Saturday, February 04, 2006

British Born, Amrican Bred by Valorie Beardsley

British Born, American Bred is a fanfiction of Prince William's life from when we meet him at St.Andrews University right up until he dies as an old man or rather an old, and much loved, King. To say this book is about Prince William and the narrator, fictional Emily Harrison who was born in Britain but brought up in America (hence the title), falling in love would be an understatement. William and Emily fall in love and get engaged within a year of meeting each other and in the first 50 pages of book. This book is more about their life together, troubles with the press and royal relatives as well as the trials of married life, being King and Queen, dealing with illness and parenthood.

This book wasn't what I expected at all and was really a disappointment; instead of being a fun and easy read that was great for relaxing, I found myself having to force myself to read a book I didn't enjoy. The writing was poor to say the least and rather than feeling the relationship between Prince William and the fictional Emily Harrison as it happened, I felt I, as the reader, was told what was happening as if it were some kind of report. Instead of falling in love as Emily did and experiencing the events as they unfolded, I felt cut-off from the story, while the large time-scale it was set in seemed over-ambitious. I really wanted a story of love, not a whole life's journey that was hard to comprehend; as a 15 year-old I can't really relate to having children, grandchildren and dying at eighty. The way Prince William spoke was cringy, scary and odd all at the same time, and as a British teenager I can certainly say that I don't know many people who talk like that (and those who do are rather un-flatteringly called chavs). Can you really imagine Prince William calling the girl he loved "Luv" or Prince Charles "pops"? - Scary. However if you are planning on reading the book, and do get beyond the first couple of pages, I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone under 15 as the author attempts to write a rather explicit love scene early on.


Rating (0 - 10 scale): 3
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bristol, England

posted by Flamingnet Book Blog @ 3:15 PM