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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
This book pulled me in quickly and was a good brief read. I enjoyed the mystery as it unfolded. Wasn't overly easy to predict either.
Six Years by Harlan Coben is a mystery within a mystery. Jake and Natalie fall in love while on separate retreats in Vermont. It feels like forever love for both until Natalie abruptly marries Todd, apparently a former lover. That was six years ago and Jake has not gotten over the love of his life. He is now a college professor and resigned to never seeing Natalie again until he sees Todd’s obituary. He attends the funeral and is shocked to see that the deceased’s wife is not Natalie. And off we go into a rabbit hole that will keep the reader immersed in this unpredictable mystery till the end. Nothing is as it seems and it is impossible to guess where Six Years is going. I have always enjoyed reading books by Harlan Coben and plan to read more of his very original mysteries. Highly recommended.
"I thought that I had stopped carrying a torch for her. She had crushed me, but I had picked up the pieces, put myself back together, and moved on with my life."
This is what Professor Jake Fisher thought until six years later when he read the obituary in the paper of his former girlfriend's dead husband. This was the woman that had abruptly had broken up with him and just as fast gotten married. Never the less, this was the person he still thought of every day and he decided that he was going to go to the funeral to pay his condolences no matter the consequences. At the funeral he is surprised to see that she is not there and that she was not the wife of the man he saw her marry. With his interest peaked, he attempts to find Natalie and now is ignoring the promise she made him make to her six years before, "Promise me you will not follow us or call or even email." This is a very good, fast moving book.
This is what Professor Jake Fisher thought until six years later when he read the obituary in the paper of his former girlfriend's dead husband. This was the woman that had abruptly had broken up with him and just as fast gotten married. Never the less, this was the person he still thought of every day and he decided that he was going to go to the funeral to pay his condolences no matter the consequences. At the funeral he is surprised to see that she is not there and that she was not the wife of the man he saw her marry. With his interest peaked, he attempts to find Natalie and now is ignoring the promise she made him make to her six years before, "Promise me you will not follow us or call or even email." This is a very good, fast moving book.
Die Geschichte an sich war nicht schlecht geschrieben und die Verzwickungen/Wendungen auch nicht uninspiriert, aber leider kann ich die Motivation der Hauptfigur überhaupt nicht nachvollziehen!
Nach 2-3 Monaten Sommerromanze und 6 Jahren Funkstille zum absoluten Stalker zu mutieren ist einfach nicht schlüssig!
Ich habe das Buch auch nur zu Ende gelesen, weil ich gehofft habe, dass Nathalie ihm am Schluss erklärt, dass sie sich in ihn (vor 6 Jahren!!!) verliebt hatte, weil er ein unschuldiger, netter Collegeprofessor war und dass sie ihn nun - nachdem er einen Menschen getötet, mehrere verletzt und ihre eigene Mutter bedroht hatte - nicht mehr wiedererkennt und sie sowieso seit 4 Jahren mit einem Kunstlehrer verheiratet sei und sie nicht versteht, was er noch von ihr will, obwohl sie ihn mehrfach gebeten hatte, sie in Ruhe zu lassen.
Das hätte ich gefeiert!
Nach 2-3 Monaten Sommerromanze und 6 Jahren Funkstille zum absoluten Stalker zu mutieren ist einfach nicht schlüssig!
Ich habe das Buch auch nur zu Ende gelesen, weil ich gehofft habe, dass Nathalie ihm am Schluss erklärt, dass sie sich in ihn (vor 6 Jahren!!!) verliebt hatte, weil er ein unschuldiger, netter Collegeprofessor war und dass sie ihn nun - nachdem er einen Menschen getötet, mehrere verletzt und ihre eigene Mutter bedroht hatte - nicht mehr wiedererkennt und sie sowieso seit 4 Jahren mit einem Kunstlehrer verheiratet sei und sie nicht versteht, was er noch von ihr will, obwohl sie ihn mehrfach gebeten hatte, sie in Ruhe zu lassen.
Das hätte ich gefeiert!
Read from 02/12/2017 to 04/12/2017 as part of my Man vs Bookshelf challenge
The back jacket of my version of Six Years describes it as a romance/ murder mystery mix. This is pretty close to the mark.
Six Years is the story of a man who fell in love with a girl faster than I finish a Dominos pizza, only for her to marry someone else.
Upon attending the wedding, she makes him promise to leave her alone, he agrees, and we jump to six years later.
Our professor main character, Jake, is a man of his word and has left Natalie alone.
Until, that is, he sees her husband's obituary on his university website.
Drawn by a weird morbid curiosity and love he has never let go of, he attends the funeral. Half hoping to see Natalie.
But, when he arrives and sees husband Todd's wife, he is shocked to find it's not Natalie.
Worse, no one seems to have heard of Natalie, and there is no record of the wedding taking place.
