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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Where to start? I wanted a big stupid novel for my holiday and I certainly got it. The positives. Terry Hayes is a better writer than Dan Brown. The crime investigated at the beginning of the novel is intriguing but really has no bearing on the overall plot. Hayes could have dropped it and constructed a tighter story. Parts of the book are thrilling and move frantically. Hayes background in action films is clear. But... His dialogue is poor. Everyone, regardless of nationality, with the exception of a 'comical' Turkish hotel manager, speaks exactly the same.
The main character becomes increasingly irritating as the novel progresses. He, and perhaps Hayes (although British/Australian), seem to consider every non-American inferior. These stereotypes include Turks (corrupt and smelly like all Ottomans in history), Russians (MOST Russian business disputes are solved by murder), Japanese (whose torture techniques our hero emulates but of course "to the Japanese it was sport"; the implication being that Pilgrim is employed on the side of RIGHT), and all of Europe (lax immigration policies...). Without irony Pilgrim champions US torture and invasion of privacy but when employed by the Turks "for anyone who values privacy and freedom, it's a terrifying thing to behold."
The novel is narrated in the first person and Pilgrim obviously has a high opinion of himself, but so do other characters, even in scenes in which our narrator is not present. He imagines one character describe his as "a brilliant investigator, certainly the best she had ever known."
Some of the writing is clumsy, at one crucial point "the sun shifted slightly on its axis", not something you see every day.
I enjoyed parts of this but I'm glad it is over and I'm unlikely to pick up any sequels. Another quote from the book seems to sum it up - " 'lots of violence and killing but not much plot.' 'Sounds like a Hollywood movie,' I said."
The main character becomes increasingly irritating as the novel progresses. He, and perhaps Hayes (although British/Australian), seem to consider every non-American inferior. These stereotypes include Turks (corrupt and smelly like all Ottomans in history), Russians (MOST Russian business disputes are solved by murder), Japanese (whose torture techniques our hero emulates but of course "to the Japanese it was sport"; the implication being that Pilgrim is employed on the side of RIGHT), and all of Europe (lax immigration policies...). Without irony Pilgrim champions US torture and invasion of privacy but when employed by the Turks "for anyone who values privacy and freedom, it's a terrifying thing to behold."
The novel is narrated in the first person and Pilgrim obviously has a high opinion of himself, but so do other characters, even in scenes in which our narrator is not present. He imagines one character describe his as "a brilliant investigator, certainly the best she had ever known."
Some of the writing is clumsy, at one crucial point "the sun shifted slightly on its axis", not something you see every day.
I enjoyed parts of this but I'm glad it is over and I'm unlikely to pick up any sequels. Another quote from the book seems to sum it up - " 'lots of violence and killing but not much plot.' 'Sounds like a Hollywood movie,' I said."
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A really good read even though it was a bit sentimental and far fetched at times
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
I Am Pilgrim is a long book and the author is honest enough to admit this may not be to everyone's taste in a postscript. The first half especially feels slow and over written, with endless backstory scenes explained in detail. Fortunately patience pays off and once the plot is set in motion and the story strands come together, the 2nd half picks up the pace and speeds through to a thrilling climax. There are some nitpicks along the way - Pilgrim is the best spy of his generation, yet seems to make a lot of simple errors - and there does appear to be a tinge of xenophobia in the author's writing - every non-US Arab person and place seems to be defective or disparaged in some way. However, a decent thriller for all that.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated