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cdcsmith's review against another edition
1.0
I have this book on my "local flavor" bookshelf because it was set (at least in part) at Harvard. If this is Harvard, maybe I need to discount it being a world local to me.
It's a one star review for me. The writing was technically fine I guess. I didn't spot any glaring errors, but that could have been because this book was so utterly pointless with not a single relatable/likeable character. I hated all of that so much, it took a lot of my focus. There was also the part wondering what the Hell the librarian who thought this book was a great choice saw in it that I didn't.
I can live without a definitive answer on the murderer. The trouble I had grasping was how these people with little to almost no involvement with the victim, became so entwined with he victim. There can be only one reason I can see for that - because they all knew the murderer in that time of their lives. That is how I settled on who was the murderer was. There could be no other reason for the story. It didn't help me care though. In fact, there was a point when I thought I couldn't care less but I found out I actually could. By the time I was reaching the end, it was exceedingly difficult to keep reading. I only finished because I don't quit books.
Still, the writing itself was better than 50 Shades, so it isn't the worst book I've ever read.
It's a one star review for me. The writing was technically fine I guess. I didn't spot any glaring errors, but that could have been because this book was so utterly pointless with not a single relatable/likeable character. I hated all of that so much, it took a lot of my focus. There was also the part wondering what the Hell the librarian who thought this book was a great choice saw in it that I didn't.
I can live without a definitive answer on the murderer. The trouble I had grasping was how these people with little to almost no involvement with the victim, became so entwined with he victim. There can be only one reason I can see for that - because they all knew the murderer in that time of their lives. That is how I settled on who was the murderer was. There could be no other reason for the story. It didn't help me care though. In fact, there was a point when I thought I couldn't care less but I found out I actually could. By the time I was reaching the end, it was exceedingly difficult to keep reading. I only finished because I don't quit books.
Still, the writing itself was better than 50 Shades, so it isn't the worst book I've ever read.
thatreadhead's review
1.0
DNFed page 230/305. Went into this only knowing that it was a thriller. And knowing it was a not very good one. I definitely proved that it was shit, and it was in no factor a thriller. Half the time I didnt even care what I was reading, and skimmed it. Decided to dnf it this morning, even though it was part of an experiment I'm doing with my friend Ash of reading 3 bad thrillers, 3 average thrillers and 3 good thrillers. We are both relatively new to thrillers, so we are seeing if we agree with the average ratings. This was the best of 3 bad thrillers, so I am not looking forward to the other 2 worse ones.. this had an average rating of 2.72.
museoffire's review
2.0
Three extraordinarily pretentious kids go to Harvard and do pretentious things like wear bow ties and peasant blouses and have tragic love affairs with impotent men. Then they all in one way or another develop a relationship with the most pretentious person of them all who is so absolutely horrible it defies any kind of earth logic that anyone would even converse with him let alone fall passionately in love/become a disciple of the guy depending on the character. Then there's a murder. But that doesn't really have anything to do with anything despite what the book jacket and basic story telling rules would imply. To put the cherry on the top of this vainglorius sundae the entire novel simply tapers off on the last page with no resolution to any of the story lines. I am so, so glad I wasted two days reading this!!!!
marc's review
3.0
The lives of three Harvard students and a visiting professor become intertwined for years following the murder of Julia Patel, a beloved classmate with loose ties to all of them.
The characters were intricately developed, and each interesting as individuals and in relationship to each other. Charlie, the ambitious young man desperately attempting to reinvent himself to escape his father's anger and condescension; Georgia, the pretty, free-wheeling daughter of a renowned photographer; Alice, the crazy and dependent journalist; and Rufus Storrow, a dapper and worldly attorney, who is serving as a house master and visiting professor. All of their lives are affected by the inexplicable murder of Julia Patel on the Harvard campus during the students' senior year.
Although I thought the writing was outstanding, I felt the story ended abruptly without answering some questions or completing the themes of the book. It drew me in, but I never found my way back out.
Thanks to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for this ARC.
The characters were intricately developed, and each interesting as individuals and in relationship to each other. Charlie, the ambitious young man desperately attempting to reinvent himself to escape his father's anger and condescension; Georgia, the pretty, free-wheeling daughter of a renowned photographer; Alice, the crazy and dependent journalist; and Rufus Storrow, a dapper and worldly attorney, who is serving as a house master and visiting professor. All of their lives are affected by the inexplicable murder of Julia Patel on the Harvard campus during the students' senior year.
Although I thought the writing was outstanding, I felt the story ended abruptly without answering some questions or completing the themes of the book. It drew me in, but I never found my way back out.
Thanks to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for this ARC.
penny_literaryhoarders's review
3.0
Bradstreet Gate is a title I've had on my shelf for ages. I requested it straight away from Netgalley after seeing the description - I'm a sucker for books set in academia. Then it was available in audio and Cassandra Campbell was the narrator. It's always a pleasure to listen to Cassandra Campbell narrate. But, I let that expire and weeks went by before I finally picked it up from the library to finish where I left off in the audio with it. I was interested enough to finish it.
Bradstreet Gate has, as stated in many reviews, and on the back cover, been likened to The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I have that book and have been wanting to read it forever, but I was able to go into Bradstreet Gate without any knowledge of The Secret History. The reviews have claimed it to be "no Secret History". On that, I cannot say anything, which perhaps is a good thing?
