Title: Defines unexceptional
Product review: At some point this gifted writer may have to face that she's not good at satire and she's not meant to write comedy. The satire was half-baked, the humor was low-brow and contrived. The plot was weak, with too much time spent setting up events and jokes that just weren't worth it. The three regulars were insipid and bumbling. One character was ridiculed to death over a ludicrous, made-up accent that got very old very fast, and then annoying. The 'bad guy' was by far the most intriguing aspect of the book. Vile and menacing throughout the book he collapses in an ending that is classic Cornwell ie, rushed and unsatisfying. The 'victim' was a kid so unrealistically drawn as to be saccharin. Had Cornwell just done a dark, hard-hitting look at juvenile crime, letting her strong dialogue provide the humor naturally, Southern Cross would have been an exciting and compelling read. There was probably more detail on coon hunting than juvenile crime.
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