... how any novel could have made it up to #11,000 in Amazon UK's sales rankings with a synopsis like this. Good lord. I hope, for the author's sake, that that blurb didn't really make it onto the dust jacket.
I understand that the publisher was informed about it two months ago, but it remains unchanged, so I'm not sure what to think.
(p.s. Since a couple people have emailed to point out the popularity of the author, and the reason the book's likely selling, I feel obliged to add - I know this, I was just being sarcastic :-), but you have to admit - that blurb is ridiculous, no?)
About Me
- Sarah Johnson
- Collection management librarian, readers' advisor, avid historical fiction reader, NBCC member. Book review editor for the Historical Novels Review and Booklist reviewer. Recipient of ALA's Louis Shores Award for book reviewing (2012). Blogging since 2006.
I wonder if a lot of those sales are related to the success of The Borgia Bride, which was a pretty enoyable read.
ReplyDeleteI have heard that this one is nowhere near as good, but haven't got to it myself at all yet!
The last one I read by her was Burning Times, which was enjoyable, but parts of it were a little too out-there for my tastes. I'd be willing to try her work again, though.
ReplyDeleteI loved this part of the synopsis: "Along the way, Lisa and Leonardo make love!"
ReplyDeleteWow! Can't wait!
It was bad enough already, but the exclamation point really got me.
ReplyDeleteWait, who's in love with whom here?
ReplyDelete*reads again*
Savonarola with Leonardo? No, Leonardo with Giuliano, who also happens to be pregnant? No wait, Lisa is pregnant. By Savonarola? So much for those religious types. No, wait, her husband is a religious type, too. That's it, Lisa's husband and Savonarola have some BDSM thing going on and that's why Savonarola has a dislocated shoulder when he's executed. Ok, but where's that baby coming from now?
What a mess.
{shudder}
ReplyDeleteI only made it halfway through before giving up. I think instead I'd just go read Sarah Dunant again. {s}
What a semi-literate mess. I checked a copy of this novel in Waterstone's the other day and am relieved to report that the jacket blurb is completely different, i.e. intelligible and enticing. Phew.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah, it's very reassuring to hear that!
ReplyDeleteFrom an insider in the business - the blurbs for Amazon are frequently rushed jobs. If they're not based on the author's submission synopsis (and frequently they are!) they are written by some harrassed editor running between meetings and that's why a lot of them are so bad!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth, thanks for stopping by! I'd certainly buy that this was a rush job... or something.
ReplyDelete