Most Disappointing Books of 2022

Well, it's finally that time of year where we get to start looking back at our year of reading and reflecting on all those books. Some of those reflections are warm and full of great memories, and some of those reflections make me want to surgically remove the memory of ever reading that book from my brain–okay, maybe that latter part is a bit too dramatic because I didn't hate any of the books that are showing up on this list, but it can definitely feel that way sometimes! 

This list is actually all about my most disappointing reads, which basically means any books that didn't live up to my hopes or that ended up being generally disappointing. Many of these books got pretty solid ratings still, but they are all ones that I felt pretty 'meh' about after reading or even made me feel a little angry because of how letdown I felt. I feel like this list is going to be a little... controversial (?) because some of these books were incredibly popular, but we're just diving into it and getting messy. I have less books on this list than I expected to have, but that's probably a good thing. These are the ones that stood out the most to me.

As always, if you loved any of these books–that's awesome! I am in no way saying anything negative about anyone who loved these books. I often find at least book recommendation from other peoples' worst of/most disappointing reads lists, so I hope this list might even help someone find something new. Now, let's dive in! (Please note also that these are in no particular order.) My best of the year books will be posted sometime in January, as I'm still in the middle of reading some books and the year's not over just yet. :) 

     

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May: I don't know that I really have all that much to say about this book, and that's pretty accurate to how I felt about it. It was perfectly fine and had some interesting things going on, but it was a bit convoluted, rushed, and not fleshed out enough in many ways. The pacing was super weird and I really struggled getting to know the characters involved, and that combined with a plot that left me wanting more really made this book a bit of a letdown. (Review)

The Daughter of Dr. Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: I was really bummed to realize that this is one of those books that I would be including on my list this year. I was so very excited for The Daughter of Dr. Moreau and subsequently immensely disappointed when I realized I was on the verge of DNF-ing it at multiple points in the story. This wasn't really anything like I expected it to be, and save Moreno-Garcia's beautiful prose and amazing setting, I just felt so bored reading this. It felt like the focus was more on the protagonist's love life than the Dr. Moreau part, which maybe I should have expected, but I didn't since I thought it was more The Island of Dr. Moreau-inspired. (Review)

     

Babel by R.F. Kuang: This is probably the one that is most controversial out of any others that are on this list... but I can't lie: Babel was supremely disappointing to me. I have a very in-depth review up already where I get into some of my thoughts (it probably could have been longer, but who wants to read that?) so you can check that out if you're interested, but I just felt very letdown in regards to characters, plot, and a few other areas. I really appreciate and like and support the themes and messages that Kuang promotes in Babel, but the storytelling elements got lost in this and everything and everyone just became a lifeless mouthpiece for her lectures. I would love to read essays or nonfiction from Kuang because this shows me that they would be amazing, but this just bored me (and not for the reasons you might think!). (Review)

Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham: I had been meaning to read something from Daniel Abraham for quite a while, so when I saw this book coming out I was really excited for it! And then I started it... and then I lost interest so quickly I almost had whiplash. This book had so much potential, but the execution just felt very flat and it felt like I had read this book so many times already. I had zero interest in the protagonist and nothing about the rest of the plot was capturing. I thought the setting seemed interesting, but it wasn't enough to keep me reading. I really love the cover, though–it's always a bummer when an awesome cover doesn't pan out. 

     

The Hacienda by Isabel Canas: This was another book that just didn't live up to what it promised. I was promised a Maxican Gothic x Rebecca-esque story and, well, I think it tried? This lacked any sense of suspense and I felt it was overly predictable in mostly negative ways. I also recall finding the ending pretty disappointing and left me struggling to decide what the point was and ultimately feeling like I wasted my time. (Review)

Mordew by Alex Pheby: This had such a compelling premise and was just a convoluted mess in the end. I wanted to be excited by this book, but I struggled staying engaged. I don't feel like I have all that much to say about this one because it didn't really stick with me. I will say I really enjoyed the overall premise and concept of the world set up, but the execution lost me. 

