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3.08 AVERAGE
3.08 AVERAGE
Isabel Allende is my favorite author of all time, so I was excited to read this genre from her. That being said, the end disappointed me. I think it was fun, and it was written better than some of the other mysteries I've read, but I feel in my heart of hearts that this is not Allende's best work.
I love the way the author created authentic characters, not caricatures. The 17 year old, Amanda, was brilliant, but behaved in very immature teenage ways. Everyone was complex and interesting and wove in and out of the story. Some minor inconsistencies but ultimately a fun and gripping journey that left me wanting a bit more conclusion in the epilogue. I loved it, Perfect for reading on vacation!
Not your traditional Allende, I wasn't sure about this at first but it quickly won me over. A thriller / murder mystery, I think Allende took on that genre very successfully, putting her own spin on it and creating a fresh, engaging read.
This isn't a timeless work of high art, and it's very closely tied to current events and themes, but, taking it for what it is, it exceeded my expectations. The characters are engaging and unique, easy to sympathize with and like, and Allende's writing is beautiful as always.
This isn't a timeless work of high art, and it's very closely tied to current events and themes, but, taking it for what it is, it exceeded my expectations. The characters are engaging and unique, easy to sympathize with and like, and Allende's writing is beautiful as always.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First, I love Allende, in large part because I love magical realism. However, I also enjoy a good thriller/mystery as well, so I was excited about this. And I liked it, quite a lot -- until the very end. I liked it so much that it was hard to give it three stars, but...well, the end. I didn't like it at all. It felt like a cop out.
If you don't want spoilers, stop reading now.
In the end, the killer turns out to be not one, not two, but THREE people in one. I could buy the story that the killer was a man who dressed as a woman and befriended the MC -- who was a healing arts practitioner. She did massages, among other things. I could not buy that the MC knew both the male and female versions of the killer and didn't recognize that they were the same person.
Even more annoying was that when you get to the end of the story, the killer does some narration, but they (singular "they" right there!) mention the male version of themselves as if he were someone else. I don't know if this meets the technical definition of "red herring" but it felt manipulative when, in the last few pages, the big twist is revealed.
Still, all but the last 10-20% of the story was GREAT. I liked the characters, I liked the steady but calm building of the tension, and I liked the lyrical quality of Allende's prose. If I could do it, I'd rate it at 3.75 stars.
I haven't read other reviews, but if you like mystery and/or Allende, you might like this one. But you also might be annoyed by the ending.
If you don't want spoilers, stop reading now.
In the end, the killer turns out to be not one, not two, but THREE people in one. I could buy the story that the killer was a man who dressed as a woman and befriended the MC -- who was a healing arts practitioner. She did massages, among other things. I could not buy that the MC knew both the male and female versions of the killer and didn't recognize that they were the same person.
Even more annoying was that when you get to the end of the story, the killer does some narration, but they (singular "they" right there!) mention the male version of themselves as if he were someone else. I don't know if this meets the technical definition of "red herring" but it felt manipulative when, in the last few pages, the big twist is revealed.
Still, all but the last 10-20% of the story was GREAT. I liked the characters, I liked the steady but calm building of the tension, and I liked the lyrical quality of Allende's prose. If I could do it, I'd rate it at 3.75 stars.
I haven't read other reviews, but if you like mystery and/or Allende, you might like this one. But you also might be annoyed by the ending.
Weak plot. I found myself skipping lots of pages and the so called "mystery" was dull. Im pretty sure that there are a lot of inconsistencies, but meh. I won't even bother with it
Wow. What a poor piece of writing. The characters were all perfect. The perfect beauty. The perfect ex-Seal. The perfectly doting grandfather. The main character's flaws included her poor-ness, which was sold as an effect of her perfect selflessness. Even the divorced couple had a perfectly friendly relationship. Everything was just so ... perfect. Making everyone so perfectly dull.
And the plot. Also not great. Several issues with it, but not worth going into spoilery detail.
And the plot. Also not great. Several issues with it, but not worth going into spoilery detail.
This novel wasNot for me, tried reading it cuz I loved Author’s Daughter of Fortune much more