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3.08 AVERAGE
3.08 AVERAGE
DNF - I understand Allende is a character driven author but 1) don’t market this as a mystery if there’s no effective suspense and 2) maybe rely less on tired, gender normative stereotypes to shape the characters you insist on describing again and again in great detail.
I also can’t tell if things were getting lost in the translation but this is the line that did me in: “The young assistant saw Ayani the way one might an iguana — exotic, fascinating, dangerous.” Gotta make sure I protect myself from those apex predator iguanas in the future.
I also can’t tell if things were getting lost in the translation but this is the line that did me in: “The young assistant saw Ayani the way one might an iguana — exotic, fascinating, dangerous.” Gotta make sure I protect myself from those apex predator iguanas in the future.
"While her mom looks for the good in people, Amanda—like her father, the deputy chief of the San Francisco Police Department’s Homicide Unit—is fascinated by the dark side of humanity. Brilliant and introverted, the MIT-bound high school senior is a natural-born sleuth addicted to crime novels and Ripper, the online mystery game she plays with her beloved grandfather and friends around the world.
When a string of strange murders occurs across the city, Amanda plunges into her own investigation, discovering, before the police do, that the deaths may be connected. But the case becomes all too personal when Indiana suddenly vanishes. Could her mother’s disappearance be linked to the serial killer? Now, with her mother’s life on the line, the young detective must solve the most complex mystery she’s ever faced before it’s too late. "
Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors and I like thrillers and I have a morbid obsession with serial criminals, so I was intrigued when I saw that she wrote a crime thriller.
This book was not one of her better ones, but , to be fair, this is a departure from her usual type of novel. She originally set out to write a crime novel with her husband, but apparently they didn't work well as co-novelists, so she continued on her own.
I kind of figured out whodunit pretty early (but as there is a twist, I didn't completely figure it out...only halfway....you'll see what I mean if you do read it. I hate reading reviews with spoilers if I haven’t yet read the book, so I try not to give anything away in mine.). I liked that the teenager ended up being the one who saw the whole big picture more than the adults around her, including her law enforcer father. I enjoyed the relationship between grandfather and granddaughter. I was not enamored of the characters of Indiana or her wealthy boyfriend. She is so flighty and flakey, and he is a self-important peacock.
I'd give it another 1/2 star if we got those increments, as I did want to see how it ended.
When a string of strange murders occurs across the city, Amanda plunges into her own investigation, discovering, before the police do, that the deaths may be connected. But the case becomes all too personal when Indiana suddenly vanishes. Could her mother’s disappearance be linked to the serial killer? Now, with her mother’s life on the line, the young detective must solve the most complex mystery she’s ever faced before it’s too late. "
Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors and I like thrillers and I have a morbid obsession with serial criminals, so I was intrigued when I saw that she wrote a crime thriller.
This book was not one of her better ones, but , to be fair, this is a departure from her usual type of novel. She originally set out to write a crime novel with her husband, but apparently they didn't work well as co-novelists, so she continued on her own.
I kind of figured out whodunit pretty early (but as there is a twist, I didn't completely figure it out...only halfway....you'll see what I mean if you do read it. I hate reading reviews with spoilers if I haven’t yet read the book, so I try not to give anything away in mine.). I liked that the teenager ended up being the one who saw the whole big picture more than the adults around her, including her law enforcer father. I enjoyed the relationship between grandfather and granddaughter. I was not enamored of the characters of Indiana or her wealthy boyfriend. She is so flighty and flakey, and he is a self-important peacock.
I'd give it another 1/2 star if we got those increments, as I did want to see how it ended.
Definitely not a typical mystery-thriller novel until the very last part. Most of the work is made up of background information of the various characters, Allende giving them all distinct personalities and histories. It was interesting enough, but a little frustrating, as it felt that I was waiting for the plot to start. There wasn't a lot of action, until that very end part, but it wasn't a boring book.
The ending was more exciting, and the reveal of the killer was satisfying and well paced. Some of it was predictable, but it was a decent read.
The ending was more exciting, and the reveal of the killer was satisfying and well paced. Some of it was predictable, but it was a decent read.
I liked Maya's Notebook way better. I was disappointed - her writing is still beautiful, and her ability to write teenagers is still great, but the end of this book justhappenedallatonceandthenitwasfinished.
A superbly written thriller. I had to sacrifice a few nails towards the end. It was well worth it.
Abandonado.
Simplemente no me entran ni con calzador.
Información innecesaria, mucha conveniencia, nada realista.
Simplemente no me entran ni con calzador.
Información innecesaria, mucha conveniencia, nada realista.
Un tema que podría haber sido muy interesante a la basura. Lo siento, me niego a volver a leer nada mas de esta autora.
Sooo disappointing. Was this even Allende? I got bored. Expected much more from her.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated