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yorkshire_born_and_bookish's review against another edition
1.0
Only managed 174 pages before I called t a day, just not my type of book!
junkits's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sp00ky_n3rd's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars. I was a bit bored to start with and put off by certain parts narrated from the point of view of manky pervs. Chapter 6 was mostly creepy descriptions of seeing women's nipples through their tops.
However, once it got going it really got going. And it was as brilliantly crazy and darkly comedic as all the Jack Parlabane stories before it.
However, once it got going it really got going. And it was as brilliantly crazy and darkly comedic as all the Jack Parlabane stories before it.
borborygmus's review against another edition
3.0
Christopher Brookmyre is sometimes billed as the UK's answer to Carl Hiaasen - probably true. However, he has not descended into self-pastiche, as Hiaasen seems to have done in the last few novels I read. Good, solid, dark humour, occasionally just that little OTT - which makes it fun.
squiddyvicious's review against another edition
4.0
It doesn't get going as quickly as some of the previous books but it was quite enjoyable.
yowlyy's review against another edition
5.0
Trust a Parlabane book to make me laugh out loud even at the most gruesome of descriptions. Five stars, that's it.
slammy90's review against another edition
3.0
I mean, you really knew who to hate in those days. Now it's too muddled, so I just hate everybody in case I miss anyone out
Sì Seri, magari la prossima volta iniziamo dal primo della serie, eh? Non lamentarti poi che non capisci niente!! :D
Sì Seri, magari la prossima volta iniziamo dal primo della serie, eh? Non lamentarti poi che non capisci niente!! :D
scotchneat's review against another edition
3.0
Jack Parlabane is a seasoned journo who's had a turn in jail and gets invited to a "team building" weekend where he gets to evaluate/slag the company putting it on. Location? A recently restored Scottish castle in the middle of nowhere.
There's an odd assortment of characters also invited to the weekend, and they may have something in common. Did I mention also the paramilitaries that seem hell-bent on killing all of them?
The usual humour and social satire (he gets off some good ones on Marketeers and team builders that I quite enjoyed), but he says his real edge for the Thatcher years - I actually learned a lot about Britain in the 80s.
There's an odd assortment of characters also invited to the weekend, and they may have something in common. Did I mention also the paramilitaries that seem hell-bent on killing all of them?
The usual humour and social satire (he gets off some good ones on Marketeers and team builders that I quite enjoyed), but he says his real edge for the Thatcher years - I actually learned a lot about Britain in the 80s.
wendleness's review against another edition
5.0
Be My Enemy = ((Motivational weekend + bampot politics) ^ chaos) x (Parlabane x Vale)
This is a perfect Brookmyre set up. Take a group of 'random' people—some annoying as hell, some only slightly so—add Jack Parlabane and Tim Vale. Have Parlabane's derogatory and hilarious commentary for half the book. Then throw in some bad guys and violence, slap Parlabane in an impromptu fun, dangerous and disgusting situation. Hey presto.
This book is purely for entertainment, and entertain it did. Humour, suspense and gore followed by more humour, suspense and gore. Parlabane and Vale make an awesome duo, and I wish there could have been more books with the two of them in together.
There are twists and turns all the way through. Often I found myself thinking 'It would be awesome/gross/typical Brookmyre if…' only for my 'if' to happen not long later. But in fairness, I also had quite a few 'typical Brookmyre's challenged, while still managing to be quite brilliant.
From Boiling a Frog onwards, each Parlabane book I read has made me a little sadder; there aren't many more to read.
This is a perfect Brookmyre set up. Take a group of 'random' people—some annoying as hell, some only slightly so—add Jack Parlabane and Tim Vale. Have Parlabane's derogatory and hilarious commentary for half the book. Then throw in some bad guys and violence, slap Parlabane in an impromptu fun, dangerous and disgusting situation. Hey presto.
This book is purely for entertainment, and entertain it did. Humour, suspense and gore followed by more humour, suspense and gore. Parlabane and Vale make an awesome duo, and I wish there could have been more books with the two of them in together.
There are twists and turns all the way through. Often I found myself thinking 'It would be awesome/gross/typical Brookmyre if…' only for my 'if' to happen not long later. But in fairness, I also had quite a few 'typical Brookmyre's challenged, while still managing to be quite brilliant.
From Boiling a Frog onwards, each Parlabane book I read has made me a little sadder; there aren't many more to read.
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