Reviews

Device Free Weekend by Sean Doolittle

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catreader18's review against another edition

5.0

This is my first book by the author and I enjoyed it. The setting was very detailed and I could picture the scenes happening. At first I thought this was going to be like other remote island stories but it’s not. A very good read that i devoured in one day.

plants_pages_poultry's review against another edition

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2.0

While the premise should have made for a great thriller, the writing was so bland and generic I was not thrilled in the least.

shelby1994's review against another edition

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tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Thank you @GrandCentralPub for the #gifted copy

I was initially very taken in by the premise - a group of scattered friends reunited by an enigmatic billionaire on his private island, no phone allowed? Death and chaos ensue? It sounds like a fun riff on Glass Onion in airport-thriller format.

Unfortunately, the charismatic voice of Daniel Craig wasn’t the only thing this book was lacking.

By splitting the book up into multiple perspectives, Dolittle keeps up from the intricacies of the main plot. Like a MC being bombarded by NPCs and side quests, we lose track of what does and doesn’t matter, and not in a “slight of hand” kind of way.

Also, I may not be a tech savant, but if you’re going to use VR and advanced computer programming as a key plot device, you have to walk us through it. The final third of the book throws so much at you (VR, medical jargon, a Die Hard-esque chase scene that comes out of nowhere, SO MANY LIVESTREAMS) that the chaos just made me want to set the book down and go sit in nature for a bit to reboot. Which I did.