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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
*Possible Spoilers!*
This book is exactly what the doctor ordered. It's a quick, super easy read, with your standard twists and whodunits that you'll find in any thriller. I wouldnt say this is a game changing read however, as a person who typically is not very interested in the mystery/thriller genre simply because I haven't had that chance to devour too many good ones, this was genuinely enjoyable and weirdly relaxing to slam through. I think the idea of an X-treme adventurer turned murderer is so creative and McCalloch's knowledge and insight on the Alpinist lifestyle was interesting and well written so as to give you enough information so you understood the struggle without all the boring technical mumbo. I found myself changing who I thought the bad guy was constantly. Wondering if maybe this was an unreliable narrator situation or possibly a team of villains?
The only solid complaint I have (besides my favorite character dying!) is the big villain reveal monologue. McCulloch does a pretty good job with realistic dialogue between characters especially with the interviews but once the big moment happened it was a little lack luster for me despite that I actually was thrown off on who it was. It was very much a tell instead of show moment which doesnt make the reader feel very good in my opinion. A good mystery/thriller to me is where the author can throw the reader off the trail for as long as possible but still making them feel...smart?...with the reveal. The moment where as information is cleverly revealed the reader exclaims "Ooooooooooooh of course!". I didnt really get that with the reveal in this book which was a little disappointing. Smaller minor issue was random ignorance from the main character. She's not exactly an investigative journalist but she plays that role well in this book. Her interviews feel so real and genuinely interesting but then you had VERY OBVIOUS moments where you could not understand how she did not put 2 and 2 together. I'm specifically talking about the Snowdon story told to the team...I mean come on, how can you not tell that Grumpy Grandpa isnt just mad about your own hubris?
All in all I had such a fun time. Hope to read more from McCulloch soon!
This book is exactly what the doctor ordered. It's a quick, super easy read, with your standard twists and whodunits that you'll find in any thriller. I wouldnt say this is a game changing read however, as a person who typically is not very interested in the mystery/thriller genre simply because I haven't had that chance to devour too many good ones, this was genuinely enjoyable and weirdly relaxing to slam through. I think the idea of an X-treme adventurer turned murderer is so creative and McCalloch's knowledge and insight on the Alpinist lifestyle was interesting and well written so as to give you enough information so you understood the struggle without all the boring technical mumbo. I found myself changing who I thought the bad guy was constantly. Wondering if maybe this was an unreliable narrator situation or possibly a team of villains?
The only solid complaint I have (besides my favorite character dying!) is the big villain reveal monologue. McCulloch does a pretty good job with realistic dialogue between characters especially with the interviews but once the big moment happened it was a little lack luster for me despite that I actually was thrown off on who it was. It was very much a tell instead of show moment which doesnt make the reader feel very good in my opinion. A good mystery/thriller to me is where the author can throw the reader off the trail for as long as possible but still making them feel...smart?...with the reveal. The moment where as information is cleverly revealed the reader exclaims "Ooooooooooooh of course!". I didnt really get that with the reveal in this book which was a little disappointing. Smaller minor issue was random ignorance from the main character. She's not exactly an investigative journalist but she plays that role well in this book. Her interviews feel so real and genuinely interesting but then you had VERY OBVIOUS moments where you could not understand how she did not put 2 and 2 together. I'm specifically talking about the Snowdon story told to the team...I mean come on, how can you not tell that Grumpy Grandpa isnt just mad about your own hubris?
All in all I had such a fun time. Hope to read more from McCulloch soon!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I enjoyed reading the book, it was predictable and that’s not what you want in a thriller. I enjoyed the setting but knowing exactly where it was going to end up took the thrill out of it.
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought I was a thriller girlie but if I predict another thriller, I will lose it.
