The Novel As An Eight Year Old Kia Picanto

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have an eight, possibly nine year old Kia Picanto. It's white (when I get round to washing it anyway), it's small and no one will ever say that it's look was created by an Italian designer. It goes nought to sixty in a way that will always get beaten by the car in the other lane and my in car entertainment system is a radio (it has a CD but like most of the world now that is never used).

However whilst it's unquestionably basic and unflashy it takes me from a to b in a smooth ride and is reliable. It does what I ask it to do. I don't have great expectations of my car, but it always surpasses them.

There is I realised, whilst reading The Chateau on the Lake by Charlotte Betts, a similarity between a particular type of novel of all genres and my little car. Ms Betts' story is not the best book I've read this year (I'll even guess that it won't be the best book I'll read this month) but I enjoyed the journey it gave me.

I feel it's one of those books whose primary aim is to entertain and there's nothing wrong with that. If you want something that will give you insight on the human condition suspect even Ms Betts will move you along. She's telling you a story.

As regular readers will know I try to give out as little of the plot of the books I chat about as possible as to not spoil it for people who haven't yet opened it. As a genre "historical romance" would probably be the closest way to describe it (and that's certainly the way you'd describe it from the packaging) I also got traces of Jane Eyre and Rebecca but none of that, though true, gives you a correct sense of what you're reading . Oh did I tell you that it set during the time of the French revolution? Well yes but the Scarlet Pimpernel it isn't.

Will not say that I was surprised either. But like an eight year old Kia Picanto that doesn't matter. Familiarity breeds relaxation and enjoyment. When you're confident about your drive you look around you even if it's a route you've taken many times (whilst always keeping an eye on the road of course).

And it's to Ms Betts' credit that I had a good opinion of her novel given that as a fifty three year old man I suspect I'm not her target audience.

So like an eight year old Kia Picanto her novel goes through the basics and will not surprise you....except in surpassing your expectations.

Until the next time.