![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
missroseroseI read this at Heidi Cullinan's recommendation, which has turned out to be a little ironic, because my reaction to it has basically been the reverse of my thoughts on the book of hers I recently read. Rumspringa is well-constructed, with a clear arc and a strong set of conflicts all the way through. But it takes one of my least-favorite shortcuts, in that it spends very little time on characterization before launching into the plot. And while that's a strike against any story, it's an especial frustration of mine in this genre. To me, romance is primarily about chemistry, and you can't have chemistry without understanding who your characters are, their personalities and desires, and thus why they do what they do. As the story goes on, we get a few broad strokes, but it was never enough to really make me feel invested in the outcome.
Still, it's an impressive book in a lot of other ways, enough that I feel a little bad for not liking it more. The potential for exploitation was a very real fear of mine, but the author's research is impeccable, and her respect for the Amish lifestyle is clear. The narrative may give the individual characters short shrift, but it does an excellent job exploring why a group of people would take on such a restrictive lifestyle, even as it considers the consequences of those restrictions upon the next generation. And given that this is a self-published book, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the beautiful production job; the copyediting is damn near flawless, and the ornamental dingbats and flowing-script chapter headers add a classic touch very in keeping with the tone.
Honestly, if we'd spent a little more time getting to know David and Isaac and establishing their basis for attraction, I think this could have been one of my favorite books. As it is, I'd certainly recommend it if you're not as concerned as I am with being emotionally intimate with your romantic leads. But that's my particular button, and sadly it remained unpressed by this story. C+
Still, it's an impressive book in a lot of other ways, enough that I feel a little bad for not liking it more. The potential for exploitation was a very real fear of mine, but the author's research is impeccable, and her respect for the Amish lifestyle is clear. The narrative may give the individual characters short shrift, but it does an excellent job exploring why a group of people would take on such a restrictive lifestyle, even as it considers the consequences of those restrictions upon the next generation. And given that this is a self-published book, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the beautiful production job; the copyediting is damn near flawless, and the ornamental dingbats and flowing-script chapter headers add a classic touch very in keeping with the tone.
Honestly, if we'd spent a little more time getting to know David and Isaac and establishing their basis for attraction, I think this could have been one of my favorite books. As it is, I'd certainly recommend it if you're not as concerned as I am with being emotionally intimate with your romantic leads. But that's my particular button, and sadly it remained unpressed by this story. C+