Have you read any of these books? What were some of your most disappointing books from 2022?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim & A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith

  

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
Publication: January 24th, 2023
Hodder & Stoughton
Hardcover. 411 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens affinities in those who drink the misra tea. With an affinity for iron, seventeen-year-old Imani wields a dagger like no other warrior, garnering her the reputation as the next greatest Shield for battling the dangerous djinn, ghouls, and other monsters that lurk in the sands beyond city limits. 

Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother who tarnished the family name after he was discovered stealing their nation's coveted spice - a tell-tale sign of magical obsession. He disappeared soon after, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes, and leaving Imani reeling with both betrayal and grief. 

But when Imani uncovers evidence her brother may be alive and spreading their nation's magic beyond the desert, she strikes a deal with the Council to find him and bring him back to Qalia before he can reveal the city's location. Accompanied by Qayn, a roguish but handsome djinni, and Taha, a powerful beastseer whose magical talents are matched only by his arrogance, they set out on their mission. 

Imani will soon discover there are many secrets that lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes - and in her own heart - but will she find her brother before his betrayals endanger the fate of all of Qalia?"

This premise sounds really interesting–I'm really curious about this magic system! Also, this beautiful cover reminds me a lot of Lost Gods by Micah Yongo, which I think is really fun. 

and...

A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
Publication: January 3rd, 2023
Disney Hyperion
Hardcover. 432 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"Fate does not choose the weak. Fate chooses the ready. 

Calliope Rosewood is a witch with a long streak of bad luck. Like all witches in Illustros, her fate is directly tied to Witch’s Dice—powerful artifacts that have blessed her kind with limitless magic but also set them on a path toward destruction. Cursed with unspeakable powers that terrify even the most dangerous witches and fae, Calla deserted her coven four years ago and has been in hiding with her two best friends since. But Calla is also hiding a grave secret: She is only three Rolls away from becoming the last Blood Warrior and starting the Final War that will decimate her people and eradicate their magic. 

After a betrayal from her ex leads her one step closer to fulfilling that age-old prophecy, Calla is desperate to do whatever it takes to reset her fate . . . even if that means journeying into the deadly Neverending Forest with said ex and his enticing, yet enigmatic older brother to find the one being who can help her forge her own path. As Calla ventures farther into the enchanted woods, she finds her heart torn between her past desires and the alluring new possibilities of her future and learns that choosing your own destiny may come with deadly consequences."

This sounds like a lot of fun, and even though I don't read all that much YA anymore, I'm certainly thinking this could be an enjoyable one to check out. 

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Review: The Angel of Rome by Jess Walter

The Angel of Rome by Jess Walter
Harper

Publication Date: June 28th, 2022

Hardcover. 274 pages.

About The Angel of Rome:

"We all live like we're famous now, curating our social media presences, performing our identities, withholding those parts of ourselves we don't want others to see. In this riveting collection of stories from acclaimed author Jess Walter, a teenage girl tries to live up to the image of her beautiful, missing mother. An elderly couple confronts the fiction writer eavesdropping on their conversation. A son must repeatedly come out to his senile father while looking for a place to care for the old man. A famous actor in recovery has a one-night stand with the world's most surprising film critic. And in the romantic title story, a shy twenty-one-year-old studying Latin in Rome during "the year of my reinvention" finds himself face-to-face with the Italian actress of his adolescent dreams. 

Funny, poignant, and redemptive, this collection of short fiction offers a dazzling range of voices, backdrops, and situations. With his signature wit and bighearted approach to the darkest parts of humanity, Walter tackles the modern condition with a timeless touch, once again "solidifying his place in the contemporary canon as one of our most gifted builders of fictional worlds" (Esquire)."

