A Kingdom Strange: The Brief And Tragic History Of The Lost Colony Of Roanoke (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
American history, other than what I learned in school, isn't a big draw for me. I don't typically like reading about it but this selection was for a book group and if there was one story that I was always interested, it was that of the lost colonists at Roanoke.Sadly, this book failed to interest me. Even when the book finally nears the actual topic (the first 2/3 is mostly historical background information) I didn't think Horn brought anything new to the table of theories that already exist. Also, I do thing he spent too much time on the background and then comparatively breezed through the discussion of the topic.Perhaps, just not for me as I thought this would be more of a narrative work than what it was; straight up, dry, non-fiction. It was well-written but failed to do anything but leave a bad taste in my mouth. This could have been several chapter shorter and you wouldn't have lost much information. If you pick this book up, you're more interested in the colonists and what happened to them than what Sir Walter is having for breakfast in 1682. The ending was satisfying; it's just getting to that point that is frustrating. That and I noticed several typos that made my brain ache. That pictures of all the old maps were cool though.
What do You think about A Kingdom Strange: The Brief And Tragic History Of The Lost Colony Of Roanoke (2010)?
Got a little dry. I think I'd rather read a novel about this story than a non-fiction book.
—viv
The book wasn't bad, I just really didn't like the style it was written in.
—Notemman