There is something that I cannot quite pin down here for how to describe my reading experience with Bradstreet Gate. This is more of a character study, and the characters are very well drawn, very different and interesting to read about. Perhaps with the exception of one however- this character of Storrow just doesn't quite seem to fit in the way I'm assuming the author may have intended? The story also doesn't really centre itself on the murder of one of Alice's, Georgia's and Charlie's classmates - Julie Patel. That murder and its link to Storrow as the possible murderer just doesn't click or come through with sharp focus. It's like it tries, but sputters out. In the end, there is no strong link to Storrow and Julie Patel, and it's a lame attempt at linking the taint of their thin relationship to Storrow throughout the book. It seems like a weak attempt to have Storrow feature in their adult lives is made, but it's not done in a clear and strong way, at all.
I did like following the characters along from their days at Harvard into adulthood, but it was an odd sort of story overall. The ending doesn't help much in tying up any loose ends either. It was okay, but there is just something I can't quite put my finger on about it overall.
Bradstreet Gate has, as stated in many reviews, and on the back cover, been likened to The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I have that book and have been wanting to read it forever, but I was able to go into Bradstreet Gate without any knowledge of The Secret History. The reviews have claimed it to be "no Secret History". On that, I cannot say anything, which perhaps is a good thing?
There is something that I cannot quite pin down here for how to describe my reading experience with Bradstreet Gate. This is more of a character study, and the characters are very well drawn, very different and interesting to read about. Perhaps with the exception of one however- this character of Storrow just doesn't quite seem to fit in the way I'm assuming the author may have intended? The story also doesn't really centre itself on the murder of one of Alice's, Georgia's and Charlie's classmates - Julie Patel. That murder and its link to Storrow as the possible murderer just doesn't click or come through with sharp focus. It's like it tries, but sputters out. In the end, there is no strong link to Storrow and Julie Patel, and it's a lame attempt at linking the taint of their thin relationship to Storrow throughout the book. It seems like a weak attempt to have Storrow feature in their adult lives is made, but it's not done in a clear and strong way, at all.
I did like following the characters along from their days at Harvard into adulthood, but it was an odd sort of story overall. The ending doesn't help much in tying up any loose ends either. It was okay, but there is just something I can't quite put my finger on about it overall.
artemishi's review
4.0
I received an ARC of Bradstreet Gate for review (hey, look at that! I'm reading something recently published, for once!).
Bradstreet Gate is the story of three people, transitioning into adulthood and dealing with disappointed expectations and the resonance of a tragedy that affects their life in unforeseen ways. There's a murder, but the focus of the tale is definitely more on the "coming into adulthood" fiction side than on the mystery.
Given that, I found it well-written and engaging, with fully realized characters who represented very realistic foibles. Charlie was my favorite, mostly because even though he's perpetually stuck, he's a generous and hopeful guy (whose morality slips now and then). Alice and Georgia I both loved and hated (for their blithe destruction of others and self, through impulsive selfishness and manipulation). But they all felt very real.
The author did an excellent job of playing the murder mystery close to her chest. There was much more devoted to the aftereffects, even a decade later, or the murder than any investigation into who committed it.
And that brings me to my own issue with the book: the ending.
Specifically, the complete and utter lack of resolution regarding the murder.
It was very realistic, in that there was no closure for anyone. But I felt like it would have really hit the sweet spot to confirm the identity of the killer, even just a little bit. Or the motive. Or something.
I was left wanting more in that vein, even though I was satisfied with the ending of the main characters (which was also very open-ended, but on a healing note).
If you read Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and threw the book across the room after the last page, this book may frustrate you. Otherwise, I recommend it for fans of fiction that explore the reality of grief, metaphorically groping your way into adulthood, and the lives of damaged but relatable people. Also those who like contemporary, realistic portrayals of people, character-driven stories and being kept guessing about the true nature of secondary characters.
Bradstreet Gate is the story of three people, transitioning into adulthood and dealing with disappointed expectations and the resonance of a tragedy that affects their life in unforeseen ways. There's a murder, but the focus of the tale is definitely more on the "coming into adulthood" fiction side than on the mystery.
Given that, I found it well-written and engaging, with fully realized characters who represented very realistic foibles. Charlie was my favorite, mostly because even though he's perpetually stuck, he's a generous and hopeful guy (whose morality slips now and then). Alice and Georgia I both loved and hated (for their blithe destruction of others and self, through impulsive selfishness and manipulation). But they all felt very real.
The author did an excellent job of playing the murder mystery close to her chest. There was much more devoted to the aftereffects, even a decade later, or the murder than any investigation into who committed it.
And that brings me to my own issue with the book: the ending.
Specifically, the complete and utter lack of resolution regarding the murder.
It was very realistic, in that there was no closure for anyone. But I felt like it would have really hit the sweet spot to confirm the identity of the killer, even just a little bit. Or the motive. Or something.
I was left wanting more in that vein, even though I was satisfied with the ending of the main characters (which was also very open-ended, but on a healing note).
If you read Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and threw the book across the room after the last page, this book may frustrate you. Otherwise, I recommend it for fans of fiction that explore the reality of grief, metaphorically groping your way into adulthood, and the lives of damaged but relatable people. Also those who like contemporary, realistic portrayals of people, character-driven stories and being kept guessing about the true nature of secondary characters.
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