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searchandrescueteam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
This carries all the great white male USA tropes: the USA is savingš¤£ the world from terrorismš¤£; terrorists could be your neighbours, or your children; women who are conventionally beautiful just blow your heart; one white, driven man can help destroy terrorist cells; sex on an island with "no emotional ties" is remembered forever; torture may have a place when many lives are at stake, etc
I finished it. I'm not sure why.
I finished it. I'm not sure why.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
ghiblireads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This was completely crazy, ridiculous and unrealistic but somehow I still managed to love it. I was really into it at first and the plot seemed pretty simple. It was intriguing and I was really looking forward to seeing where it went. But then it got strange. The terrorism storyline made me feel very confused and somewhere along the way I got completely lost. Luckily, the pace was fast and the chapters were short so it was very easy to keep reading. Even though I had little to no idea what was going on I still enjoyed it reading it: it was action packed, intense and definitely thrilling. Myron was his usual funny self and Win actually showed human emotions!! I love him. Hopefully the next book will have a more realistic plotline but I donāt really care because I know Iāll enjoy it anyway.
pallavi_sharma87's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 star
A bit hard to believe plot. I do not like people running around so much to solve a mystery and I hated it when people once where in US then in Paris, Angola? too distracting. But a decent story and fast paced.
Happy Reading!!
A bit hard to believe plot. I do not like people running around so much to solve a mystery and I hated it when people once where in US then in Paris, Angola? too distracting. But a decent story and fast paced.
Happy Reading!!
heatherg213's review against another edition
4.0
So I was supposed to be reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle for my book club this month, and I started it, I really did...but apparently work plus grad school plus youth group plus family equals limited cognitive effort left for meaningful literature. As a result, I'm only 100 pages or so into poor Edgar's story...but, I was able to fly through the latest book by one of my favorite mystery/suspense writers, Harlen Coben.
If you are a mystery lover and you have not yet read Coben you should consider yourself scolded. His Myron Bolitar books, such as his latest, Long Lost, are fun, action-packed stories filled with the most eccentric group of recurring characters in the genre. The main character is a former college basketball star who was drafted by the Celtics, only to have his knee blown out in pre-season. His best friend is Win, an ultra-rich, ultra-connected prep school grad with a questionable sense of morality who uses his privilege to act as a lethal vigilante. Myron's partner, Esperanza, is a former female wrestler known as Little Pocahontas, and their office help is her former wrestling partner-a behemoth of a woman named Big Cyndi. Somehow this band of odd characters manages to get involved in very private detectivey kinds of situations without actually being private detectives.
This particular story revolves around a woman that Myron had a short, torrid affair with when both were at particular low points in their lives. Now, several years later, she has called and asked him for help. Her ex-husband has gone missing, and she needs Myron's unique skill set to find him. What starts out as a simple missing persons case soon turns into something much more sinister, and Myron and his gang are drawn into the very darkest side of the global political landscape. The story is fast-paced, and while it occasionally stretches the boundaries of the believable, you can't help but be carried along as Myron and Win take on their biggest adversaries to date.
This novel, in fact all of Coben's novels, is the perfect popcorn book. It's short enough that you can finish it fairly quickly, yet the characters and story are well-developed. Coben's stories-like his characters-are deep but not subtle. He describes the motivations of the characters and the events in such a way that you don't have to think too hard to follow what's happening, but the story still feels smart. Myron as narrator is sarcastic and funny in a self-deprecating way that makes him extremely likeable because of his faults, rather than in spite of them. Coben's books may not delve deeply into the human condition, but for entertainment value you'd be hard pressed to find a better read.
If you haven't read him before, I suggest you start at the beginning-while his series books have enough exposition for you to understand and enjoy the stories in any order, the development of the characters through time is worth starting with the first book in the series, Deal Breaker.
If you are a mystery lover and you have not yet read Coben you should consider yourself scolded. His Myron Bolitar books, such as his latest, Long Lost, are fun, action-packed stories filled with the most eccentric group of recurring characters in the genre. The main character is a former college basketball star who was drafted by the Celtics, only to have his knee blown out in pre-season. His best friend is Win, an ultra-rich, ultra-connected prep school grad with a questionable sense of morality who uses his privilege to act as a lethal vigilante. Myron's partner, Esperanza, is a former female wrestler known as Little Pocahontas, and their office help is her former wrestling partner-a behemoth of a woman named Big Cyndi. Somehow this band of odd characters manages to get involved in very private detectivey kinds of situations without actually being private detectives.