BREATHLESS by AMY MCCULLOCH is an adult thriller following Cecily Wong, a journalist that has to "come to Manaslu, the eighth-highest peak mountain peak in the world," to interview a famous mountaineer, Charles. Of all the journalists in the world, Charles has chosen her and will only give her the interview if she completes the summit. If they complete this summit, he will be known to be the first man (or beating the current record) to climb all fourteen (8,000 meters) mountains without any supplementary oxygen or using fixed ropes. Even though this may sound like an exciting and inspirational feat, "Cecily has given up everything to get to this interview and career-making opportunity to get her life back on track." But once she begins the climb, Cecily starts to realize that there are more dangers on the mountain than just the climb itself... this time there might be a murderer on the mountain. Cecily is one of the first to catch onto when climbers start to disappear one by one. But by the time the realization begins to settle in, "it is too late to turn back."
(Some parts of this summary are in quotations because they are taken from the book's official description.)
It took me over two weeks to finish reading this book because a) I was busy and b) there was not a lot of thrill that was holding my attention. I wanted to feel goosebumps and be shivering in my boots as if I were in the cold and terrified for my life like Cecily. Like many thrillers that I have read recently, I had guessed multiple aspects of the story correct and was underwhelmed when they were revealed. Thriller authors tend to slip in little bits of information (clues) to what is revealed later in the book. McCulloch did that in Breathless but it may have been too obvious to the readers. Other than that. I enjoyed the book. Climbing mountains is clearly a passion that McCulloch is interested in. The most I know about it is through movies like Everest, Vertical Limit, 127 Hours, and now this book. (I will admit, I did have to do some research while reading when I didn't understand some of the terms.) I enjoyed the book and would be interested in picking up another book with a mountain climbing setting.
All I have to say about the ending is this: I FREAKING KNEW IT AND THE SHERPAS BETTER WHOOP HIS ASS!!!
BREATHLESS by AMY MCCULLOCH is an adult thriller following Cecily Wong, a journalist that has to "come to Manaslu, the eighth-highest peak mountain peak in the world," to interview a famous mountaineer, Charles. Of all the journalists in the world, Charles has chosen her and will only give her the interview if she completes the summit. If they complete this summit, he will be known to be the first man (or beating the current record) to climb all fourteen (8,000 meters) mountains without any supplementary oxygen or using fixed ropes. Even though this may sound like an exciting and inspirational feat, "Cecily has given up everything to get to this interview and career-making opportunity to get her life back on track." But once she begins the climb, Cecily starts to realize that there are more dangers on the mountain than just the climb itself... this time there might be a murderer on the mountain. Cecily is one of the first to catch onto when climbers start to disappear one by one. But by the time the realization begins to settle in, "it is too late to turn back."
(Some parts of this summary are in quotations because they are taken from the book's official description.)
It took me over two weeks to finish reading this book because a) I was busy and b) there was not a lot of thrill that was holding my attention. I wanted to feel goosebumps and be shivering in my boots as if I were in the cold and terrified for my life like Cecily. Like many thrillers that I have read recently, I had guessed multiple aspects of the story correct and was underwhelmed when they were revealed. Thriller authors tend to slip in little bits of information (clues) to what is revealed later in the book. McCulloch did that in Breathless but it may have been too obvious to the readers. Other than that. I enjoyed the book. Climbing mountains is clearly a passion that McCulloch is interested in. The most I know about it is through movies like Everest, Vertical Limit, 127 Hours, and now this book. (I will admit, I did have to do some research while reading when I didn't understand some of the terms.) I enjoyed the book and would be interested in picking up another book with a mountain climbing setting.
All I have to say about the ending is this: I FREAKING KNEW IT AND THE SHERPAS BETTER WHOOP HIS ASS!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, Vomit, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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
I thought this book had so much potential but was very disappointed .. I thought it would be more of a heart pumping read , atmospheric , but I didn’t really care about the characters, the setting, the plot was sooo slowwww…. none of it. It was an Ok read but nothing spectacular.
I do feel the author was very descriptive about climbing so that was nicely woven into the book.
I do feel the author was very descriptive about climbing so that was nicely woven into the book.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes