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blschuldt's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
An awesome follow up, very moving and tense and so hard to put down.
evila_elf's review
I really wanted to like this, since I loved The Front Runner. But I just couldn't. This is the 'Long Awaited' sequel, written 20 years later. In the author's introduction at the start, the author says her editor was enthusiastic about a sequel to TFR, about what happened to Billy's son. She wasn't able to do it, so she wrote this one instead, as a bridge between the two books.
While The Front Runner seemed like it could have been happening right that minute, despite being set in the 70s, Harlan's Race feels like everything had already happened. I don't think the author could get back into the feel of the time back then and kept reaching, but never quite making it. I kept feeling like Harlan was telling me the story, rather than allowing me to live it with him.
Harlan whines constantly about missing Billy and...I don't remember much else. I read over 100 pages over the course of several weeks (note: I finished The Front Runner in less than a week), then I put the book down and haven't been back to it. I just don't care.
I had already purchased Billy's Boy, so will give that one a chance...sometime.
While The Front Runner seemed like it could have been happening right that minute, despite being set in the 70s, Harlan's Race feels like everything had already happened. I don't think the author could get back into the feel of the time back then and kept reaching, but never quite making it. I kept feeling like Harlan was telling me the story, rather than allowing me to live it with him.
Harlan whines constantly about missing Billy and...I don't remember much else. I read over 100 pages over the course of several weeks (note: I finished The Front Runner in less than a week), then I put the book down and haven't been back to it. I just don't care.
I had already purchased Billy's Boy, so will give that one a chance...sometime.
amysaura's review
2.0
This book is not nearly as good as the first book in the series. As other reviewers have said (and more eloquently) Harlan is a complete different person from the one we left at the end of The Front Runner. And the plot with the second shooter (and the reveal at the end) made Billy’s death seem less about Billy and his haters and more about Harlan and his past. That just made me angry. So for me, some parts of this book didn’t really happen. Wishfull ignoarance FTW.
Vince’s character development saved this book to be honest. I’m still going to read Billy’s Boy, though.
Vince’s character development saved this book to be honest. I’m still going to read Billy’s Boy, though.
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