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This is definitely what I would call a "bro book." There is a lot of action and a ridiculous plot that moves quickly, but there is little to no character development so no one should really care what happens to anyone, which might be a good thing give the huge number of characters and the ultimate body count.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Narration was flat. The story- just skipped about and really- about 30 minutes of interesting... the rest.. not so much.
Surprisingly disappointed in this book. It felt more like a disjointed beginner attempt at writing. I have not read Harris’ other books, so I wasn’t comparing ‘Cari Mora’ to previous works. As I was reading the closing chapter, I thought that perhaps a publishing deadline was approaching which forced a quick ending.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I could give this 3.5 but definitely not a 4. I don't want to say I was disappointed... Thomas Harris delivers when it comes to diction, suspense and storytelling. I think what's lacking is the character development we are so familiar with in the Hannibal Lecter series. I suspected as much from the onset because it's only 300 pages.
It is my hope that this is an introductory novel to a new protagonist who we will be seeing again. I find it difficult to to compare Clarice Starling with Cari Mora, as I feel I've know the former for years and the latter is a new acquaintance. I look forward to learning more about Cari Mora's past and following her story forward.
While I wasn't blown away by this novel, I have faith that Harris is setting us up for something good. Give us 500 pages my man.
It is my hope that this is an introductory novel to a new protagonist who we will be seeing again. I find it difficult to to compare Clarice Starling with Cari Mora, as I feel I've know the former for years and the latter is a new acquaintance. I look forward to learning more about Cari Mora's past and following her story forward.
While I wasn't blown away by this novel, I have faith that Harris is setting us up for something good. Give us 500 pages my man.
I haven’t read any of his other books but this wasn’t great.
Too many different points of view (you literally get the point of view of an alligator at one point??) and it seems like we don’t get to spend enough time with the villain and Cari.
A good for her ending but it was painful to get there.
Too many different points of view (you literally get the point of view of an alligator at one point??) and it seems like we don’t get to spend enough time with the villain and Cari.
A good for her ending but it was painful to get there.
Okay. I don't usually leave reviews, but....
I totally agree with the individual who said that this felt like it was written by AI. Maybe Google Translate?
Examples
Page 1 (yes, it starts off like this)
Two men talking in the middle of the night. They are 1,040 miles apart. One side of each face is lit by a cell phone. They are two half-faces talking in the dark.
"I can get the house where you say it is. Tell me the rest, Jesús."
The reply is faint through a crackle of static. "You paid one-fourth of what you promised." Puff-puff. "Send me the rest of the money. Send it to me." Puff-puff.
"Jesús, if I find what I want with no more help from you, you will receive nothing from me never."
Page 13
A progression of lights on and off up through the house as Cari made her way through the mannequins, the crouching movie monster, the seventeen-foot Mother Alien from the Planet Zorn to reach her bedroom at the top of the stairs.
Page 17
Hans-Peter Schneider was in the hedge beside the big house at 1 a.m. There was a lot of moon, palm shadows black as blood lay on the moonlit ground. When wind moves the big fronds a shadow on the ground can look like the shadow of a man. Sometimes it is the shadow of a man.
Page 22
Felix stood at the bottom of the stairs, beneath a movie figure, the toothy space raptor from the Planet Zorn.
Felix did not look like he was drunk. He did not have a weapon in his hands. He had his hat on in the house.
Cari stopped four steps from the bottom. She did not feel his piggy eyes on her. Good, that.
"You call me before you come here in the night." She said.
Conclusion. I genuinely thought I was having a stroke and put this book down for my mental health.
I totally agree with the individual who said that this felt like it was written by AI. Maybe Google Translate?
Examples
Page 1 (yes, it starts off like this)
Two men talking in the middle of the night. They are 1,040 miles apart. One side of each face is lit by a cell phone. They are two half-faces talking in the dark.
"I can get the house where you say it is. Tell me the rest, Jesús."
The reply is faint through a crackle of static. "You paid one-fourth of what you promised." Puff-puff. "Send me the rest of the money. Send it to me." Puff-puff.
"Jesús, if I find what I want with no more help from you, you will receive nothing from me never."
Page 13
A progression of lights on and off up through the house as Cari made her way through the mannequins, the crouching movie monster, the seventeen-foot Mother Alien from the Planet Zorn to reach her bedroom at the top of the stairs.
Page 17
Hans-Peter Schneider was in the hedge beside the big house at 1 a.m. There was a lot of moon, palm shadows black as blood lay on the moonlit ground. When wind moves the big fronds a shadow on the ground can look like the shadow of a man. Sometimes it is the shadow of a man.
Page 22
Felix stood at the bottom of the stairs, beneath a movie figure, the toothy space raptor from the Planet Zorn.
Felix did not look like he was drunk. He did not have a weapon in his hands. He had his hat on in the house.
Cari stopped four steps from the bottom. She did not feel his piggy eyes on her. Good, that.
"You call me before you come here in the night." She said.
Conclusion. I genuinely thought I was having a stroke and put this book down for my mental health.
Interesting read, but Harris has his bar set sky-high with the Hannibal Lecter series, and Cari Mora doesn't quite measure up. I think the failure to explore the characters' motivations in more depth sank this one for me.