Scan barcode
A review by pacsirta
A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee
3.0
Honestly, I was torn between two or three starts. And this is why:
Telling not showing.
This novel in its first chapter managed to make me incredibly angry. I have a lot of pet peeves, but this one thing I find unforgivable. It's either just lazy or a clear mockery of every teenagers' intelligence.
You see the main character, Mary Lang (who uses her mother's maiden name, Quinn, to be accepted in Victorian society), is being recruited into the Agency, a spy group, by the very same women who rescued her from the gallows. Even though they've spent the last, what five years?, together, they still need Mary to recite her life story before she joined Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. Now even that felt a bit forced, but I thought, well okay, they don't know everything about her, and spy stuff is serious business.
But then this happened:
"Well my dear?" Anne turned to Felicity, her voice crisp once more. "How do we assess Mary's professional prospects?"
They then proceed to loudly assemble Mary's every trait, from good to bad. Why? Just why????? If this is a job interview, shouldn't Mary be the one who lists her own strength and weaknesses? And they don't even discuss it, Felicity and Anne just list her traits and leave it with this:
"We understand your philosophy and know your character." Anne looked at Felicity who nodded once, very slightly.
What? What philosophy???? And here is the thing that bugs me the most: I want to be shown, not told. I want her intelligence and whatnot to be present in the way she carries a conversation. I want to see how she handles different situations, because that will tell me the kind of person she is, not being told she's intelligent, that's that.
2 months training.
The beginning felt so hurried. In the prologue we're at the gallows, then in chapter 1 Mary is already dissatisfied with teaching at the Academy and yearns for more. After being accepted we jump to her first mission. 2 months pass between the scenes, which are spent by Mary being trained as a spy. Now I'm not a spy, and I've never met a spy, but I'm sure it would take more than 2 months to make me one. Even if I lived in the streets, it just isn't realistic. And this is evident by how Mary keeps making mistakes. But don't worry, she gets second, third, fourth and so on chances. Because apparently the Agency can't bother to actually send someone competent to do a mission.
The Characters
This being a mystery, it involves a lot of important people. We meet the Thorolds, where Mary poses as a companion to the stereotypical Angelica to get information on Henry Thorold and his assistant, Michael Grey. Also we meet the Eastons, because the oldest son, George, is trying to court Angelica. But it's the second son who shines in this novel, James.
He who teams up with Mary. I must say their banters were a lot of fun. However, the very first time they argue, I felt it was out of place. Mary speaks up while the brothers are visiting Angelica. This is the Victorian area. Mary should have known better.
Other than James and Mary, the other characters were flat, one dimensional, and stereotypical.. Even Anne and Felicity, who at this point could be the same person. And sometimes Mary felt like a middle aged women, not a seventeen year old.
The mystery
Now this, I enjoyed a great deal. I love a mystery. And this one had all the fun stuff. People were never who they appeared at first, there were twists and turns and it wasn't that predictable. The whole help overhearing important conversation, I loved. Yes, when you work as a maid or lady's companion you are going to hear things you are not meant to. And this was used beautifully. And we even get a side mystery, the Mary's heritage. This leaves great space for her to grow and accept who she is, and I really hope the author uses it wisely.
Oh, and Thames?
Telling not showing.
This novel in its first chapter managed to make me incredibly angry. I have a lot of pet peeves, but this one thing I find unforgivable. It's either just lazy or a clear mockery of every teenagers' intelligence.
You see the main character, Mary Lang (who uses her mother's maiden name, Quinn, to be accepted in Victorian society), is being recruited into the Agency, a spy group, by the very same women who rescued her from the gallows. Even though they've spent the last, what five years?, together, they still need Mary to recite her life story before she joined Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. Now even that felt a bit forced, but I thought, well okay, they don't know everything about her, and spy stuff is serious business.
But then this happened:
"Well my dear?" Anne turned to Felicity, her voice crisp once more. "How do we assess Mary's professional prospects?"
They then proceed to loudly assemble Mary's every trait, from good to bad. Why? Just why????? If this is a job interview, shouldn't Mary be the one who lists her own strength and weaknesses? And they don't even discuss it, Felicity and Anne just list her traits and leave it with this:
"We understand your philosophy and know your character." Anne looked at Felicity who nodded once, very slightly.
What? What philosophy???? And here is the thing that bugs me the most: I want to be shown, not told. I want her intelligence and whatnot to be present in the way she carries a conversation. I want to see how she handles different situations, because that will tell me the kind of person she is, not being told she's intelligent, that's that.
2 months training.
The beginning felt so hurried. In the prologue we're at the gallows, then in chapter 1 Mary is already dissatisfied with teaching at the Academy and yearns for more. After being accepted we jump to her first mission. 2 months pass between the scenes, which are spent by Mary being trained as a spy. Now I'm not a spy, and I've never met a spy, but I'm sure it would take more than 2 months to make me one. Even if I lived in the streets, it just isn't realistic. And this is evident by how Mary keeps making mistakes. But don't worry, she gets second, third, fourth and so on chances. Because apparently the Agency can't bother to actually send someone competent to do a mission.
The Characters
This being a mystery, it involves a lot of important people. We meet the Thorolds, where Mary poses as a companion to the stereotypical Angelica to get information on Henry Thorold and his assistant, Michael Grey. Also we meet the Eastons, because the oldest son, George, is trying to court Angelica. But it's the second son who shines in this novel, James.
He who teams up with Mary. I must say their banters were a lot of fun. However, the very first time they argue, I felt it was out of place. Mary speaks up while the brothers are visiting Angelica. This is the Victorian area. Mary should have known better.
Spoiler
And the whole he doesn't trust Mary thing felt a bit odd. Why partner up with her if you're only going to whine about her having an affair she clearly told you she isn't? Why isn't it important to you to trust the person you reveal important and potentially dangerous information to? And the whole accusing Mary of being a light-skirt, her getting angry, stopping her from getting out of the carriage is played one too many times. Then as if nothing has happened she just forgets about it, and goes on discussing whatever! Why did Anne and Felicity not include her not holding on to anger as one of Mary's good traits?Other than James and Mary, the other characters were flat, one dimensional, and stereotypical.
Spoiler
The whole love thing between Michael and Angelica was not a surprise. I knew it as soon as Michael hit on Mary. Also it was clear James would be Mary's love interest the moment they met.Spoiler
I'm also very torn between Angelica's decision to pursue music. She made vows to a man she didn't love, and at the first suggestion she has a passion, she has this magical realization. And we never even see her play that much or comment on the piano. All we are told is that she has talent. She doesn't even show interest before Mary suggests she does it for a living now that her father, and source of money, is in prison. I would have liked the part where she doesn't give up her dreams for a man, if that dream wasn't invented in the last two chapters.The mystery
Now this, I enjoyed a great deal. I love a mystery. And this one had all the fun stuff. People were never who they appeared at first, there were twists and turns and it wasn't that predictable. The whole help overhearing important conversation, I loved. Yes, when you work as a maid or lady's companion you are going to hear things you are not meant to. And this was used beautifully. And we even get a side mystery, the Mary's heritage. This leaves great space for her to grow and accept who she is, and I really hope the author uses it wisely.
Oh, and Thames?
