It was originally Diana Gabaldon's favorable review of Melanie Benjamin's Alice I Have Been that prompted me to buy the book.
The first twenty pages convinced me that I would not finish the story. It was not gripping me.
But, having already gushed over Gabaldon's review on this blog and going so far as to order it online (the book, not the review), I felt obligated and plodded on....
While Benjamin is not Gabaldon, she is enchanting. She does not write with the scientist's acute observation of the physical world, but she is wise of more internal matters. Just when I was certain I could read no more and longed to move on (to my new Vampire Diaries books) Benjamin swept me away, against my will, might I add because I wasn't certain I could tolerate where the subject matter seemed to be heading.
A lot of writers can't do extreme emotion, particularly anguish....Benjamin did it masterfully to the point that my critical eyes flooded with tears for poor Alice.
I was not left disappointed or empty in the end...and I may just go back to the beginning again one day.
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