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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
I didn’t like the very beginning because of (warning!) animal deaths. But somehow I ended up becoming obsessed with finishing the story.
That's some good writing
I was drawn in right at the prologue. When I got to the first chapter, I was disappointed that it was written in first person. It seems to be something that too many authors are doing now days. I greatly dislike first person voice, but yet, I was intrigued enough to continue.
This is a well written story that I just couldn't put down. I was so drawn in, that I stopped noticing the voice and got lost in the story. I highly recommend this book.
I was drawn in right at the prologue. When I got to the first chapter, I was disappointed that it was written in first person. It seems to be something that too many authors are doing now days. I greatly dislike first person voice, but yet, I was intrigued enough to continue.
This is a well written story that I just couldn't put down. I was so drawn in, that I stopped noticing the voice and got lost in the story. I highly recommend this book.
This book was so exciting! I didn’t know to expect but I loved it from start to finish. It’s a very different kind of mystery/thriller and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Not great.
Haven't decided if I will read the remaining books in the series.
Haven't decided if I will read the remaining books in the series.
Most of this story was a bit unbelievable, but it was a fun read.
A fabulous riveting hunt for a murderer that turns out to be something grimmer - a serial killer led by a professor who is prime candidate for being a serial killer himself. Its rare to find a character who kind of is so scientifically detached and yet passionate about solving the case and not a people's person that you as a reader know that he isnt the killer but totally can be considered to one based on his interactions. While the ending was a bit abrupt and forced, it doesnt detract from a good murder mystery procedural rooted in science
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
2.5/5 stars, since I can't actually give half stars on Goodreads.
Let's start with the good. The premise of the book is strong and extremely interesting, and when Mayne manages to find his flow, he propels the story forward almost effortlessly, keeping the reader intrigued. There's something almost fiendishly cunning about the idea of a killer who disguises his victims as the relatively more mundane casualties of an animal attack.
When first presented, the protagonist, Dr. Theo Cray, is another interesting element to the equation. Though not explicitly stated, Mayne writes Cray's mind and habits as being not dissimilar to someone on the spectrum, focused wholly on dissecting the science of the mystery rather than the human elements.
The death of Juniper, a former student of Theo's, adds an enjoyable element to the story-she seemed to be almost obsessed with him, while he can barely remember her. What was she doing in the woods? Why did she tell so many people about him when he only had her for a single class and felt like he made no real impact on her life? Unfortunately, don't search for answers to those questions, because you won't get them- and this is where the book begins to fall apart swiftly.
The first 75 pages or so are a dedicated plod. Theo has access to nigh miraculous science that doesn't exist, but can apparently DNA sequence hair within a period of a few hours- fine. I'm willing to suspend the belief as much as any other reader, and the comforting blanket of scientific terminology makes it an easy pill to swallow. Once you make it through that slog, things start to escalate to an almost ludicrous extreme- there's not one corpse but two. No, not two corpses- three. No, not three, but literally dozens, all apparently awaiting for a single computational biologist to uncover them.
Throughout the number of bodies piling up, all bearing the same claw marks, the local Montana police force are almost comically inept, though given how Theo is insistent to the point where it's sometimes physically uncomfortable to read his reactions, perhaps that's understandable. Still, not once do they seem to think "Hmm, this giant, mounting pile of corpses all have the same four claws and there are far more of them in a far wider area than a wild animal would ever prowl. Seems suspicious."
And thus Theo, our formerly likable, if socially inept to the point where it's almost crippling, somehow becomes an action hero. Sort of. You see, he alternates between passing out more times than would ever be healthy for a human being to learning to shoot a gun within a matter of hours. Oh, and he gets the girl, of course, a beautiful small town waitress who is inexplicably drawn to him despite the fact that he seems to have no redeeming characteristics in the romance department. It is, of course, instant love, or something close to it. If you're rolling your eyes just reading about this juvenile male fantasy, imagine actually having the text in hand.
Things escalate towards an inevitable conclusion and show-down with a killer who is almost invincible, though still human- don't ask. We're left with the idea that this will be the first of Theo's adventures but I, for one, won't be reading another.
2.5/5 stars, since I can't actually give half stars on Goodreads.
Let's start with the good. The premise of the book is strong and extremely interesting, and when Mayne manages to find his flow, he propels the story forward almost effortlessly, keeping the reader intrigued. There's something almost fiendishly cunning about the idea of a killer who disguises his victims as the relatively more mundane casualties of an animal attack.
When first presented, the protagonist, Dr. Theo Cray, is another interesting element to the equation. Though not explicitly stated, Mayne writes Cray's mind and habits as being not dissimilar to someone on the spectrum, focused wholly on dissecting the science of the mystery rather than the human elements.
The death of Juniper, a former student of Theo's, adds an enjoyable element to the story-she seemed to be almost obsessed with him, while he can barely remember her. What was she doing in the woods? Why did she tell so many people about him when he only had her for a single class and felt like he made no real impact on her life? Unfortunately, don't search for answers to those questions, because you won't get them- and this is where the book begins to fall apart swiftly.
The first 75 pages or so are a dedicated plod. Theo has access to nigh miraculous science that doesn't exist, but can apparently DNA sequence hair within a period of a few hours- fine. I'm willing to suspend the belief as much as any other reader, and the comforting blanket of scientific terminology makes it an easy pill to swallow. Once you make it through that slog, things start to escalate to an almost ludicrous extreme- there's not one corpse but two. No, not two corpses- three. No, not three, but literally dozens, all apparently awaiting for a single computational biologist to uncover them.
Throughout the number of bodies piling up, all bearing the same claw marks, the local Montana police force are almost comically inept, though given how Theo is insistent to the point where it's sometimes physically uncomfortable to read his reactions, perhaps that's understandable. Still, not once do they seem to think "Hmm, this giant, mounting pile of corpses all have the same four claws and there are far more of them in a far wider area than a wild animal would ever prowl. Seems suspicious."
And thus Theo, our formerly likable, if socially inept to the point where it's almost crippling, somehow becomes an action hero. Sort of. You see, he alternates between passing out more times than would ever be healthy for a human being to learning to shoot a gun within a matter of hours. Oh, and he gets the girl, of course, a beautiful small town waitress who is inexplicably drawn to him despite the fact that he seems to have no redeeming characteristics in the romance department. It is, of course, instant love, or something close to it. If you're rolling your eyes just reading about this juvenile male fantasy, imagine actually having the text in hand.
Things escalate towards an inevitable conclusion and show-down with a killer who is almost invincible, though still human- don't ask. We're left with the idea that this will be the first of Theo's adventures but I, for one, won't be reading another.
A definite nail biter, The Naturalist will grip you from the moment you start its second chapter, only letting you go when you're reading the acknowledgements at the end.
Set in half-fictional, half-real southern Montana, you'll be tracing Dr. Cray's adventures as he tries to catch a killer - and stay alive while doing so.
Set in half-fictional, half-real southern Montana, you'll be tracing Dr. Cray's adventures as he tries to catch a killer - and stay alive while doing so.
Maybe I just lack the gene to appreciate this book, but I found Theo so boring and hard to follow. I did like Jillian... we needed more of her.
mysterious
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