Negative Positive
Title: Painfully disappointing
Review: I am an absolute devotee of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series. I have read all of them at least three times each. But "The Yellow Admiral" appalled me. I was certain within fifty pages that it had been written by someone else who had picked up all of O'brian's turns of phrase, but none of his wit or heart. I wrote an indignant letter to the publisher demanding my money back, but then never sent it. It's embarrassing to admit how passionately I feel about this - I mean, it's only a book, right? But this book was so poorly done it would have been funny had I not been so eagerly awaiting it. Diana's pronouncements on sex! and Sophie's transformation to a shrew! Sir Joseph's tortured explanations re: Stephen's character to a clerk! I would have been far happier had it never been published - it was like watching close friends disintegrate before my eyes.
Is the review positive or negative? 