PTERODAKTYL!!!!

Would you listen to Otherwise Engaged again? Why?

Yes, I would. I re-listen to all AQ books. They are great lazy listen. Entertaining and not very secret pleasure of mine.

What other book might you compare Otherwise Engaged to, and why?

Movies rather than books actually. Hence my headline. I kept on thinking that pterodactyl would appear any minute now (The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec) for the heroine (Amity) was similar character to that of Adèle. As for the fan of which one other reviewer wrote I remembered some other movie, it might have been Le pacte des loups where somebody was using the fan as weapon. Just a note on that one- there is a Japanese war fan which was used by samurai for centuries, so yes, you could have gotten one in late Victorian era if you travelled or knew somebody who did or perhaps were inspired and had one made. Steel- no problem ;-)

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did!

Any additional comments?

I agree regarding the narration. I did get used to it after a bit and it did not bother me. I just wish the author would use same narrator for all books written as AQ as many other authors do (not sure if she has the choice or if it is the publisher). I loved Anne Flosnik as narrator for some other books and I did rather grow fond of Justine Eyre both of whom have very sensual voices and great male character voice. I even buy books because Ms. Flosnik narrates!

Always pleasure to listen to AQ book. Cannot wait for another one! Hurry up Jayne!

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1 person found this helpful

Overly dramatic

It's all too, too much. Everyone is beautiful, the heroines are resourceful and plucky and the heroes are brave and stoic. The villain is suitably dastardly.
If you like swashbuckling, highly improbable melodrama, you'll love this. I didn't.

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Early promising start fades

The opening chapters of this book held much promise with a feisty female lead and exotic locations. I’m a fan of historical fiction so there was lots to look forward to.

Sadly it lost its shine with the first ‘swooning’ moment for me a few chapters in. The story was ok but what bugged me was that the characters deployed language that was clearly US when they were straight laced Brits. I also felt that the women’s equality issue in the novel was portrayed closer to 1970’s than 1890’s, with female characters feeling very conflicted which didn’t sit comfortably with me.
I’ll admit to speeding up read time and looking forward to the end.

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Definitely NOT like Georgette Heyer

What would have made Otherwise Engaged better?

People keep promising me that an author is 'like Georgette Heyer' only for me to be disillusioned. AQ's characters have lots of sex before marriage, and talk and have attitudes like people born in the 1990's rather than the 1890's.There had clearly been SOME research done into the time, for example demonstrating that the first rubber condoms had come into use, and that telegrams were now able to carry messages from Australia to England, but these things were dropped so clunkily into the story that I found myself cringing.

Would you ever listen to anything by Amanda Quick again?

No. I can't take any more awkward graphic sex scenes with scattered descriptions of breeches and bodices thrown in as though the clothing makes it period rather than the attitudes and behaviour.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Louise Jane Underwood?

Any number of people. I tried the sample audio and thought she would be fine, but after a while I kept checking how long the story had to go because I was getting impatient with the story and found Underwood's voice grating.

What character would you cut from Otherwise Engaged?

***SPOILER****I can't remember her name, something like 'Lady Plainshaw'. A pointless character who decided monologuing while holding someone at gun point in a busy place was a good idea, and yet despite being apparently brainless was supposed to have previously made a living as a successful spy. Ridiculous.

Any additional comments?

The beginning of the book was the best part - it promised a strong, smart, female character who could take care of herself and had seen something of the world. But it failed epically to deliver after that, and the heroine seemed to get stupider as the story went on.I also found the mystery very weak.

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