Flashman's Lady review
Jan. 24th, 2009 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearBook three in the Flashman series suffers slightly from diminishing returns, I think. The first three quarters is a mildly entertaining romp, mostly about cricket, followed by a sea voyage out to Singapore and a river expedition to rescue Flashman's wife when she is kidnapped by Borneo pirates. It has a fair few classic Flashman moments of despicable selfishness and cowardice, and the increased presence of Elspeth is enjoyable due to her utterly unbelievable obliviousness, not only to Flashman's true character but also to the dangers of her situation.
Once the action moves to Madagascar, where Flashman is made sex slave to the queen, things go downhill somewhat. Flashman's predicament is blown all out of proportion for preposterousness, and the whole episode feels tacked on to the end, as if the novel wasn't quite long enough and another section had to be added as an afterthought. The escape and final resolution are rushed and rather weak, and there isn't the usual aftermath section, so we don't find out what happened to any of the other characters that Flashman abandoned to their fates in his flight, either in the Borneo or Madagascar episodes.
However, even being weaker than the other two in the series I have read, It was still a good read - well-written for the most part, highly amusing most of the way through, and shocking in its ability to make me feel sympathy for such a reprehensible character.
Once the action moves to Madagascar, where Flashman is made sex slave to the queen, things go downhill somewhat. Flashman's predicament is blown all out of proportion for preposterousness, and the whole episode feels tacked on to the end, as if the novel wasn't quite long enough and another section had to be added as an afterthought. The escape and final resolution are rushed and rather weak, and there isn't the usual aftermath section, so we don't find out what happened to any of the other characters that Flashman abandoned to their fates in his flight, either in the Borneo or Madagascar episodes.
However, even being weaker than the other two in the series I have read, It was still a good read - well-written for the most part, highly amusing most of the way through, and shocking in its ability to make me feel sympathy for such a reprehensible character.
