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3.08 AVERAGE
3.08 AVERAGE
**Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.**
I have long wanted to read a novel by Isabel Allende but never got around to it until reading Ripper. Ripper was an interesting novel to start with because it is Mrs. Allende's first foray into crime fiction and appears to be a departure from her prior work. Ripper is a game played online by a group of teenagers led by Amanda with the assistance of her grandfather, Blake. After Amanda's godmother, a well-known astrologer, makes a prediction that there will be a bloodbath in the San Francisco area where Amanda and her family live, Amanda and the other Ripper players begin to investigate crimes in the Bay area, which ultimately affect those close to Amanda.
Not being a crime fiction fan I was somewhat skeptical about how I would like Ripper. I was very pleasantly surprised. The story Mrs. Allende tells in Ripper is engrossing and suspenseful to the point that I was unable to put it down once I was halfway through. She spends a significant amount of time describing even seemingly minor characters, which adds a richness to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about everyone involved in the story and cared about the characters.
The ending of Ripper was gripping and heart-wrenching, and Mrs. Allende did a wonderful job of humanizing the villain to such an extent that while what the person did was terrible, it is difficult not to sympathize with the person. She did a great job of drawing this reader in and toying with my emotions.
Overall, I thought this book was engaging, well-written, and populated by interesting, three-dimensional characters. I highly recommend this book.
I have long wanted to read a novel by Isabel Allende but never got around to it until reading Ripper. Ripper was an interesting novel to start with because it is Mrs. Allende's first foray into crime fiction and appears to be a departure from her prior work. Ripper is a game played online by a group of teenagers led by Amanda with the assistance of her grandfather, Blake. After Amanda's godmother, a well-known astrologer, makes a prediction that there will be a bloodbath in the San Francisco area where Amanda and her family live, Amanda and the other Ripper players begin to investigate crimes in the Bay area, which ultimately affect those close to Amanda.
Not being a crime fiction fan I was somewhat skeptical about how I would like Ripper. I was very pleasantly surprised. The story Mrs. Allende tells in Ripper is engrossing and suspenseful to the point that I was unable to put it down once I was halfway through. She spends a significant amount of time describing even seemingly minor characters, which adds a richness to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about everyone involved in the story and cared about the characters.
The ending of Ripper was gripping and heart-wrenching, and Mrs. Allende did a wonderful job of humanizing the villain to such an extent that while what the person did was terrible, it is difficult not to sympathize with the person. She did a great job of drawing this reader in and toying with my emotions.
Overall, I thought this book was engaging, well-written, and populated by interesting, three-dimensional characters. I highly recommend this book.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-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:
Yes
isabel allende writes romance and ancestral dramas laced with magical realism and you can definitely tell that crime isn’t her genre here. This was beautifully written, surprising, and compelling. That said, it had many hundreds of pages of romance and character lineage that is characteristic of allende without helping construct a crime novel.
I was surprised to read some of the bad reviews of this book because I really enjoyed it. In some ways it seemed like a departure for Allende, but I "felt" her while I was reading it. It had the elements of a tight family group in a small community working together within a pretty gruesome context: murders that are happening in San Francisco. There were some moments that I felt that the backstory for the characters was a little heavy for the thriller...but as the book continued it felt that the "family" was your family because you had gotten to know the characters so well. I still remember reading Allende's "The Infinite Plan," and how awed I was by her storytelling and soul.
I think it's a testament to Allende that she tried out and succeeded in another genre. I downloaded the audiobook from the library on Friday and then went to the library to get the hardcover (luckily it was there). I ended up listening to the last hour on my headphones because Edoardo Ballerini was such an amazing narrator. His performance added so much by using an appropriate accent and very distinctive voices for the main characters.
I think it's a testament to Allende that she tried out and succeeded in another genre. I downloaded the audiobook from the library on Friday and then went to the library to get the hardcover (luckily it was there). I ended up listening to the last hour on my headphones because Edoardo Ballerini was such an amazing narrator. His performance added so much by using an appropriate accent and very distinctive voices for the main characters.
Gave it the 100 pages test and could not get into it.
I read it in Spanish thinking the authors native language might be a sure shot, but no.
She spends too much time describing characters.
And "first name and surname" every time, seriously?
Nah not for me
I read it in Spanish thinking the authors native language might be a sure shot, but no.
She spends too much time describing characters.
And "first name and surname" every time, seriously?
Nah not for me
It's hard to believe this was written by Isabel Allende. It was sort of interesting, but really badly written.
Too many storylines that kept on confusing me. It couldn't keep my interest very well.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not your typical Isabel Allende book… I heard somewhere that this was her first attempt at the mystery genre, and that she may have done it as a sort of joke. I don’t know about all that— but if it’s true, it certainly underscores her capabilities as a writer. I admired her writing style and her research and knowledge of SF.
For me, the characters were not that believable, but it’s a novel, so you have to take things on faith and go along for the ride. Sometimes the characters were a little annoying even, too fantastically stereotypical, but maybe this was her joke part that. And at one point in the novel I feared that it would have a sappy ending, but luckily she pulled it off with a couple of deaths. Overall I enjoyed it.
For me, the characters were not that believable, but it’s a novel, so you have to take things on faith and go along for the ride. Sometimes the characters were a little annoying even, too fantastically stereotypical, but maybe this was her joke part that. And at one point in the novel I feared that it would have a sappy ending, but luckily she pulled it off with a couple of deaths. Overall I enjoyed it.
This book had too much going on; I just wanted to read about the murder/Ripper game. :( It just seemed to go on and on and on in parts that were not needed...I don't have time for that.
1.2 stars
1.2 stars
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes