I recently picked up the audio book The Bronze Horseman
As I was writing the review I looked on Amazon to see how many pages the book was…..810 pages. WHAT?? No wonder I thought the book was going on for forever and ever. I was right…and I still have a long way to go to finish….Finishing this book is not going to happen though.
Then I read the review from Amazon here is what they had to say, “Called “a Russian Thorn Birds,” The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons is a sweeping saga of love and war that has been a monumental bestseller all over the world. The acclaimed author of Tully,Simons has written a stirring tale of devotion, passion, secrets, betray, and sacrifice. “A love story both tender and fierce” (Publishers Weekly ) that “Recalls Dr. Zhivago” (People Magazine), The Bronze Horseman is rich and vivid historical fiction at its finest.”
Crap. I loved The Thornbirds.
I was still on the edge…should I finish the book or not. Then I read a review by an Amazon reader. It said, ” this book could have been much better with 300 pages of repetitive nonsense edited out, because ultimately it has a decent story of love and survival in difficult circumstances, but unfortunately it got buried under a mountain of cheesy rubbish.” another review said, “Tatiana is certainly a survivor though one who finally outstays her welcome. While her love story is often both tender and fierce, it is also overwrought and prolonged past the breaking point…..this is not the Russian Thorn Birds the publisher hopes it will be.”
PERFECT-the is EXACTLY what I thought too. I’m not finishing this book even though for some strange reason Amazon readers gave the book 4.5 stars and the author went on to write two more sequel books. Oh my….don’t put yourself through it. There are so many other good books out there. In the first 200 pages I’d have given the book 4.5 stars too but then as it continued, and continued, and continued, I’d not even rate it as this point except to say…waste of time!