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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I tried to step out of my comfort zone and read a book like this for book club. What a mistake. I laughed out loud at some of the absurd situations. I thought it was crappy.
This is a great story from an author I have followed for years. This is not the first time I’ve read it and probably won’t be the last.
This is the best novel Jonathan Kellerman has ever written.
It is a Detective Petra Connor book, the first, I think, of a new series. Delaware, Kellerman's bread and butter character, is mentioned in the last chapter only, so, yes, they live in the same universe.
Want to read a book that gives an excellent picture of a new street kid's introduction to a big city after running away from an abusive home? Want to understand why kids run away in the first place? This is a great thumbnail sketch, without psychiatric jargon, extended angst or melodramatic soap opera -just simple realism. The only things to fault here is Billy's incredible inner compass and sense of self-worth which informs his choices, as well as his amazing luck in avoiding destruction from street hoods and hanging on to his virginity as long as he does. He is 12 years old, which both protects him and handicaps him. He loves to read and believes in the emotional strengths and personal ideals that are represented in his books, while at the same time he doesn't trust a single adult to help him with only altruism in mind.
He is as appealing as a big-eyed puppy and as great of a hero as Delaware or Petra, but the life he is trying to save is his own. With almost no resources, he survives for 4 months on the street, despite witnessing a terrible murder and eventually having a great many people hunting for him. Obviously, he has no way of knowing who the good guys are.
The book is written with several points of view, each chapter carried forward by a different character, including the murderer, or I should say, murderers, because as usual, there are many characters here with unclean hands and motives. Billy Straight is the standout guy of the bunch, and I was in a state of high tension for him all the way through the book. It was like watching a family of ducks, mamma with her new babies, crossing a busy street full of speeding cars.
This was a wonderful read for me! But Kellerman's new character, Petra, was definitely a backseat noise in comparison to the drama of whether this sweet boy would exist in the last page of the book! I stayed up all night to finish it.
It is a Detective Petra Connor book, the first, I think, of a new series. Delaware, Kellerman's bread and butter character, is mentioned in the last chapter only, so, yes, they live in the same universe.
Want to read a book that gives an excellent picture of a new street kid's introduction to a big city after running away from an abusive home? Want to understand why kids run away in the first place? This is a great thumbnail sketch, without psychiatric jargon, extended angst or melodramatic soap opera -just simple realism. The only things to fault here is Billy's incredible inner compass and sense of self-worth which informs his choices, as well as his amazing luck in avoiding destruction from street hoods and hanging on to his virginity as long as he does. He is 12 years old, which both protects him and handicaps him. He loves to read and believes in the emotional strengths and personal ideals that are represented in his books, while at the same time he doesn't trust a single adult to help him with only altruism in mind.
He is as appealing as a big-eyed puppy and as great of a hero as Delaware or Petra, but the life he is trying to save is his own. With almost no resources, he survives for 4 months on the street, despite witnessing a terrible murder and eventually having a great many people hunting for him. Obviously, he has no way of knowing who the good guys are.
The book is written with several points of view, each chapter carried forward by a different character, including the murderer, or I should say, murderers, because as usual, there are many characters here with unclean hands and motives. Billy Straight is the standout guy of the bunch, and I was in a state of high tension for him all the way through the book. It was like watching a family of ducks, mamma with her new babies, crossing a busy street full of speeding cars.
This was a wonderful read for me! But Kellerman's new character, Petra, was definitely a backseat noise in comparison to the drama of whether this sweet boy would exist in the last page of the book! I stayed up all night to finish it.
It took me a while to read this one, but it was worth it. I really liked the way he changed narrators.
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would rate it higher, I enjoyed it quite a lot but it manages to be homophobic, racist,. misogynistic, etc, all at once. I wouldn't pay money to read it but it was alright.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No