Derek

I saw the stage play two weeks ago (Awesome!), and the film years ago, so it's really time to get to the book!

I've always enjoyed these WWII mysteries, but this one's kind of special as it's set on the Devon coast, near to where I'm currently living. As usual, a wealth of genuine detail about the locale and conditions during the war.

I just purchased “Don't Know Jack” as an e-book. I'll probably read it, because I paid for it, but because of the outrageous “License” terms, I won't review it, and I won't be buying any more of your books.

“This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people”. I refuse to accept any author's or publisher's right to apply “terms” to the way I read books. I don't “share” ebooks. I don't post them on websites. But I absolutely reserve the right to give away my only copy, just as I would with a paper book. I actually support the idea of paying royalties on every transfer of any work of art (though how it would ever work, I can't imagine), but authors and publishers neither have a moral right nor (in most countries) a legal right to demand that I can not give away a book I have purchased.

I do not “agree” to your terms.

Merged review:

I just purchased “Don't Know Jack” as an e-book. I'll probably read it, because I paid for it, but because of the outrageous “License” terms, I won't review it, and I won't be buying any more of your books.

“This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people”. I refuse to accept any author's or publisher's right to apply “terms” to the way I read books. I don't “share” ebooks. I don't post them on websites. But I absolutely reserve the right to give away my only copy, just as I would with a paper book. I actually support the idea of paying royalties on every transfer of any work of art (though how it would ever work, I can't imagine), but authors and publishers neither have a moral right nor (in most countries) a legal right to demand that I can not give away a book I have purchased.

I do not “agree” to your terms.

I can believe it. One 1-star reviewer says it's unbelievable that the US would enter into a second civil war almost indistinguishable from the first. Well, I think they may be too close to the forest. From up here it looks entirely possible.

Anyone who thinks that all Southerners wouldn't join this revolution if fenced in by the North hasn't watched the last year unfolding in Gaza. Desperate people do desperate—and insane—things.

So, I can understand it, and I can believe it. I just can't bring myself to care about any of it in this novel. It's not that none of the characters are likeable—they're not even interesting! They're all pale imitations of humanity. The most interesting thing that ever happens to the protagonist, Sarat, is that an elementary school teacher reads the name “Sara T. Chestnut” as “Sarat”. After that, everything is just simple cause and effect.

I haven't read this and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to.

Just reading the blurb, just remembering the blurb, makes me cry.

With a gender switch, this could be my grandfather's story. His only escape from slavery on a Canadian farm was to run away to join the army at 17. The possibility of dying in WWI was a better choice than staying on that farm.