Reviews for The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell

What's it like to read a review of your book? What you have nurtured and worked on for several years?

Well it's marvellous and heart lifting, a shout goes up, when it's along the lines of this one printed in the Historical Novels Review:

'Based on the true story of this talented botanical illustrator, Holmes’s thoroughly researched novel tells of how the practical, hardworking Elizabeth came into her own...I could almost feel the burin between my fingers ....'

If you look at Amazon where some of the sale happen, one must take a deep breath. I received this commendation happily:

'When Elizabeth eloped with the love of her life, Alexander Blackwell, she could not have imagined the life they would share. Despite tragic occurrences, Elizabeth pushed forward, doing anything she could to contribute to their financial stability. She was a gifted artist and successful businesswoman in the eighteenth century when women were overlooked and even belittled for any successes they might pursue. A very engrossing story; this book was hard to put down.'

But I also had to stomach this:

'There are a lot of words in this novel but it crawls along at a snails pace, delivering nothing. The characters are just plain silly on occasion, shallow and one-dimensional for the most part. I found it hard to warm to either of the main characters.' (The reviewer still gave it three stars)

A book only lives when people read it. If they enjoy and even love your work, it's the best feeling in the world. If, however, they do not like it, you must accept the criticism and dislike. Weeping must be done in private.