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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
2.5 stars
The plot and the story are really bad, only some of the characters make this book good.
The plot and the story are really bad, only some of the characters make this book good.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After reading this book, I now understand why Harlan Coben is such a sought-after author, with most of his works receiving high ratings on Goodreads. This book kept me thoroughly engaged, constantly making me wonder what would happen next. The twists and turns were nothing short of mind-blowing, leaving me completely shaken by the end.
It’s undeniably a great book, but I deducted 1 star because I felt there was a bit too much going on at times. Some plot points felt slightly overwhelming, and I wished certain elements had been streamlined to maintain a more cohesive flow. Nevertheless, it’s a fantastic read that showcases why Coben is so highly regarded in the literary world.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my first book from this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The manipulation of social media sent chills down my spine. I hadn´t seen that laid out so clearly. I hope to see Wilde and Hester again. I will be exploring other works from this author.
The Boy from the Woods introduces us to Wilde, an apparent feral child who was found abandoned in the woods with no memory of his past, yet able to speak, read, and write, and break into houses to steal food and supplies. Now an adult and former soldier, Wilde is asked by elderly lawyer and TV personality Hester Crimstein to use his "special skills" to help track down a missing girl.
The plot is a little all over the place, the characters all have intertwined pasts where everyone seems to know everyone else, and those pasts in some cases are coming back to bite them on the ass.
The novel is split into three parts, the first part introduces the main cast and ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, which was great. However, the cliff hanger is then not redressed until the end of the much longer part two. This may have been a ploy to keep the reader engaged, but personally it just distracted me, causing me to wonder when they were going to get to the bit I already knew was coming, and then when it did come it had no shock value as it was expected. The twists in this book were somewhat underwhelming, not wholly predictable, but not a surprise when revealed.
There is also something a little try hard about the dialogue and narration, Coben wants to portray the characters as pithy and witty, but the attempt at wit often comes across as forced, making the dialogue feel stilted and unnatural.
My favourite aspect of this novel was the shady mirror Arlidge holds up to the modern state of American Politics. Through Rusty's character Arlidge lands a scathing attack on populist politics and one former TV personality turned politically devisive sociopath in particular.
All that being said I still plan on checking out the sequel.
The plot is a little all over the place, the characters all have intertwined pasts where everyone seems to know everyone else, and those pasts in some cases are coming back to bite them on the ass.
The novel is split into three parts, the first part introduces the main cast and ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, which was great. However, the cliff hanger is then not redressed until the end of the much longer part two. This may have been a ploy to keep the reader engaged, but personally it just distracted me, causing me to wonder when they were going to get to the bit I already knew was coming, and then when it did come it had no shock value as it was expected. The twists in this book were somewhat underwhelming, not wholly predictable, but not a surprise when revealed.
There is also something a little try hard about the dialogue and narration, Coben wants to portray the characters as pithy and witty, but the attempt at wit often comes across as forced, making the dialogue feel stilted and unnatural.
My favourite aspect of this novel was the shady mirror Arlidge holds up to the modern state of American Politics. Through Rusty's character Arlidge lands a scathing attack on populist politics and one former TV personality turned politically devisive sociopath in particular.
All that being said I still plan on checking out the sequel.
Audiobook.
Young adult category. Feels like the start of a new series. Intrigued to see where the origin of Wild’s story.
The mystery itself is pretty good. Slightly unsatisfying ending. The scariest part for me is the scene where the politician planned how to use social media to disrupt and distort his story.
Young adult category. Feels like the start of a new series. Intrigued to see where the origin of Wild’s story.
The mystery itself is pretty good. Slightly unsatisfying ending. The scariest part for me is the scene where the politician planned how to use social media to disrupt and distort his story.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated