Negative Positive
Title: Tiresome
Review: I have nothing against antiheros or evil characters, but I absolutely hated this book. In Beatrice Lacey, Philippa Gregory gives us an utterly unlikable heroine, one completely lacking in redeeming values. As a result, the book becomes a depressing slog through one predictable mess after another. Every time Beatrice is presented with two possible courses of action -- one that will spare herself and others pain, and one that will cause more pain and loss, she chooses evil, even when the kinder choice would also be better for her, practically speaking. After a while, this gets terribly boring -- the reader doesn't know exactly what horrible situation will arise next, but he or she can rest assured that Beatrice will make the worst of it. Frankly, a character this one-dimensional is just no fun. I found myself wishing her ex-lover would just come back and kill her already so the book could end (I'm not giving anything away here. It's clear almost from the outset how things will end).
Is the review positive or negative? 