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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Total mixed feelings about this book. It's a page-turner for sure and reads like an action movie, an R-rated one at best.
I didn't ask for this book but received a free copy from the publisher because of other reviews I've done. I doubt I would have picked it up otherwise but I'm not sorry I read it. It's well-written and leaves lots of cliff-hangers with each chapter.
Not my usual fare for books, though, and I definitely can't recommend it if you are offended by or try to avoid R-rated content.
I didn't ask for this book but received a free copy from the publisher because of other reviews I've done. I doubt I would have picked it up otherwise but I'm not sorry I read it. It's well-written and leaves lots of cliff-hangers with each chapter.
Not my usual fare for books, though, and I definitely can't recommend it if you are offended by or try to avoid R-rated content.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this book. It drew me in right away but it was almost a dnf. The manuscript plotline was exciting at first, but the number of characters and narration style left little to be desired after a while. I guess I felt as if Pavone did not trust me as a reader and gave too much away too quickly (and through far too many character perspectives). While I do think he's a great character writer, there were too many characters given time/importance in this book.
I think I enjoyed his writing style on the whole so will give The Expats a read. He's very descriptive (sometimes too repetitive because of this) and I liked his abrupt transitions.
I think I enjoyed his writing style on the whole so will give The Expats a read. He's very descriptive (sometimes too repetitive because of this) and I liked his abrupt transitions.
The Accident is Chris Pavone's second book after The Expats. Where The Expats is European and chic, The Accident is very New York and gritty. The setting is the book world (how can you hate that?) and it all takes place in one day.
When Isabel Reed, our intrepid heroine (and book editor) finishes the manuscript of an explosive new book, THE ACCIDENT, she can't know that her life is about to change dramatically over 24 hours that will be spent on the run, manuscript in hand, pursued by lots of shady characters with lots of shady motives - all of them dangerous. I liked Isabel a lot and the feeling of risk and suspense is high with her - lots of tension, lots of questions, lots of surprises. The manuscript is the unauthorized biography of a media mogul with plenty of secrets to hide and, like most things in the book world, it is almost instantly disseminated to various players (despite Isabel's best efforts to keep it under wraps). The people who are after this book are motivated and smart and employed by the government's secret agencies - they will stop at nothing to see this manuscript quashed.
The suspense and tension in this book are non-stop. I could not put it down, read it way too fast, and was sorry it was over. Mr. Pavone writes great espionage fiction of the literary variety - can't wait for his next book!
When Isabel Reed, our intrepid heroine (and book editor) finishes the manuscript of an explosive new book, THE ACCIDENT, she can't know that her life is about to change dramatically over 24 hours that will be spent on the run, manuscript in hand, pursued by lots of shady characters with lots of shady motives - all of them dangerous. I liked Isabel a lot and the feeling of risk and suspense is high with her - lots of tension, lots of questions, lots of surprises. The manuscript is the unauthorized biography of a media mogul with plenty of secrets to hide and, like most things in the book world, it is almost instantly disseminated to various players (despite Isabel's best efforts to keep it under wraps). The people who are after this book are motivated and smart and employed by the government's secret agencies - they will stop at nothing to see this manuscript quashed.
The suspense and tension in this book are non-stop. I could not put it down, read it way too fast, and was sorry it was over. Mr. Pavone writes great espionage fiction of the literary variety - can't wait for his next book!
** www.snazzybooks.com **
The Accident by Chris Pavone is a fast-paced thriller that kept me intrigued and entertained throughout.
The novel is told from various character’s perspectives and also jumps back and forward in time, which can be a little confusing as these sections don’t seem to be labelled with dates, but I feel this added another dimension to the story and helped flesh it out more. I really enjoyed reading about Isobel’s experiences as a normal person, from receiving the manuscript to trying to escape the people who seem determined to kill her, and she was a likeable and interesting character who I was ultimately rooting for, as well as the author himself! I also just generally enjoyed reading about the publishing industry, something I’m interested in anyway, and the whole idea of a novel with sensitive, explosive revelations in it being in the hands of a publisher, waiting to be unleashed on the world!
The novel was well written and never felt too rushed (although the ending seemed a little abrupt in my opinion, but I guess that was in keeping with the overall pace of the novel) and although it contained a lot of action, it wasn’t ALL action; the characters were well developed enough for me to be interested in their background and, ultimately, their fates.
I really liked how there were unexpected twists and links throughout the story (I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to give too much away) and left me feeling very glad I’d read this book and hoping to read more of Chris Pavone’s novels. Definitely recommended if you enjoy well-written thrillers.
The Accident by Chris Pavone is a fast-paced thriller that kept me intrigued and entertained throughout.
The novel is told from various character’s perspectives and also jumps back and forward in time, which can be a little confusing as these sections don’t seem to be labelled with dates, but I feel this added another dimension to the story and helped flesh it out more. I really enjoyed reading about Isobel’s experiences as a normal person, from receiving the manuscript to trying to escape the people who seem determined to kill her, and she was a likeable and interesting character who I was ultimately rooting for, as well as the author himself! I also just generally enjoyed reading about the publishing industry, something I’m interested in anyway, and the whole idea of a novel with sensitive, explosive revelations in it being in the hands of a publisher, waiting to be unleashed on the world!
The novel was well written and never felt too rushed (although the ending seemed a little abrupt in my opinion, but I guess that was in keeping with the overall pace of the novel) and although it contained a lot of action, it wasn’t ALL action; the characters were well developed enough for me to be interested in their background and, ultimately, their fates.
I really liked how there were unexpected twists and links throughout the story (I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to give too much away) and left me feeling very glad I’d read this book and hoping to read more of Chris Pavone’s novels. Definitely recommended if you enjoy well-written thrillers.
Oh, Chris Pavone...your writing is so frustrating! I really enjoyed the Expats, your debut, where you turned what could have been merely pulp into an entertaining, and dare I say, nuanced little thriller. It kept me completely entertained. The Accident, though, almost seems like the work of a different writer. I did read over 1/3 of it, but it still didn't compel me enough to finish it. Way too many characters (that were all paper-thin), coincidences/contrivances that just got to be ridiculous after awhile, and the fact that none of those characters were around long enough to even care about, all stacked up to make it very frustrating to continue reading. I also happened to find out that this novel ends with a cliffhanger and is To Be Continued. Really? If you make it through a novel like this, you at least deserve a proper ending. You're a good writer, as I said, I really enjoyed your first novel. I just wish that with this one, you would have relied a little less heavily on overdone techniques that could have been taken from a 90s-era Tom Clancy or John Grisham novel.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A lot of fun and a quick read, but felt like there were holes in the plot and things that didn't add up at the end or were inconsistent. Overall an enjoyable experience. Good beach read. 3.5 stars
I heard about this book on a podcast I listen to, and I really liked it! I won't say too much (I'm always wary of giving away too many details in a suspense/mystery type of book), but it was "page turner" (if you can refer to an audio read in that way)... always looked forward to coming back to it, and definitely going to check out what else Chris Pavone has written.
I liked the story well enough, but there were too many indistinguishable characters and not enough development of those characters. So someone wouldn't get mentioned for several chapters, and then the name would come back up again and I'd have to go back through the book to try to remember who the character was. I think I would have cared about the characters more if we as readers knew more about them.
A quick little page-turner. Thrillers aren't really my thing, but this one is well executed.