Someone asked for "more" on my last BOOK REVIEW post, so here you are--that is, if this person was referring to a book review! If more scientific information about canines is what you want more of, you'll have to let me know via the comments.
Here is my tongue-in-cheek review of "The Search" by Nora Roberts, 2010, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, ISBN 978-0-399-15657-1.
Recipe for a romantic-suspense novel.
Standard.
Utensils required:
- contemporary times
- plot versus character driven narrative
Ingredients:
- brooding hero
- uneasy heroine
- strong and immediate attraction
- internal conflicts
- threat
- action
- sex
First, combine one brooding hero with one uneasy heroine. Add strong and immediate attraction. Blend with internal conflicts.
Next, toss in a threat (which forces interaction). Whip with action and formula sex scenes.
Bake for a short time. Novel is done when the hero kills the villain to save the heroine, the two fall in love, and get married to live happily ever after.
Nutritional Analysis:
- reduced calories
- romance and suspense balanced
Recipe for romantic-suspense novel.
Nora Roberts' The Search.
Utensils required:
- isolated setting--Orcas Island off the coast of Seattle, Washinton, current times
- plot-driven narrative, with dog-training activities as background
Ingredients:
- heroine--Fiona Bristow, a single woman in her late-twenties, a dog-trainer who owns and works three search-and-rescue labs. She is the lone survivor of a serial-killer and goes to Orcas Island to rebuild her life.
- brooding hero--Simon Doyle, a solitary, artisan carpenter, is new on the island. He seeks seclusion, but needs Fiona's help with training his eight-week-old, out-of-control lab puppy.
- mutual attraction--Fiona is not Simon's "type," but he is attracted to her anyway. Fiona holds back at first.
- internal conflicts--Fiona understandably suffers from her frightening past, but Simon's back story is not adequately revealed.
- threat--Francis X. Eckle is a "copy-cat" killer, trained by the first serial killer to finish Fiona off. Eckle gets carried away with is own deviations.
- action--Roberts prose is easy to read, with lots of dialogue. The plot is framed with search-and-rescue endeavors.
- sex--Gratuitous and often cliche.
First, combine one heroine (who was the victim of a horrible crime) with one brooding hero (who has a shady past). Add mutual attraction. Fold with internal conflicts.
Next, toss in a threat (which the heroine perceives early on). Stir with action and formula sex scenes.
Bake for a short time. Novel is done when the heroine, with the help of the hero, resolves the suspense and they live happily ever after.
Nutritional Analysis:
- extra light calories
- lacks fiber
Roberts' recipe includes a few slight twists:
- The heroine, instead of the hero, drives the resolution of the threat, causing the hero to fall in love with her. Yet, while Roberts' protagonist appears strong and self-reliant, Fiona nevertheless leans on the "bad-boy" hero, Simon (who reveals his dark side at the climax).
- The villain is not killed. (I'm not saying anything more.)
- Fiona and Simon get engaged, not married.
MY COMMENTS
- Read The Search for fun, not literary depth.
- Roberts' use of dog-training as back ground is in vogue, but if you are a dog-lover or interested in training techniques, you'll want more.
