held my interest, but the whole book is well written, and I'm sure lots of people will thoroughly enjoy it.… (more)

Belle Epoch in Paris — Dreyfus Affair — 1893 — turn of century — quest to clean dark conspiracy — jewish — standoffish — talk @ Paris Commune —

At the height of the Belle Epoque, François Dubon leads a well-ordered life in the bourgeois quarters of Paris’ eighth arrondissement. When not busy with his prosperous legal practice, he enjoys both a contented marriage to his aristocratic wife, Geneviève, and satisfying afternoon encounters with his mistress, Madeleine. He is never late for those five o’clock appointments nor for family dinner at seven—until a mysterious widow comes to his office with an unusual request.… (more)