Die Unerschrockene Miss Fairbourne (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
I should have been warned off by the word "Surrender" in the title.It's good that you're warned because it then feels like that word or an equivalent synonym is included in every description of her interaction with or feelings towards the 'hero'.Ugh, what a pathetic weak woman when it came to her man. I understand that's how women were raised in that time, but it wasn't that she was weak-willed or spineless. She's described as sharp tongued, she's determined to & shown to be able to run a business. I should've liked her. Instead I rather despised her by the end. Everything was about her Submission/Surrender/giving in to him/her feelings, etc. I refuse to go back to the book to find specific quotes - but descriptions of the hero were about his being "Frighteningly masculine" (frighteningly?? being frightened is not a good thing!) On and on about how masculine he was. He/his kisses Overwhelm her, blah blah blah. Even the sex scenes where described as him doing things to a rather passive recipient. I'm not saying she needed to be an experienced active lover, it was the descriptions that just reinforced my perception of her as a passive object.The "hero" also annoyed me. He spends the book trying to boss her around, gets annoyed when she didn't listen. Then KIDNAPS her in order to get his way. Which of course she forgives almost immediately, because you know he was right to take away her agency/decision in this matter -- because he's such a MANLY MAN who makes her lose her brain when he's around. puke! I did not feel like there was any character development or getting to know each other - there was just Insta-lust which was labelled as "love". I felt that she merely gave in to him & became dependent, mostly due to lust & his bossiness/arrogance. And would a previously rather sheltered Regency woman describe her feelings at seeing him as arousal or muse about erotic days? [I felt like the author misused the word erotic in that scene. The heroine describes a two day period as 'erotic days'? I feel like you would label most of the activities you engaged in during those days erotic (not the days themselves) - but now I'm just nitpicking.) I'm a huge MH fan, I never thought I would say this...ever. But this is one of the most boring books I have ever read. So bland, I wasn't excited when the two main characters got into bed together. And to think that this is the woman who gave the world the Rarest Blooms. In fact I thought she'd written this book back in the day, like early 2000's, only to learn that this book is quite recent.Her writing is still good, and the banter between the characters has some charming moments but Emma gets so annoying and Darius can get too hypocritical. In fact these two seem to be meant for each other because on these pages they seem...colorless. I doubt I will remember their names in a week. I'm disappointed and as I write this review I have about 80 pages to the end of the book and I don't care. I think I will skip to find out the end of the mystery and that will be it.I think it is time I take a break from MH for a while, and wait until she comes out with a better book.
What do You think about Die Unerschrockene Miss Fairbourne (2014)?
It was ok. An audio book book and 2 chapters were erased. This evaluation is incomplete.
—sabeena
