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3.08 AVERAGE
3.08 AVERAGE
Ripper was my first experience with Isabel Allende, and, as I understand it, her first foray into crime fiction. I knew going in this would be a slower paced mystery/thriller type novel, and that is okay. I can appreciate a book that takes its time, one that spends a lot of time developing the characters, and setting up the story. Ripper opens with a rather heinous murder that is brought to the attention of a group of online role players, led by Amanda Martin, with her grandfather acting as her henchman who have decided to try their hand at solving real life crimes instead of their own make believe ones. It's an interesting premise to say the least.
The real story, however, lies with Indiana, Amanda, Martin, and Amanda's grandfather, with Indiana always at the center. It makes sense given she is targeted by the killer--something revealed to the reader up front. What the reader doesn't know is why or how. And so, Isabel Allende's novel, Ripper, unfolds.
The author spends much time describing Indiana's life and the people she encounters. Each of those people play an important role in events to come, and I have to say, I appreciated the depth the author went into with each character, including the more eccentric and mysterious ones. I especially liked how the author breathed life into her characters. I really came to care for Amanda and her mother, Indiana. Both were very different in terms of personality, but they are strong female leads, nonetheless. I also really liked Amanda's grandfather--even though I did have to wonder at times how easily led by Amanda he was.
Ryan, the former Navy SEAL and his dog, were such interesting characters, especially given Ryan's past and the obstacles he had to overcome after losing his leg in battle. The emotional turmoil he went through was palatable, especially given the psychological aspects of what he'd been through--and done. And the dog, a war hero in her own right. Atilla's own story was very moving. I loved that dog.
I wish the author had allowed the reader to spend more time with the Ripper group in general. They were an interesting group of kids, misfits really, each bringing their own knowledge and skills to the table.
At times I felt as if the author threw just about everything, including the kitchen sink, she could into this novel--and, somehow, it worked, mostly. Allende is clearly a gifted storyteller. Just about everything she includes in this novel has a purpose. And while some threads of the story were stronger than others, some more necessary than others, it made for an interesting and entertaining novel.
It took a while for the mystery to unravel, and very little happens over the first half of the novel in terms of the actual solving of the crime. I did wish the story hadn't meandered quite as much in the middle as it did. Nothing a tightening of the plot couldn't resolve. The biggest trouble I had with the book, at it was a big one for me, was near the end. Not the end itself, mind you, but the way the author revealed the who and why of the mystery. The suspense was intense and the edge of your seat kind. I did not mind the slow down as the point of view changed from the good guys to the bad. Writing devices like that only increase the suspense. What bothered me was the repetition. As the good guys uncovered major bits of the mystery, the view would shift to the killer, who would then go over the same information without much more insight than I, as the reader, had already been given. It happened again and again, enough the throw me out of the story. Still, the ending is, like I said, intense and quite a ride. It was a fitting ending to the novel overall.
And can I just add how much I loved the setting of the novel? San Francisco is one of my favorite cities. I am always happy to spend time there, in person or in a book.
There was much I liked about this book even as there were some aspects I had trouble with. I am curious about Allende's other books and hope to one day try something else by her. So many others love her writing. I want to too, but this wasn't a book that won be over.
The real story, however, lies with Indiana, Amanda, Martin, and Amanda's grandfather, with Indiana always at the center. It makes sense given she is targeted by the killer--something revealed to the reader up front. What the reader doesn't know is why or how. And so, Isabel Allende's novel, Ripper, unfolds.
The author spends much time describing Indiana's life and the people she encounters. Each of those people play an important role in events to come, and I have to say, I appreciated the depth the author went into with each character, including the more eccentric and mysterious ones. I especially liked how the author breathed life into her characters. I really came to care for Amanda and her mother, Indiana. Both were very different in terms of personality, but they are strong female leads, nonetheless. I also really liked Amanda's grandfather--even though I did have to wonder at times how easily led by Amanda he was.
Ryan, the former Navy SEAL and his dog, were such interesting characters, especially given Ryan's past and the obstacles he had to overcome after losing his leg in battle. The emotional turmoil he went through was palatable, especially given the psychological aspects of what he'd been through--and done. And the dog, a war hero in her own right. Atilla's own story was very moving. I loved that dog.
I wish the author had allowed the reader to spend more time with the Ripper group in general. They were an interesting group of kids, misfits really, each bringing their own knowledge and skills to the table.
