Book Review: Scarborough Fair

Scarborough Fair by Margarita Morris

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF @ 30%
If you want to read some random ideas strung together in the Victorian age then you might be able to get into the past story of Scarborough Fair. Unfortunately even when Margarita Morris brings us into her present day story line it's just flat. It lacks flow, consistency and polish.

Creativity is Key
There wasn't really any original thoughts in the introduction of this book. Our characters and the present day teen insta-love story were all tropes and set-ups that have been done again and again.The worst part however was the constant use of this thought by our leading present day gal: 
"it was like something out of the movies”

If this is supposed to endear me into believing what is happening or the ridiculous character description it really doesn't. Using it once I may have forgiven but three times in the first 30% of the book?! Sorry but that is just lazy.

Insta Love
Ugh. Need I say more? If you think it's 'cute' to have your potential love interests father nearly run you over in his Ferrari; then maybe you will find something in the present day love story Morris tells of interest. For me it was just too cliche. Not only do our characters, more or less, immediately have a connection; but they both pull each other out of the 'funk' that is their summer to date. All it was missing was our leading characters to break out into song and we would have had a re-boot of Grease.

Victoria Age
As someone who loves to read historical novels all I could feel about the Victorian age presented in Scarborough Fair was that it felt like Downtown Abbey (but not in a good way). Not only are our leading two ladies lavishly trotted around by a mysterious man but they go to a circus and are enthralled with the light show that appears to have spirits overtake the big top. Now done well, see The Night Circus by Erin Morgensten, this can be enchanting. Instead Morris barely scratches the surface of the atmosphere that is needed to really bring her story to a level in which you buy into it (never mind are amazed by it).

Overall
Scarborough Fair is just missing all the keys to a good book. There are a few dozen books out there with similar premises and I likely any one of them is likely to be more readable than what Morris' has given us here. With the typical historical set-up of a past/present story line that connects across a century, a cliche teen summer romance, and Victorian times that seem too easy to navigate for our women; I struggled to find any reason to continue reading past the 30% point. This is a book that I believe will be quickly forgotten or confused with others; and that's assuming people even make it to the end.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Don't think I got it right? Check out Scarborough Fair for yourself:


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