The last fifty or so pages really made this book worth while.

This is my first book ray. Thanks for participating.

It's going in a book ray to the following members:

RaineeRose <--- Received 7-28-05
arugh48187 <---Received 8-10-05
Luintaurien <--- Received 10-6-05
mikopikotrain
glade1
HallieK
bakerwhencan
rhythmbiscuit <--- Received 6-8-06
enlith
QueenSissi (Portugal. Thanks, enlith, for the international shipment!)
RoryG (Finland)

Received today. Will begin ASAP. Thanks, slpenney!

I tried so hard to finish this book, but I just couldn't get through it. Maybe it was the fact that the month was filled with distractions that sometimes kept me from reading for a week at a time. I really tried to like "The Dante Club," but I couldn't bring myself to finish. It almost embarrasses me to write that since I always finish the books I start. However, by the time I reached page 207, I had lost interest in both the characters and the plot, and I put the book down for the last time. I'm sad that I didn't finish, and I hope that it was just life's circumstances that prevented me from enjoying the book at this time -- perhaps, then, I will be able to pick it up and enjoy it some day in the future.

Thanks, slpenney, for offering this ray. I'll send the book on to arugh48187 early next week.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending on to arugh48187. Enjoy!

This one arrived in my mailbox today. I have one ring in front of it, but I shouldn't keep it too long. You can track it's progress via my bookshelf.

I too had difficulties getting into this book, but about halfway through it caught my attention. The characters were introduced very quickly, and I had troubles keeping them all straight. Even at the end of the book I sometimes got confused, mostly between Lowell and Fields. Maybe they were too similar. The author states that a reading of Dante is not required, but I thought it would have been quite helpful to have a little fore knowledge. The mystery was pretty well done. I think the murderer should have been introduced sooner, maybe anonymously, but sooner. After the murder is solved there are a couple of pages of tying up loose ends that kind of seemed like an afterthought and didn't really settle well. Depsite all that negative, I though it was good for a first novel, and I will be looking forward to Pearl's next one.

Thanks for sharing. It will go in the post later this week.

RELEASE NOTES:

I couldn't get ahold of rhythmbiscuit, and so this is off to Luintaurien. Happy reading!

Got it today. thank you. Will read and pass on ASAP.

I am about 1/2 through this. Will pm next person

booklady2005 asked to be skipped. PMing next person.

RELEASE NOTES:

Happy Valentine's Day! The book arrived today, looking forward to reading it!

I agree with the previous readers who struggled to get through this book- it really hits a slow point about 1/2-way through. I even took a small break from reading because I just couldn't make it through even one page without getting distracted. But it does eventually pick up! At the end, I enjoyed the mystery and how it unraveled and found myself staying up late to finish the book.
I was really expecting a purely-literary mystery so it was fun and surprising for me (a scientist) that Holmes' medical insight and input from legendary natural scientist Louis Agassiz played a key role in helping shape the story!

I've already PM'd the next reader & this will probably go in the mail on Tuesday. I'll post release notes when it's on its way...

RELEASE NOTES:

Whew, this was a busy week! I droped the book off at the post offce today. It's on its way to glade1...

Received in the mail yesterday. It's behind several other rings but I'm reading pretty quickly. More later...

I have to add my voice to those who had a difficult time getting started on this book, but I persevered and ended up being enthralled by it. The further I went into it the harder it was to put down. The first chapter was almost too much for my stomach :o , but then the second part, introducing the poets, seemed to be an entirely different book, moving more slowly and having a different tone. It took me a little while to feel attachment for the characters, but by the end I loved them all.

I think this is the first book I've read that was historical fiction in which the MAIN characters were real historical figures. It was a little hard to get used to. Plus, it's been ages since I read any of those poets and I can't even remember if I've read any Dante at all (as dramatic as it seems from this book, I think I'd remember if I had). But I think Pearl does a good job giving the reader enough information and background to follow the story.

I particularly liked Dr. Holmes and Prof. Lowell. Longfellow was almost too good to be true, but I suppose there are such men. I do enjoy a story in which the heroes are literati, so that was fun. (There seem to be more of those these days, or am I just finding them more?)

I really enjoyed reading the author interview at the end and appreciate his passion for his subject matter.

Anyway, I liked this book and would recommend it to others.

I have already PMed rhythmbiscuit for an address and will get this out ASAP. Thank you, slpenney, for sending this book out into the world!

Update: Mailed to rhythmbiscuit on 5-31-06 via media mail. (She wasn't skipped after all...)

Thank you! The book arrived today. I look forward to reading it.

I am currently reading this book on vacation. I will mail it once I return home later this month.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I had to read it in short bursts, so I got confused at times by the characters and plot. Then I enjoyed it. I have to agree that the murderer should have been introduced earlier.

HallieK already has this book, so I am mailing it to bakerwhencan.

RELEASE NOTES:

I will mail this book today to bakerwhencan. Enjoy!

Arrived 2 days ago-- I'm so glad I get a chance to read this! Thank you. I've already started and will journal once read.