On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

Comments on this board are made with the assumption that readers have finished the book and may include spoilers.

I finished yesterday and it was so so for me. I couldn't get invested in the characters at all and the whole love interest with Simon and Doris just seemed forced and a little contrived. The ending seemed a little too tidy and convenient for Simon as well. I like the background and history and setting, and enjoyed the actual writing itself and even the music theme throughout, but overall sort of a lukewarm reading experience.

I agree Franky, it was difficult to be fully engaged with Simon for some reason. Everything else was a plus for me.

Also so-so for me, Franky and I gave it the same rating you did. You have stated my feelings perfectly. Too much of it was unrealistic, if not impossible. Jiles can write compelling history, which is what made it tolerable. I am so glad this was not my first of her novels or I might have marked her off as a mediocre storyteller.

I gave it 4 stars.

Here is a snippet from My review
Jiles manages to put me right into the heart of this landscape and time in history. Of course, I’m sure it helps that this is the territory in which I grew up, and I’m very familiar with many of the locations she uses, but I think her writing makes the images equally vivid for those who have never experienced this landscape.

I liked her landscape descriptions too, and the history of that area that I never knew. Maybe we couldn't feel closer to Simon because he was just her vehicle to get that across.

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
★★★

When Simon Boudlin, itinerant musician, first spied the Irish-born indentured servant and nanny, Doris Mary Dillon, he knew that he would wed her one day. For my full review, please click here.

Franky wrote: "I finished yesterday and it was so so for me. I couldn't get invested in the characters at all and the whole love interest with Simon and Doris just seemed forced and a little contrived. The ending..."

Jiles is such an engaging author, and I've read and loved many of her novels, plus I have her North Spirit: Sojourns Among the Cree and Ojibway waiting on one of my bookshelves, so I think my disconnect with this novel may be because to me it felt like Jiles herself was disconnected from this story and its characters. I've read both John's and Book Concierge's reviews and wonder if we read the same book... I envy their enjoyment of this novel, and it makes me wonder if I should try reading it again sometime.

Janice (JG) wrote: "Franky wrote: "I finished yesterday and it was so so for me. I couldn't get invested in the characters at all and the whole love interest with Simon and Doris just seemed forced and a little contri..."

Janice, I will have to check out that other book sometime. Yeah, there was a little of a disconnect there and maybe sometimes authors are more "into" their characters in certain books over others. I've never really thought that through.