Cue our lovesick hero going to great lengths to discover what happened to Natalie, and where she is now.
Along the way, people from all corners try to kill him as he begins to unravel the mystery. But he never gives up, determined that, whatever happens, he will find the truth about Natalie.
The Detective
This is not a PI but a man who has thrown into a mystery by circumstance - sketchy circumstance in this case.
He eschews most detective traits by having no discernible flaws.
He’s a professor at a university but has no interest in sleeping with his students (no, I don’t see why else you’d become one, either). He never betrays his friends. He’s not an alcoholic. He’s unwaveringly good-hearted and determined to do the right thing and he only ever kills in self-defence.
His only weakness, I suppose, is love. The fact he has fallen head over heels for someone he only knew a couple of months. Not to mention he hasn't stopped thinking about her for six years after she married someone else.
These are the actions of a maniac.
His need to find out what happened to her and rationalise his ridiculous love ends up putting people in danger, but he never backs out.
Still, I liked him.
He’s clever, and tenacious without seeming like a superhero far removed from us normal folk.
He’s one of us. Just with less cynicism, an ability to love over many years and no desire to sleep with his students.
In the end, I would rate him well worth following throughout the book.
The Mystery
This is a classic Harlen mystery.
It moves at breakneck pace. There are twists and turns aplenty. And you never really know what is going on until you are finally told.
It also involves plenty of shooting and action, making it as much an adventure story as a mystery.
It draws you in, without doubt, and the exciting nature of it makes you forgive some of the sillier aspects.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll be careful in what I say, but I suppose the reason Natalie is missing turns out to be a little silly to me.
That’s not to say it doesn’t work. Cohen brings together numerous plot points brilliantly in revealing the truth. But a lot of it seems quite convenient, and quite unrealistic, within the context.
Still, the ending works, and in a story as exciting and fast-paced as this, we let Coben get away with a little heightened, unrealistic reveal, in a way we might not always.
So the mystery was good, more than a match for the detective.
Harlenisms
Obviously, all writers have a style, and as much as anything else, this is written like a Harlen Coben book. In his voice, using his pace, etc. etc.
But more than that, there are some real Coben devices here that are often reused throughout his books.
Firstly the setup.
All stories like this start with someone who has their world shattered by something innocuous.
But beyond this, Coben’s characters tend to be middle class, well educated and, more often than not, tall. They can usually fight and, as discussed below, have a higher than normal propensity for love.
Secondly, romance.
Harlem Coben is a real love freak.
Myron Bolitar is completely in love with Jessica, even though she broke his heart. He has unrealistic expectations about a romantic relationship. Perhaps because his parents are together and happy (although so are mine and I'm still cynical)
Harlan’s one-off characters tend to be as lovesick and Jake is no exception.
His complete and unwavering love for Natalie drives him. Remember, this is a girl he dated for a couple of months. Who then dumped him with a note saying she was marrying an old flame - leaving him a wedding invite at the same time.
Yet, for some reason, he never stops thinking about her - even after six years - and when her husband dies, he goes straight out looking for her.
That’s not normal love.
That is Harlen Coben, unconditional, unrealistic, unsustainable love.
And, finally, humour.
This is last but certainly not least.
The reason I fell in love with Coben books was because of the sarcastic, laugh out loud humour of Myron Bolitar.
The way his fear in the face of death would reveal itself in inappropriate jokes at the worst time. I loved that.
Coben’s characters all have a certain degree of this, and Jake is no different. He, and his best friend, often crack off jokes that are worth a laugh or two, even when it isn’t appropriate (for them).
It’s this humour, as well as the fast-paced mysteries, that make me want to pick up a Harlen Coben book and, as usual, it did not disappoint here.
Sum Up
A breakneck plot, a clever mystery, plenty of twists and turns, a funny main character, an easy read.
All these factors contribute to making a solid 4/5 book on Goodreads.
Another great read from Harlen Coben.
The back jacket of my version of Six Years describes it as a romance/ murder mystery mix. This is pretty close to the mark.
Six Years is the story of a man who fell in love with a girl faster than I finish a Dominos pizza, only for her to marry someone else.
Upon attending the wedding, she makes him promise to leave her alone, he agrees, and we jump to six years later.
Our professor main character, Jake, is a man of his word and has left Natalie alone.
Until, that is, he sees her husband's obituary on his university website.
Drawn by a weird morbid curiosity and love he has never let go of, he attends the funeral. Half hoping to see Natalie.
But, when he arrives and sees husband Todd's wife, he is shocked to find it's not Natalie.
Worse, no one seems to have heard of Natalie, and there is no record of the wedding taking place.
Cue our lovesick hero going to great lengths to discover what happened to Natalie, and where she is now.
Along the way, people from all corners try to kill him as he begins to unravel the mystery. But he never gives up, determined that, whatever happens, he will find the truth about Natalie.
