I read and reviewed ‘Rosetta’ as part of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team.
This is a novella that is packed full of potential. The author can write and write really well, and the idea behind the story is intriguing.
When his former professor dies, Dr Graham Chandlers is asked to read a eulogy at the funeral. He is shocked when the professor’s adopted daughter, the enigmatic Rosetta of the title, performs an ancient ritual over the coffin in a language that only a handful of experts would understand.
Chandlers becomes intrigued by the events that led to the adoption of Rosetta and by what happened on the professor’s final dig. His investigations lead him to develop feeling for Rosetta, and also to uncover the mystery surrounding her and the dig.
The writing is beautifully crafted at times but there are places where it felt a little overdone, as if the author was trying too hard. There were places also where there was too much unnecessary detail. Conversely, I also felt that there was so much here that could have been developed. It was all over far too quickly and far too easily. The investigation could have, and should have, taken longer, and Graham and Rosetta’s relationship deserved far more time to develop. I also found it hard to believe that Graham accepted what had happened quite so easily – without giving too much away, an academic would not be so easily convinced. The answers seemed to fall into his lap.
With a little more depth and development, the plot could be thicker and more involved. Having said that, the characters and the situation are really interesting and the writing is wonderful in places. This deserves to be developed into a full-length novel.
Alison Williams Writing 
This sounds like another book for the ‘to read’ list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even Rosie told me that we’d both said the same things!!! I felt it was a little contrived in places, too, but I didn’t want to add another negative because it’s basically pretty good, I thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
….by which I mean that I’d said made a couple of negative comments you haven’t, and didn’t want to add more, not that you’re being too critical…. oh, you know what I mean!!! So annoying when you’ve just posted a comment and realise you haven’t expressed yourself properly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do know what you mean! I couldn’t believe it when I posted the review on Amazon and saw your review 🙂 although it was reassuring too to see you thought the same things (as usual). It is a good book though – just needs reining in in some places and a bit more detail and development in others.
LikeLike