At times I felt as if the author threw just about everything, including the kitchen sink, she could into this novel--and, somehow, it worked, mostly. Allende is clearly a gifted storyteller. Just about everything she includes in this novel has a purpose. And while some threads of the story were stronger than others, some more necessary than others, it made for an interesting and entertaining novel.
It took a while for the mystery to unravel, and very little happens over the first half of the novel in terms of the actual solving of the crime. I did wish the story hadn't meandered quite as much in the middle as it did. Nothing a tightening of the plot couldn't resolve. The biggest trouble I had with the book, at it was a big one for me, was near the end. Not the end itself, mind you, but the way the author revealed the who and why of the mystery. The suspense was intense and the edge of your seat kind. I did not mind the slow down as the point of view changed from the good guys to the bad. Writing devices like that only increase the suspense. What bothered me was the repetition. As the good guys uncovered major bits of the mystery, the view would shift to the killer, who would then go over the same information without much more insight than I, as the reader, had already been given. It happened again and again, enough the throw me out of the story. Still, the ending is, like I said, intense and quite a ride. It was a fitting ending to the novel overall.
And can I just add how much I loved the setting of the novel? San Francisco is one of my favorite cities. I am always happy to spend time there, in person or in a book.
There was much I liked about this book even as there were some aspects I had trouble with. I am curious about Allende's other books and hope to one day try something else by her. So many others love her writing. I want to too, but this wasn't a book that won be over.
I would have given this book 5 stars if it wasn't because I couldn't find myself feeling for the characters and the real action of the book started maybe 400 pages in lol it's a good book though, the end is really entertaining and the mystery itself of knowing who the killer is was really cool for me.
It definitely would be a book I would reread anytime soon.
It definitely would be a book I would reread anytime soon.
Not bad! But unfortunately I had an inkling of the murderer early on which takes some of the fun out of it. Allende is a great character builder though and the premise is original for a murder mystery so I did still enjoy it, and its very high intensity and a page turner.
So I enjoyed most of this crime novel EXCEPT for the final transphobic reveal which so, great job for that Allende :(
Now I want to read a novel featuring a transgender serial killer who kills because of their trans rage, which is totally validated by the narrative and who is so sympathetic (their cause so righteous) that the audience ineluctably cheers them on. Now THAT would be profoundly satisfying.
Spoiler
was basically like a redux of Silence of the Lambs?Now I want to read a novel featuring a transgender serial killer who kills because of their trans rage, which is totally validated by the narrative and who is so sympathetic (their cause so righteous) that the audience ineluctably cheers them on. Now THAT would be profoundly satisfying.
ni bueno, ni malo, pero si ayuda a matar el tiempo(hello post-huracán PR). Todo lo interesante pasa en las ultimas idk 15-30 páginas, el resto del tiempo es "llegara a lo bueno pronto, llegara a lo bueno pronto, ya leí hasta aquí de que vale parar ahora, ya viene lo bueno"....ok pero "lo bueno" si fue interesante, pero el build up no .....
The female characters all felt wooden and as though they existed to move the plot forward for the men. This book seems to have been written by a misogynistic man, and not by a woman - perhaps she was channeling the noir genre too strongly?
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
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:
No
La primera novela policial de Isabel Allende me decepcionó por que es el ya clásico realismo mágico de Allende, solo que con muertes y un asesino, pero la mezcla no le sale bien esta vez.
La novela es innecesariamente larga, la descripción de los personajes es tediosa, te describe la niñez hasta de la vendendora del mercado que no viene ni al caso en la historia. El suspenso se pierde entre tanta paja, pero creo que lo que la hace mala es el tufo a realismo mágico y a novela costumbrista que no encaja bien con la novela policiaca. Los giros de tuercas son muy absurdos, los personajes hablan todos igual: como salidos de El Plan Infinito o La Casa de los Espíritus y hay parrafos que saben a viejo, a anacrónico y a empolvado.
Un libro al que le sobran espíritus y le falta emoción.
La novela es innecesariamente larga, la descripción de los personajes es tediosa, te describe la niñez hasta de la vendendora del mercado que no viene ni al caso en la historia. El suspenso se pierde entre tanta paja, pero creo que lo que la hace mala es el tufo a realismo mágico y a novela costumbrista que no encaja bien con la novela policiaca. Los giros de tuercas son muy absurdos, los personajes hablan todos igual: como salidos de El Plan Infinito o La Casa de los Espíritus y hay parrafos que saben a viejo, a anacrónico y a empolvado.
Un libro al que le sobran espíritus y le falta emoción.