The Detective
This is not a PI but a man who has thrown into a mystery by circumstance - sketchy circumstance in this case.
He eschews most detective traits by having no discernible flaws.
He’s a professor at a university but has no interest in sleeping with his students (no, I don’t see why else you’d become one, either). He never betrays his friends. He’s not an alcoholic. He’s unwaveringly good-hearted and determined to do the right thing and he only ever kills in self-defence.
His only weakness, I suppose, is love. The fact he has fallen head over heels for someone he only knew a couple of months. Not to mention he hasn't stopped thinking about her for six years after she married someone else.
These are the actions of a maniac.
His need to find out what happened to her and rationalise his ridiculous love ends up putting people in danger, but he never backs out.
Still, I liked him.
He’s clever, and tenacious without seeming like a superhero far removed from us normal folk.
He’s one of us. Just with less cynicism, an ability to love over many years and no desire to sleep with his students.
In the end, I would rate him well worth following throughout the book.
The Mystery
This is a classic Harlen mystery.
It moves at breakneck pace. There are twists and turns aplenty. And you never really know what is going on until you are finally told.
It also involves plenty of shooting and action, making it as much an adventure story as a mystery.
It draws you in, without doubt, and the exciting nature of it makes you forgive some of the sillier aspects.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll be careful in what I say, but I suppose the reason Natalie is missing turns out to be a little silly to me.
That’s not to say it doesn’t work. Cohen brings together numerous plot points brilliantly in revealing the truth. But a lot of it seems quite convenient, and quite unrealistic, within the context.
Still, the ending works, and in a story as exciting and fast-paced as this, we let Coben get away with a little heightened, unrealistic reveal, in a way we might not always.
So the mystery was good, more than a match for the detective.
Harlenisms
Obviously, all writers have a style, and as much as anything else, this is written like a Harlen Coben book. In his voice, using his pace, etc. etc.
But more than that, there are some real Coben devices here that are often reused throughout his books.
Firstly the setup.
All stories like this start with someone who has their world shattered by something innocuous.
But beyond this, Coben’s characters tend to be middle class, well educated and, more often than not, tall. They can usually fight and, as discussed below, have a higher than normal propensity for love.
Secondly, romance.
Harlem Coben is a real love freak.
Myron Bolitar is completely in love with Jessica, even though she broke his heart. He has unrealistic expectations about a romantic relationship. Perhaps because his parents are together and happy (although so are mine and I'm still cynical)
Harlan’s one-off characters tend to be as lovesick and Jake is no exception.
His complete and unwavering love for Natalie drives him. Remember, this is a girl he dated for a couple of months. Who then dumped him with a note saying she was marrying an old flame - leaving him a wedding invite at the same time.
Yet, for some reason, he never stops thinking about her - even after six years - and when her husband dies, he goes straight out looking for her.
That’s not normal love.
That is Harlen Coben, unconditional, unrealistic, unsustainable love.
And, finally, humour.
This is last but certainly not least.
The reason I fell in love with Coben books was because of the sarcastic, laugh out loud humour of Myron Bolitar.
The way his fear in the face of death would reveal itself in inappropriate jokes at the worst time. I loved that.
Coben’s characters all have a certain degree of this, and Jake is no different. He, and his best friend, often crack off jokes that are worth a laugh or two, even when it isn’t appropriate (for them).
It’s this humour, as well as the fast-paced mysteries, that make me want to pick up a Harlen Coben book and, as usual, it did not disappoint here.
Sum Up
A breakneck plot, a clever mystery, plenty of twists and turns, a funny main character, an easy read.
All these factors contribute to making a solid 4/5 book on Goodreads.
Another great read from Harlen Coben.
I picked this book up after seeing it on the best seller list at Barnes & Noble and being intrigued by the summary.
Much to my disappointment, this book was terribly written. At first I thought maybe it was intentional, to make the main character seem a little crazy. By the end, I realized the author was simply a terrible writer. He had a great idea for a story that was poorly carried out, poorly written, and full of poorly developed characters.
Moreover, his book was poorly researched. It's clear he had no idea about the realm of academia at all. He also used certain phrases totally incorrectly - such as "sucker punch". I actually cringe at how terrible this book was, overall.
Much to my disappointment, this book was terribly written. At first I thought maybe it was intentional, to make the main character seem a little crazy. By the end, I realized the author was simply a terrible writer. He had a great idea for a story that was poorly carried out, poorly written, and full of poorly developed characters.
Moreover, his book was poorly researched. It's clear he had no idea about the realm of academia at all. He also used certain phrases totally incorrectly - such as "sucker punch". I actually cringe at how terrible this book was, overall.
I just love the way Haran Coben writes... he's funny - and it shows in his characters! Myron Bolitar was NOT in this one, but I loved this new guy Jake.