I didn't initially plan to review this short story collection, as it was one I picked up on a whim during a sale and hadn't heard of prior to that, but I ended up enjoying it so much that I felt it deserved it's own review (and I guess that's a review in itself!). I really didn't know what to expect from this collection of stories going into it, so I was really surprised by how much I loved many of these stories and how immersed I became in many of them. I listened to the audiobook edition of The Angel of Rome and thought the narration by Edoardo Ballerini and Julia Whelan was absolutely perfect. Each narrator managed to captured the voice of whichever story they were narrating deftly and made each one a captivating experience. 

My favorite stories were:

"Mr. Voice": I really enjoyed this take on a blended family and how all of the different familial dynamics played out. The narrative voice of this one features a woman looking back on her childhood with "Mr. Voice" himself, and I appreciated the reflection and insight that was present.

"The Angel of Rome": This story follows a man's time spent in Rome as a student attempting to learn Latin. In Rome, he sort of stumbles into a friendship with an actor, which is also how he meets a famous Italian actress (known as, you guessed it, "the angel of Rome"). He retells his life at this period and how it impacted him, and I loved the ending on this one. 

"The Way the World Ends": This felt like a very impactful story centered on the commonality that exists within humanity. It starts out featuring two climate scientists who meet at a bar and end up realizing that they are both competing for the same job as professor at the local university. It's a surprisingly hopeful story that, although covering a slightly future world in which climate is causing more and more problems that many people choose to ignore, includes some very thoughtful insight on how we can look at the world around us. There is also a rather interesting cast of characters that keeps things entertaining. 

"Fran's Friend Has Cancer": This is a very short, seemingly random vignette following a conversation between a husband and wife at a restaurant. It has an odd little twist that I loved and that added so much discussion-worthy for me to think about. 

Many of the other stories were just as well-written and compelling and each had their own special charm to make them stand out. This was a really stunning collection of stories that touched on so many human emotions, from the comedic to the serious, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something compelling without ever being too heavy. 

Overall, I've given The Angel of Rome five stars!

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Friday Face-Off: Purple Cover

    

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme at Books by Proxy. Join us every Friday as we pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.  You can find a list of upcoming topics at Lynn's Books.

This week's topic is:

Purple Cover

After looking for books for this week's topic, I realized that purple does not seem to be the most popular book cover out there. That being said, I did still manage to find a good array of purple covers to choose from and ultimately decided to feature Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor (US edition), even though only a couple are actually purple! I adore the Strange the Dreamer duopoly and consider it a favorite. Let's have a look at all the different beautiful covers it has!

2018 US Hardcover | 2018 UK Hardcover | 2020 Turkish

2019 Spanish | 2019 Croatian | 2019 Polish

2020 Indonesian | 2019 Italian | 2022 German

2020 Serbian | 2021 LitJoy Edition | 2019 Hungarian

2019 French | 2019 Paperback

My choice(s):

There are so many beautiful editions for this book, I don't know if I can just pick one! The German is probably my least favorite (sorry, German edition!), but otherwise I really like most of them. I think the colors are so beautiful, the orange in the UK edition, and I love that the French one uses the UK design but with a more blue cover. 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix & City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer

  

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Publication: January 17th, 2023
Berkley
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"Every childhood home is haunted, and each of us are possessed by our parents. 

When their parents die at the tail end of the coronavirus pandemic, Louise and Mark Joyner are devastated but nothing can prepare them for how bad things are about to get. The two siblings are almost totally estranged, and couldn’t be more different. Now, however, they don’t have a choice but to get along. The virus has passed, and both of them are facing bank accounts ravaged by the economic meltdown. Their one asset? Their childhood home. They need to get it on the market as soon as possible because they need the money. Yet before her parents died they taped newspaper over the mirrors and nailed shut the attic door. Sometimes we feel like puppets, controlled by our upbringing and our genes. 

Sometimes we feel like our parents treat us like toys, or playthings, or even dolls. The past can ground us, teach us, and keep us safe. It can also trap us, and bind us, and suffocate the life out of us. As disturbing events stack up in the house, Louise and Mark have to learn that sometimes the only way to break away from the past, sometimes the only way to sell a haunted house, is to burn it all down."

