So, I read Daughters of Fortune by Tara Hyland quite a while ago. My feelings about this novel are somewhat mixed. I can't say I disliked it, but I found it lacking in some ways. Well, the best way I can describe this feeling is by explaining the way I experience books in general. I tend to divide fiction in two categories, real literature and non-literature fiction writing. Literatury masterpieces are something I appreciate on basis of their own literary merit, so even if they don't touch me deeply (if they happen to also speak to me on a personal level I tend to fall in love with it). With fiction that is more for entertainment, I have lesser expectations but sometimes it happens that this kind of fictions also teaches me something and I would say that this was a case with this novel.
I don't only read classics and great works of literature, but it also doesn't make sense to me to compare some masterpiece with a page turner we will forget about as soon as we read it. This book is not a masterpiece and it has no aspirations to be one so must judge it for what it is. It is no fair to compare a novel that is supposed to be amusing and entertaining with a novel that is a great work of art.
If you're looking for a light right, this is a novel for you. It won't make you stay up wondering about the meaning of world or anything like that, it is not that kind of book. That being said, I can say I liked this book. I'm surely excluding this book from 'real literature' club I have in my mind and I will probably never read it again. Nevertheless, I don't mind the time spent reading it.
I did enjoy reading this book to some extent. Moreover, compared with similar novels that I've read, it is actually pretty good. The novel is quite badly written at times, but its story has definite potential. I can see that the author really put some effort into crafting the story and I do respect that. Moreover, the plot is very fast paced which is essentially what keeps it from being boring. It is a page turner. Descriptions of characters are terrible, they seem to be inserted by force, but characters themselves are potentially very intriguing, especially the leading ladies. I think there are even some life lessons that we can learn from this book and that especially applies to young ladies. I must say that I did feel a connection to the leading ladies (i.e 3 sisters) in this book.
What a shame that the stereotypes almost reduce them to caricatures at times! Fortunately, only at times. The characters do develop with time and often in a way that is quite realistic. Yes, they develop as the plot develops so despite the fact there seemed to be something stale about the description of characters, one can't say they're badly portrayed because they do evolve with the novel.
Daughters of Fortune are the key characters of this novel. I'm sure that it can be maintained that the protagonists of this novel are three sisters mentioned in the title. They are daughers of fortune in sense that they have a wealthy father, but they still need to fight for their own fortune. In fact, as often in life, their wealth doesn't really make their life easier. Each sister has a very hard time in life. Often the sisters have troubles realizing what the path ahead of them is and what their place in the world should be. In their own way, they are all quite troubled and lonely.
These three sisters are very different one from another and this is something Tara handled quite well. Each one of them seems quite unique. What is more, as the novel develops, the character developments can be strongly felt in the protagonists and that is something I quite liked.
The writer has a good imagination and I would dare to say she has a good instinct. It is very unfortunate she seems to lack writing skill. She can write, but not that brilliantly. However, I do think she may develop as a writer if she puts some more effort into it. I for one would take a chance and gave her another shot if and when she published the next one.
Back to this novel... On scale from one to five, I would give it two or three. If I were to judge it within is limitations, as such an enjoyable novel then I would say it is great. Here on goodreads where I must compare it will all the other books, I feel like I can't really give it a very high mark because 'it just doesn't feel like real literature'. Do you know what I mean?
It is a good novel, quite enjoyable to read but it lacks depth. One thing that sort of annoys me were the ever present stereotyes. This novel is full of stereotypes (from submissive Asian secretary to aggressive first born London heiress) and that is one thing I strongly dislike.
With a good editor, this novel could have been so much more, but it is what it is. In its own category, I would say it is pretty good, but it didn't make that jump from chic lit to real literature. Nevertheless, I did read it and with most chic lit, I would just read two first pages, roll my eyes and toss it away, so that is a recommendation! Yes, I do recommend it. It is a good novel to keep in mind if you want to be entertained not educated. I hope this author will find it in her to try to write on a higher level...we need more books like that.