And Those Who Trespass Against Us

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: I think the other reviews are fair depictions of this book -- it's long, has some good character building and is an enjoyable read. But it could have benefited from an editor's attention. In addition to the repetitive flaws that someone else wrote about, there's the element an editor should bring which is "who cares" about every secondary character and change of scene. There were one or two scenes that were just more of the same. They didn't add to character or develop the plot, instead they slowed down otherwise good pacing.

This book also has a growing pet peeve that I'm finding in a lot of books, which is referring to characters constantly by the color of their hair, their relative height or age. Once in a while it might help the plot to remind the reader who is older or taller, or to jazz up a visual with a detail about appearance. But more than that I find jarring. It's not dramatic, it's just odd. Give the readers some credit for remembering these details and stick to their names. That's why they have names.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Story
Review: Set in 1872, this lesbian novel is about a young Irish nun who travels to Australia, a move that ultimately changes her life.

The story basically revolves around Sister Katherine Flynn and Catriona Pelham, a young woman rancher, and the various levels their relationship goes through, with the aid of other characters adding flavor and plot twists.

While the characters and the plot are well drawn, the author could have benefited from a better editor. A good editor would have caught the author's use of repetitive phrasing. The author too often uses the phrase "shook herself out of her revelry" or "she shook her head", "shaking her head...",etc. Along with overworking the term "grazier" and "the older woman."

I do think this author shows promise and I look forward to other works by her.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent story
Review: This is a well written book and features characters who are well drawn. You get a chance to see how they developed and the forces at work on them instead of the plot being hastily thrown together in an attempt to "get at the good parts". Until the end of this book, you can't be sure if this situation is going to work out for these two women or not. Both of the main characters are appealing and the kind of people that you wish really existed. Maybe they do and they're just so rare not enough people get to know their kind. If you like to read, you'll like this book. If you like a love story that doesn't jump off of the first page, but develops fully, you'll like it even more.