Bell has created one of the most unattractive heroines I've ever read. A dim-witted, self absorbed, close minded twit who even after spending a few years unsuccessfully pursuing an active career in New York has clung tenaciously to some rather nasty prejudices.Her writing is pretentious, clunky, and her inability to describe anything without smothering it brings what is, so far, a rather pallid plot to a grinding halt. Several times in the 15-20% I have slogged through Bell's ambition exceeds her skill and the story disintegrates into almost incoherency.
