Having grown up in New Jersey, I was excited to read a novel set in Cape May, which is a rare find. I had hoped the town and its famous buildings would play a more prominent role in this story, but alas, it could have been set anywhere.
While certainly there was mention of the beach and ocean, the character spent little time there. The houses were barely described and of that, the details were muddy. The author's effort where not put into the settings which is not a complain. But to name the book after this well known town, I'd expect a lot more. In fact, the title does not fit the book at all.
The book follows the first few weeks of a very young married couple on their honeymoon. There is little time spent on backstory or character development. Again, that's fine, but here is a second major focus of most novels, missing. So then a reader would expect the story to be outstanding and captivating, right?
Not so fast. A major character is barely mentioned until 2/3 into the book. I was beginning to think she was actually a ghost up until that point. The secondary couple in the book reminded me of a less wealthy Gatsby and Daisy, mixed with less angry, but equally drunk Martha and George (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?).
I can only assume the author thought if he included enough sex and liquor in the story, people would read anything. But with no character development, no reasons for their bedroom partner choices, boring setting, and dull support characters, the sex scenes feel lazy. The best thing I can say about this novel is at least it's not too long.
While certainly there was mention of the beach and ocean, the character spent little time there. The houses were barely described and of that, the details were muddy. The author's effort where not put into the settings which is not a complain. But to name the book after this well known town, I'd expect a lot more. In fact, the title does not fit the book at all.
The book follows the first few weeks of a very young married couple on their honeymoon. There is little time spent on backstory or character development. Again, that's fine, but here is a second major focus of most novels, missing. So then a reader would expect the story to be outstanding and captivating, right?
Not so fast. A major character is barely mentioned until 2/3 into the book. I was beginning to think she was actually a ghost up until that point. The secondary couple in the book reminded me of a less wealthy Gatsby and Daisy, mixed with less angry, but equally drunk Martha and George (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?).
I can only assume the author thought if he included enough sex and liquor in the story, people would read anything. But with no character development, no reasons for their bedroom partner choices, boring setting, and dull support characters, the sex scenes feel lazy. The best thing I can say about this novel is at least it's not too long.