I have still yet to read an actual Grady Hendrix book and I'm really excited about the sound of this one. Can't wait for the opportunity to check it out!

and...

City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer
Publication: January 10th, 2023
Clarion Books
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"Ever since her sister became a man-eating spider and slaughtered her way through town, nineteen-year-old Ness has been terrified—terrified of some other Nightmare murdering her, and terrified of ending up like her sister. Because in Newham, the city that never sleeps, dreaming means waking up as your worst fear. 

Whether that means becoming a Nightmare that’s monstrous only in appearance, to transforming into a twisted, unrecognizable creature that terrorizes the city, no one is safe. Ness will do anything to avoid becoming another victim, even if that means lying low among the Friends of the Restful Soul, a questionable organization that may or may not be a cult. 

But being a member of maybe-cult has a price. In order to prove herself, Ness cons her way into what’s supposed to be a simple job for the organization—only for it to blow up in her face. Literally. Tangled up in the aftermath of an explosive assassination, now Ness and the only other survivor—a Nightmare boy who Ness suspects is planning to eat her—must find their way back to Newham and uncover the sinister truth behind the attack, even as the horrors of her past loom ominously near."

I am riveted by the sound of this one! This world sounds so interesting and dark and kinda weird, and I love the sound of the crime components as well.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Mini-Review: The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: December 6th, 2023

Hardcover. 336 pages.

About The Light Pirate:

"Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels gradually wreak havoc on the state’s infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker; his pregnant wife, Frida; and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the hurricane hits, Kirby heads out into the high winds to search for them. Left alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to an unusual child, Wanda, whom she names after the catastrophic storm that ushers her into a society closer to collapse than ever before. 

As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda grows. Moving from childhood to adulthood, adapting not only to the changing landscape, but also to the people who stayed behind in a place abandoned by civilization, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love, and purpose in a place remade by nature. 

Told in four parts—power, water, light, and time—The Light Pirate mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the sometimes quick, sometimes slow dissolution of the world as we know it. It is a meditation on the changes we would rather not see, the future we would rather not greet, and a call back to the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness."

The Light Pirate is a hauntingly realistic story set in a future world in which weather patterns have become erratic and caused extreme hurricanes and rising water levels to wreak havoc on Florida's land, and likely elsewhere in the world as well.  

What I liked: I loved how realistic this story felt. It's very apocalyptic in nature, but it's all largely the result of climate change. And not only that, but these changes are very gradual and occur over time, which feels very authentic to how we often see things change in real life. It was both interesting and saddening to see how cities would be devastated by the hurricanes and attempt to rebuild, but over time discovered that there was simply too much to rebuild and no way to do it as the storms and water levels increased, which led to the government pulling out resources and slowly but surely residents would pick and leave as well. I enjoyed the POV switches between all members of the Lowe family and getting some insight into each person's experiences. Wanda and Lucas in particular provided a really fascinating look into both child and young adult viewpoints on what it's like growing up in this world. I was also really surprised by some of the directions the author took the story in, but I liked the overall journey. 

What I didn't like: There aren't too many things I actively disliked about The Light Pirate. I would say that the pacing is generally slow overall, and although this worked for most of it there were definitely times when I found things dragging on just a bit too long, especially in the middle/latter portions. I also have to say that I never really found myself overly invested in any of the characters outside of Lucas, and this held the story at arm's length at times for me. Lastly, this peeve is purely personal and doesn't have much to do with the writing or plot so please don't take it too seriously, but... I am so frustrated the daughter's name is Wanda. I fully understand the meaning behind it and how you could see it as a positive thing, but naming your daughter after a devastating and tragic hurricane... I'm going to have to pass on that and try not to be irked every time I read her name. I don't know why it bothers me so much, haha, but it does. 

Overall, I've given The Light Pirate four stars! This is a perfect read for anyone looking for a thoughtful near-future story about what could happen as climate change continues. 

*I received a copy of The Light Pirate courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Friday Face-Off: Grimdark

    

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme at Books by Proxy. Join us every Friday as we pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.  You can find a list of upcoming topics at Lynn's Books.

