Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. DanforthMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Finished on May 16, 2021
Favorite Scene/Quote: Alex and the nesting dolls
3.5/5 rounded down
Disclaimer: I had to read this book in two parts. My library was loaning it out for 2 weeks due to the high demand and I got the book at a time where I didn’t have a lot of reading time on my hands. I had about a month in between part one and part two and I hope to eventually sit down and read it without that gap.
I didn’t really enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to. Certain parts were really good and were great at keeping my attention and making me anxious for what was next, but other parts just felt too long.
This is a book that takes place in two different time periods. Part of the story is set during the modern times where three women are getting involved in a movie. One wrote the book that is becoming the movie and the other two are actresses involved in the movie. The other part of the book takes place during the events of the movie, the events that inspired the book, back in 1902.
Between the two parts, I enjoyed the parts in 1902 better. I don’t know if it’s because there were less pages devoted to those times or because more interesting things were happening. The 1902 years covered the deaths and atrocities that occurred at the school. The modern time parts were focused on the characters getting their jobs, getting to know each other, and developing the movie. It was just less interesting to me. There seemed to be more carrying on and over-explaining what was occurring.
I have complicated feelings about the characters involved in this book. The only character I think I liked throughout the entire book is Audrey. Her mom was an actress, she is an actress, and she was the most consistent of the characters. Her personality never really seemed to change or irritate me. Harper didn’t always annoy me, but I never quite liked her. Merritt was the hardest character to like because she seemed very judgmental of everything.
I don’t like Libbie very much. She seemed to be hiding a lot of things from Alex and everyone else. From Sarah to Addie to giving the book to the girls. I just don’t trust her, in just about anything. I don’t know if she was lying about Sarah, but she just had so much she wasn’t telling people. She didn’t tell Alex that she wanted to separate or anything like that, rather the two lived an awkward existence around each other while she got off to the thought of Addie. I won’t try and claim that no one else hid anything, but she just got on my nerves. I really like Alex and I’m not sure why, I just did. Outside of those two, I never really trusted anyone introduced during this time. From Libbie’s husband to Sarah to Adelaide.
Eventually I want to give this book another chance, but I doubt my opinion will change. I think this book was decent, but it felt way too long. I understand some of the descriptions being included but it felt like everything took forever. The part of the book with the people learning about and getting the job took up half the book, although it should be mentioned that there were flashbacks to the past during that time as well.
It’s not a bad book. When it’s not droning on about things that don’t feel important, it’s quite good. When it gets to the action it’s compelling. Danforth is good at building suspense and creating a tense environment, but then she takes you out of it by going off on a tangent five minutes later.
A decent book that feels like it could have been better than it was.
3.5/5 rounded down
Disclaimer: I had to read this book in two parts. My library was loaning it out for 2 weeks due to the high demand and I got the book at a time where I didn’t have a lot of reading time on my hands. I had about a month in between part one and part two and I hope to eventually sit down and read it without that gap.
I didn’t really enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to. Certain parts were really good and were great at keeping my attention and making me anxious for what was next, but other parts just felt too long.
This is a book that takes place in two different time periods. Part of the story is set during the modern times where three women are getting involved in a movie. One wrote the book that is becoming the movie and the other two are actresses involved in the movie. The other part of the book takes place during the events of the movie, the events that inspired the book, back in 1902.
Between the two parts, I enjoyed the parts in 1902 better. I don’t know if it’s because there were less pages devoted to those times or because more interesting things were happening. The 1902 years covered the deaths and atrocities that occurred at the school. The modern time parts were focused on the characters getting their jobs, getting to know each other, and developing the movie. It was just less interesting to me. There seemed to be more carrying on and over-explaining what was occurring.
I have complicated feelings about the characters involved in this book. The only character I think I liked throughout the entire book is Audrey. Her mom was an actress, she is an actress, and she was the most consistent of the characters. Her personality never really seemed to change or irritate me. Harper didn’t always annoy me, but I never quite liked her. Merritt was the hardest character to like because she seemed very judgmental of everything.
I don’t like Libbie very much. She seemed to be hiding a lot of things from Alex and everyone else. From Sarah to Addie to giving the book to the girls. I just don’t trust her, in just about anything. I don’t know if she was lying about Sarah, but she just had so much she wasn’t telling people. She didn’t tell Alex that she wanted to separate or anything like that, rather the two lived an awkward existence around each other while she got off to the thought of Addie. I won’t try and claim that no one else hid anything, but she just got on my nerves. I really like Alex and I’m not sure why, I just did. Outside of those two, I never really trusted anyone introduced during this time. From Libbie’s husband to Sarah to Adelaide.
Eventually I want to give this book another chance, but I doubt my opinion will change. I think this book was decent, but it felt way too long. I understand some of the descriptions being included but it felt like everything took forever. The part of the book with the people learning about and getting the job took up half the book, although it should be mentioned that there were flashbacks to the past during that time as well.
It’s not a bad book. When it’s not droning on about things that don’t feel important, it’s quite good. When it gets to the action it’s compelling. Danforth is good at building suspense and creating a tense environment, but then she takes you out of it by going off on a tangent five minutes later.
A decent book that feels like it could have been better than it was.
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