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americajane's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
There were so many positives about 'The Butcher’s Boy’. The story-line was interesting with a hit-man being chased by the organization that had originally hired him to do the hit, and a young female working for the Department of Justice who was tracking down that organization. Not just that, but the story had good pace throughout. And yet, it never really did it for me. Neither of the main characters was ever given enough depth to make me root for them, and the were no ups and downs, no moments of tension, excitement and release. It just remained at the same level from beginning to end. I liked it, but not too much.
annap5519's review against another edition
5.0
What a grand surprise this was! I'm always leery of glowing reviews as I'm so often disappointed but this was an exception. What an excellent read.
usbsticky's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 as per my 7th grade math class. My first Thomas Perry book was Eddie's Boy, #4 in this series. I liked it a lot and decided to read #1. Unfortunately I didn't like #1 as much.
Spoiler's below:
Mainly I did not like the changing POV. There are basically 2 POVs: the one with Elizabeth Waring from the Dept of Justice and the one from the killer. I understand that this is the first book and the killer's POV isn't that well developed, I never really got into it. And I found the Waring POV boring and a bit too bogged down in words. Neither one was really well developed, maybe due to the short length of the book. As a result, both POVs feel like something is missing. And definitely the ending seems cut short. After reading what I just wrote, I decided to downgrade the rating to 3 stars. I'm going to read #2 now and hope it's better.
Spoiler's below:
Mainly I did not like the changing POV. There are basically 2 POVs: the one with Elizabeth Waring from the Dept of Justice and the one from the killer. I understand that this is the first book and the killer's POV isn't that well developed, I never really got into it. And I found the Waring POV boring and a bit too bogged down in words. Neither one was really well developed, maybe due to the short length of the book. As a result, both POVs feel like something is missing. And definitely the ending seems cut short. After reading what I just wrote, I decided to downgrade the rating to 3 stars. I'm going to read #2 now and hope it's better.
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ecari's review against another edition
3.0
Good, solid thriller. This was Perry's first, I'm told, and it's easy to understand why it received rave reviews at the time. His details for both the villain and the authorities as they plan and solve make for fascinating and quick reading.
malvord27's review against another edition
3.0
It's been years since I've read a thriller like this. I'm not even sure why I picked up this book, but it was a decent read. The author is slow to reveal some details, specifically that the mob plays a role in the story. I found the reluctance to reveal who on earth Elizabeth works for, why she's flying across the country, etc. to be a bit irritating. I didn't think it was a mystery which needed solved, so I don't understand the reluctance to reveal that.
But, the author does a good job of slowly revealing details about The Butcher's Boy. There's not a lot we need to know about him. He's a hired killer, takes jobs, and keeps quiet about it. So in that I appreciated the slow reveal.
This is not a mystery by any stretch of the imagination. There is some gratuitous references to sex and language that doesn't help move the story along much. But, the sex scene towards the end of the book is really well done. I had to read it a second time to figure out what details I missed. Note, I'm not saying it's a sexy/steamy scene, but that the author does a good job of using that scene to move forward the plot. Quite impressive.
I likely won't go back to thrillers, but I appreciated the break in my regular reading.
But, the author does a good job of slowly revealing details about The Butcher's Boy. There's not a lot we need to know about him. He's a hired killer, takes jobs, and keeps quiet about it. So in that I appreciated the slow reveal.
This is not a mystery by any stretch of the imagination. There is some gratuitous references to sex and language that doesn't help move the story along much. But, the sex scene towards the end of the book is really well done. I had to read it a second time to figure out what details I missed. Note, I'm not saying it's a sexy/steamy scene, but that the author does a good job of using that scene to move forward the plot. Quite impressive.
I likely won't go back to thrillers, but I appreciated the break in my regular reading.