This week's topic is:

Grimdark

I'm pretty excited about this week's theme because I really enjoy grimdark as a subgenre. As such, I've opted to share some covers from R. Scott Bakker's The Prince of Nothing series, starting with the first book, The Darkness that Comes Before. I've read the first two books in this series so far and I find them incredibly fascinating. They aren't necessarily something I'd say are particularly fun reads, but I certainly find them entertaining and am curious to dive into the third book. But all that aside–let's check out some covers!

2005 US Paperback | 2008 German | 2007 Croatian

2008 US Paperback | 2005 Polish | 2009 Russian

2006 German | 2017 Russian | 2005 French

2009 French | 2020 Spanish | 2007 Romanian

My choice(s):

I really like a lot of these! My favorite is probably the 2008 US paperback version that I read. I also really like the 2006 German, 2009 Russian, and 2009 French editions! These are also all pretty creative this week and I think all have strengths going for them, although I can't say I like much about that Romanian edition, and it makes this book seem far more medieval than it is. The Spanish edition is really interesting with that eye illustration, too, haha. I'm intrigued! What do you think of these covers?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie & The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai

  

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie
Publication: January 24th, 2023
Redhook
Paperback. 464 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"Fade to Black is the newest hit ghost hunting reality TV show. It’s led by husband and wife team Matt and Claire Kirklin and features a dedicated crew of ghost-hunting experts. 

Episode Thirteen takes them to Matt's holy grail: the Paranormal Research Foundation. This crumbling, derelict mansion holds secrets and clues about the bizarre experiments that took place there in the 1970s. It's also, undoubtably, haunted, and Matt hopes to use their scientific techniques and high tech gear to prove it. 

But, as the house begins to slowly reveal itself to them, proof of an afterlife might not be everything Matt dreamed of. 

A story told in broken pieces, in tapes, journals, correspondence, and research files, this is the story of Episode Thirteen — and how everything went horribly wrong."

I have an ARC of this up next and I can't wait for it! Winter is the perfect time for something a little bit scary since you can be all wrapped up and cozy while reading.

and...

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai
Publication: January 10th, 2023
Harper Voyager
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"As a waterweaver, Nehal can move and shape any water to her will, but she's limited by her lack of formal education. She desires nothing more than to attend the newly opened Weaving Academy, take complete control of her powers, and pursue a glorious future on the battlefield with the first all-female military regiment. But her family cannot afford to let her go--crushed under her father's gambling debt, Nehal is forcibly married into a wealthy merchant family. Her new spouse, Nico, is indifferent and distant and in love with another woman, a bookseller named Giorgina. 

Giorgina has her own secret, however: she is an earthweaver with dangerously uncontrollable powers. She has no money and no prospects. Her only solace comes from her activities with the Daughters of Izdihar, a radical women's rights group at the forefront of a movement with a simple goal: to attain recognition for women to have a say in their own lives. They live very different lives and come from very different means, yet Nehal and Giorgina have more in common than they think. The cause--and Nico--brings them into each other's orbit, drawn in by the group's enigmatic leader, Malak Mamdouh, and the urge to do what is right. 

But their problems may seem small in the broader context of their world, as tensions are rising with a neighboring nation that desires an end to weaving and weavers. As Nehal and Giorgina fight for their rights, the threat of war looms in the background, and the two women find themselves struggling to earn--and keep--a lasting freedom."

 I am really excited for this setting and general premise, but there are definitely aspects that feel a little bit overdone so we'll see how it goes. Excited to dive into an ARC of this!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Review: The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks

The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks
William Morrow and Company
Publication Date: January 25th, 2022
Paperback. 560 pages.

About The Good Wife of Bath:

"In the middle ages, a famous poet told a story that mocked a strong woman. It became a literary classic. But what if the woman in question had a chance to tell her own version? 

