A Life in Books

The only thing worse than reading a really bad book is reading a really bad book right after reading a really good book. 

Last week, I read Haunted Ground by Erin Hart.  It’s a mystery, so I don’t want to talk about it too much because I hate when endinggs for books are ruined.  Although I don’t mind very much if a movie ending is ruined.  Hmm.  I am such an English major.  Anyway, where was I?  Oh right, the engaging tale spun by Erin Hart.  So, read it. 

This post however is going to focus on the atrociously bad book that I read after Hart’s book.  Namely, Diamond Dreams by Sandra Heath.  I picked this book up because the back summary hinted that the story would involve Russian Czars. 

I haven’t read that many fiction books set in Russia, even though Russian history is one of my favorite subjects.  This book, however, was badly written from the beginning.  The characters were obnoxious, their conversations were stilted and the author was fonder of telling than of showing.

Showing versus telling is an important part of writing.  A reader (or at least this reader) is more likely to enjoy the story if they see what is happening, rather than just being told that something had happened.

Heath just tells the reader what has happened.  I hate that.  Ah, well.  I have a new library book that will hopefully erase this horrid book from my memory.