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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Bravo for Jane Harper and her second extremely readable mystery with an extremely likable detective. Similar to The Dry, Force of Nature has a palpable sense of place which moves the action along with suspense and dread. The claustrophobic setting in the Australian Bush takes on a personality of its own and is as much a character as the five women who get lost in it.
The structure issues that bothered me in The Dry were non-existent in Force of Nature, which I was pleased to see (not see?), but there was significantly less characterization of Aaron in this novel, and I found myself missing him, even as I was reading the book. I also didn't enjoy this wrap up as much as I did in The Dry.
If you haven't read Jane Harper yet, give her a shot. She's kind of a less gritty Tana French, mixed with Liane Moriarty.
The structure issues that bothered me in The Dry were non-existent in Force of Nature, which I was pleased to see (not see?), but there was significantly less characterization of Aaron in this novel, and I found myself missing him, even as I was reading the book. I also didn't enjoy this wrap up as much as I did in The Dry.
If you haven't read Jane Harper yet, give her a shot. She's kind of a less gritty Tana French, mixed with Liane Moriarty.
Finished reading: December 19th 2020
“It’s the panic that gets you. Makes it hard to trust what you’re seeing.”
I LOVED The Dry when I read it last year and I had a physical copy of the sequel ready to read straight after finishing it, but somehow I never actually did pick it up until now... Don't ask me why, as I still don't understand it myself. I'm glad I finally did now, because while Force Of Nature has a completely different feel than the first book, it still has Aaron Falk and it still gives us that harsh and unforgiving Australian bushland setting. In fact, the Giralang Ranges setting is probably the main reason this story stood out for me, as this remote bushland setting plays a key role in the plot and really sets the right atmosphere for this story. The idea of the corporate retreat and the 'people against nature' element might not be new, but it is excellently done and I had a great time seeing the different characters react to the increasingly dire situation. I liked the structure of the plot too, where we switch between the present with Aaron Falk and Amanda and the past where we slowly learn more about what happened during those days before Alice disappeared during the retreat. Lots of little twists and secrets are being introduced, designed to add suspense and send you on the wrong track... Another bonus: I definitely didn't see those final reveals coming at all! And her writing style is just so damn easy to read and highly addictive too. I definitely can't wait to read her other two pending titles now.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I listened to The Dry and read this one because my library didn't have the audio. I generally listen to mysteries, so I may have enjoyed this more on audio. That said, i thought it was only okay. I didn't really connect to the female characters; I didn't really have a read on them until almost the end. Aaron and Carmen's involvement in the missing persons case was too slim for proper tension to develop and .
Hoping this is just 2nd book slump and #3 will be fantastic. I know I will read it. I'll wait for audio, though.
Spoiler
the whole decades old serial killing thing just didn't really workHoping this is just 2nd book slump and #3 will be fantastic. I know I will read it. I'll wait for audio, though.
This was amazing. Point blank. I immediately need to go out and buy all of Jane Harper's books. Now. I loved this. I thought I had it figured out multiple times (although I did call a couple of the red herrings), but I was still slightly surprised at the "whodunit". Although, upon further reading, I get it. I do wish that it was more intentional than it was or have a little more of a twist, but I get it. Good read. Page turner. Pick it up.
I am really liking this "series" - I use the term loosely - #2 is not dependent upon #1 or anything - but the writer is entertaining and I appreciate the approach of this "what happened?" kind of genre. This book isn't like "Big Little Lies" but it kind of reminded me of "BLL' and I use that as a compliment. I will say - I liked it a lot better than "BLL" because I wasn't left wondering about the mysterious big event throughout the novel - instead it just was kind of like watching a puzzle come together. Fun summer read.
I really like Jane Harper's style. The characters are believable, the plot is intense but not too complex, the action moves at just the right pace, and the ending feels good. Also, I think I've decided that I just really like books that take place in Australia. It's such an intriguing place. I think it's starting to creep up on my "need to visit" bucket list. If you like thrillers, this one won't let you down.
Well plotted and characterized, this reminded me of the Tana French mysteries but set in Australia. Short, alternating chapters make it easy to keep reading, and the questions raised make it hard to put down. Plus, kudos for a couple of really solid red herrings.