England, 1364: When married off at aged twelve to an elderly farmer, brazen redheaded Eleanor quickly realizes it won't matter what she says or does, God is not on her side--or any poor woman's for that matter. But then again, Eleanor was born under the joint signs of Venus and Mars, making her both a lover and a fighter. 

Aided by a head for business (and a surprisingly kind husband), Eleanor manages to turn her first marriage into success, and she rises through society from a cast-off farm girl to a woman of fortune who becomes a trusted friend of the social-climbing poet Geoffrey Chaucer. But more marriages follow--some happy, some not--several pilgrimages, many lovers, murder, mayhem, and many turns of fortune's wheel as Eleanor pursues the one thing that all women want: control of their own lives."

The Good Wife of Bath is a truly remarkable historical fiction story following the fictional life of The Wife of Bath herself from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Although it will likely enhance the reading experience, I do not think it is at all necessary to have read The Canterbury Tales in order to enjoy this book. I absolutely adored this book and would easily consider it a favorite. This is a genuinely absorbing tale full of ups and downs. My heart was filled with joy at many different moments, as well as completely broken at far too many moments as well. 

The Good Wife of Bath begins following the life of Eleanor at the age of twelve when she is first married off to an older tenant former at the age of twelve. From this point, we follow Eleanor through the years and through her marriages to a small array of very different men, all of whom bring something new to Eleanor's life, whether for better or worse. This story follows Eleanor through the many events in her life, from her rise to success as a businesswoman (of sorts) and close friendship with Geoffrey Chaucer, to her pilgrimages and attempts to wrest control of her own life. 

Eleanor has easily because one of my favorite protagonists. She headstrong, intelligent, and always up for something new and stimulating to do. She's also one of the strongest women I've come across. From the age of twelve when she is first married off, to her later years after she's been through multiple marriage and hardships, Eleanor somehow always manages to maintain a sense of determination and (as much as I hate to use the word 'plucky' sometimes) sheer pluckiness that makes her a consistent force to be reckoned with. 

I can't say enough how much I loved following Eleanor throughout her life. Things aren't always that happy to read about, but they are so full of the realities of life and the struggles and hope that come with that. Some of the biggest themes of The Good Wife of Bath are around Eleanor autonomy and how her life seems to constantly be controlled by men–and her trying to figure out how she can run her own life while under the restraints of said men. Watching Eleanor navigate her life while married to such a wide variety of different men was fascinating and surprisingly mesmerizing as well. Although only a twelve year girl at the start, she shows her ability to be observant and learn from the world and people around her quickly, and through this we see her adapt better to her environments and learn how to best communicate with any variety of person she meets, whether a future husband, a neighbor, or someone business-related. She shows her worth as having a shrewd eye for business with her first marriage, and this leads to many different paths later in life for her, both good and bad. She learns the difference between love, lust, and duty, and makes some truly wonderful and close friends along the way. 

I read the The Good Wife of Bath in audiobook format narrated by Fran Burgoyne and it was phenomenal. It's very clear that Burgoyne put a lot of care into capturing the voice of Eleanor, and she does so excellently. I think being able to exhibit Eleanor's personality throughout her life is ac challenging task due to how much she grows and changes and all the difficult times she goes through, and I really loved how Burgoyne captured so much of the emotion and change over the course of the story. Whether you're a seasoned audiobook listener or just getting into it, you cannot go wrong with the quality and narrative excellence of The Good Wife of Bath. 

Lastly, I wanted to add that Karen Brooks has a wonderful author's note at the end of this book that covers many of her choices and thoughts on the historical period and how shoe chose to write the story as she did. For instance, she explains thoroughly why she chose to stick to historical accuracy and begin the story with her main character, a young girl of twelve, marry an old man and include everything that comes with that. She is never explicit or writes for shock factor, but rather writes for what is accurate for the story. Brooks also includes an excellent list of books used for her research for further reading if you find yourself wondering more about the time period. 

Overall, it's an easy five stars from me for The Good Wife of Bath! This is a not a book that I'll be forgetting about anytime soon. 

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org