“The Scandalous Tale of Agnes Biggenbotten” my light erotic romance/humor novel available at Eternal Press has received it’s first review. Read below what the Book Wenches had to say about it.
Reviewed by: BD Whitney of Book Wenches
http://www.bookwenches.com/February10reviews.htm
In the tiny hamlet of Lower East Drearie, there once lived a tavern maid by the name of Agnes Biggenbotten. Big of heart, tiny of mind, and plush of posterior, Agnes was an object of lust for many of the hamlet’s men and a target for jealousy and degradation by much of the womenfolk. Although she rarely had a coherent thought, she was happy with her life in the tavern, but that life took a nosedive one fateful day when the mayor dropped dead of a heart-attack while chasing her in a fit of lust. Accused of murder and witchcraft as a result, Agnes was forced to flee, leaving her home and the man that truly loved her behind.
This is the tale of Agnes’ adventures, both good and ill, and her education and transformation from an innocent and ignorant barmaid to a lady and a duchess. It is the story of how she loved and lost, how she came into her fortune, and how she finally won her heart’s desire.
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Christopher Newman’s clever novella The Scandalous Tale of Agnes Biggenbotten is a fast-paced romp of a story that will entertain and delight you. This humorous and completely improbable tale, set in a fictional land that looks suspiciously like historic England, is a story within a story, and it features a host of comic and over-the-top characters, a plot that is a combination of farce and soap opera, and narrator who, quite frankly, steals the show.
The main character in The Scandalous Tale of Agnes Biggenbotten is the storyteller, who promises his listeners “a fantastic tale of love, tragedy, and derring-do” in exchange for a pint of stout. Mr. Newman has given this narrator a unique voice that carries throughout, peppering the story with wry comments and colorful asides and adding an irresistible interpersonal element to the narrative. As I read this story, I truly felt as if I were sitting across the table from the storyteller, listening to his outrageous tale and interacting with him as he speaks. In fact, I was prepared to have to buy him another pint to keep him talking. Couldn’t have him getting a dry mouth before he ended his tale, now could I?
Mr. Newman incorporates a number of characteristics into this story that enhance its comic nature. The names are wonderful and descriptive of the characters. Besides Agnes Biggenbotten of the big bottom, we have the less-than-stellar mayor Dubious Finch, the hateful man of the cloth Milo Proper, the unpleasant but tenacious witch hunter Finneas Weevel, and Duke Von Boor who most definitely is a boor of the lowest caliber. In addition, the titles of the chapters are hilarious and are almost as entertaining as the narrative.
I found reading The Scandalous Tale of Agnes Biggenbotten to be simply a whole a lot of fun. This is a story to read when you need a smile or perhaps a laugh or two. It is fluffy and fun and larger than life, and I found it to be well worth my time. I hope the storyteller comes back soon with another tale. I’ll gladly spring for the first pint; you can buy the next.
–Bobby
Christopher C. Newman 