This particular story revolves around a woman that Myron had a short, torrid affair with when both were at particular low points in their lives. Now, several years later, she has called and asked him for help. Her ex-husband has gone missing, and she needs Myron's unique skill set to find him. What starts out as a simple missing persons case soon turns into something much more sinister, and Myron and his gang are drawn into the very darkest side of the global political landscape. The story is fast-paced, and while it occasionally stretches the boundaries of the believable, you can't help but be carried along as Myron and Win take on their biggest adversaries to date.
This novel, in fact all of Coben's novels, is the perfect popcorn book. It's short enough that you can finish it fairly quickly, yet the characters and story are well-developed. Coben's stories-like his characters-are deep but not subtle. He describes the motivations of the characters and the events in such a way that you don't have to think too hard to follow what's happening, but the story still feels smart. Myron as narrator is sarcastic and funny in a self-deprecating way that makes him extremely likeable because of his faults, rather than in spite of them. Coben's books may not delve deeply into the human condition, but for entertainment value you'd be hard pressed to find a better read.
If you haven't read him before, I suggest you start at the beginning-while his series books have enough exposition for you to understand and enjoy the stories in any order, the development of the characters through time is worth starting with the first book in the series, Deal Breaker.
ris_stitches's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favorite Myron Bolitar but still an enjoyable read. Or listen, in this case!
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first time I have listened to this series on audio. Thought the plot seemed a bit to out there to read. Steven Weber did a great job with Myron, but Win was completely insufferable to listen to (I usually enjoy the back and forth between Myron and Win but not so much in this book) and his voice for Esparanza was just plain annoying.
gunjan2024's review against another edition
3.0
Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.
My first by Harlan Coben. So, it was like meeting Myron Bolitar for the first time. I asked myself, how well did it go? And, I answered myself, pretty much awesome. Hahaha!
Long Lost is a story about a woman Terese who lost her only child, Miriam, in a car accident ten years ago. She has almost swallowed the fact that she is gonna be this way only until one day her ex husband calls her and says that he wants to her something that may change her life and guess what, it indeed does. Not only of hers, but also of the poor man, she was involved physically with, Myron Bolitar. Tadda!
I went quite good through whole story. I was kept on guessing what might the case be. I had my own speculations too. I thought something must be wrong with Terese. But, bam!, it wasn't even the case. The story has its root grounded at terrorism. I would not think that deep, anyhow. And, there was this term Mossad. I was like, woah! This must be something out of my feeble brain. And it was.
The whole story kept on circulating around searching for Terese's daughter. It was full of death. *Sigh* Berleand died too. I liked him. Gosh! That was saddening.
I liked Win the most. And I hope to see him in other parts too. As, Mee to haven't done with Win. ;)
After this one I am not gonna forget,
Man Plans, GOD, laughs.
My first by Harlan Coben. So, it was like meeting Myron Bolitar for the first time. I asked myself, how well did it go? And, I answered myself, pretty much awesome. Hahaha!
Long Lost is a story about a woman Terese who lost her only child, Miriam, in a car accident ten years ago. She has almost swallowed the fact that she is gonna be this way only until one day her ex husband calls her and says that he wants to her something that may change her life and guess what, it indeed does. Not only of hers, but also of the poor man, she was involved physically with, Myron Bolitar. Tadda!
I went quite good through whole story. I was kept on guessing what might the case be. I had my own speculations too. I thought something must be wrong with Terese. But, bam!, it wasn't even the case. The story has its root grounded at terrorism. I would not think that deep, anyhow. And, there was this term Mossad. I was like, woah! This must be something out of my feeble brain. And it was.
The whole story kept on circulating around searching for Terese's daughter. It was full of death. *Sigh* Berleand died too. I liked him. Gosh! That was saddening.
I liked Win the most. And I hope to see him in other parts too. As, Mee to haven't done with Win. ;)
After this one I am not gonna forget,
Man Plans, GOD, laughs.