S&S Book Club: Deanna Raybourn’s A Curious Beginning
Carol, Tina, Jen, & Lida chat about Lida’s pick: Deanna Raybourn’s A Curious Beginning
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Why Lida Picked It
Always on the lookout for a read with action, snappy dialogue, and a mystery, I happened upon Deanna Raybourn’s A Curious Beginning. An author new to me, I was very pleasantly surprised.
Set in Victorian England, the opening scene introduces a strong-willed, unconventional heroine attending the somber funeral of her remaining spinster aunt. Two such spinsters had been Veronica’s lifelong guardians, yet Veronica is unable to shed a single tear at the funeral. Instead, she feels a wave of euphoria, anticipating an escape from her former life to travel the world in pursuit of exotic butterflies, an expertise she’s finely honed.
As the story unfolded, I discovered an independent, highly articulate heroine (she’s a voracious reader). Intrigue was promptly introduced in the guise of a kindly, enigmatic German baron who appears during a scuffle between Veronica and an intruder. The baron persuades the cool and clever Veronica to accompany him to London, hinting at ties to her past. He promises to reveal details soon. And so, the adventure begins.
The baron deposits Veronica with Stoker, a mysterious and reclusive scientist. Reclusive for good reason, we later discover. The romantic tension between them adds an extra layer of intrigue. When the baron is murdered, and Stoker implicated in his death, the two set off to find the baron’s killer and along the way, unlock the truth about Veronica’s birth parents.
Dialogue-driven, I found myself hanging on every word between Stoker and Veronica; words which more fully formed their characters. The author deftly gave the pacing just the right amount of briskness and made it hard to resist a heroine who constantly flexes her mental muscles, and shows herself to be way-ahead-of-her-time. I don’t know if my afternoon tea will ever be the same.
What Jen Thought
What a fun read! Like Lida, I enjoyed the spirited and wise Veronica Speedwell. Her tart tongue, no-nonsense attitude, and total independence were a delight to follow, and I’m curious where her relationship with Stoker will go in future books. If that’s not a good sign of reader interest, I don’t know what is.
What I loved about the book most were the secondary characters surrounding Veronica: a befuddled nobleman, his efficient sister, and, of course, the naturalist-cum-love-interest Stoker.
This book is more adventure story than who-done-it, and the reader is in the backseat following along as Veronica and Stoker piece together a scandalous origin story for Veronica. The puzzle wasn’t what kept me reading, though. It was the characters surrounding Veronica that kept me coming back. They are kind and well-rounded and totally believable.
I peaked ahead to read the descriptions of the seven (seven!) books that follow, and their plots sound like my cup of tea: an innocent accused of murder, missing Egyptian jewels, and murder at an English houseparty. I suspect it’s a series that gets better with every book, and I’m going to read on to see if I’m right.
What Carol Thought
I was prepared to thoroughly enjoy A Curious Beginning. I love mysteries that take place in England. The heroine sounded like a smart, plucky, interesting young woman. I was attracted to the fact that she traveled the world alone (in Victorian times, no less) in pursuit of scientific knowledge. It seemed like a win-win for me.
Sadly, I never got into it. After reading about a third of the book, I found I wasn’t engaged and didn’t care what happened to her. I may try it again sometime. There have been times in the past that this happened with a book and when I returned to it at a later time, I was able to read and enjoy the story.
What Tina Thought
It had been a long time since I read a Victorian story of any kind and I forgot just how much I enjoy following a feisty woman who won’t be held back by the times. Victoria Speedwell is a delight, as is the entire cast of unusual characters.
I enjoyed Raybourn’s writing style. She provided just enough detail to place me in the period. She also has a light touch with humor and playful dialogue. Overall, a very entertaining adventure.
I agree with Lida that this book is best savored with a cup of tea. Jen’s discovery of the interesting topics of the remaining books in the series leaves me something to look forward to.
