Scan barcode
icequeen37's review against another edition
3.0
Nakon nekih 70 stranica, odustajem i ne vraćam se ovoj dosadi. Previše opisa flore i faune, alata, auta itd., premalo radnje. Triler bi u pravilu trebao dati dozu napetosti i misterije već na početku. Ovaj to nema. Niti me se dojmio jezik, niti svi ti silni opisi američkog Juga. A možda su me Lee Child i slični previše razmazili. Uglavnom, loše.
book_concierge's review
4.0
In a small Mississippi town, two young boys, one white and the other black, hide their friendship. When they are in high school a young girl goes missing after a date with one of the boys. Her disappearance is never solved, but the town assumes he killed her and they persecute him. Meanwhile the other boy moves away and goes to college. Now, years later, Silas has returned to Chabot as a police constable. Larry is still ostracized and tormented by the local teens. When another young girl goes missing, Larry is the immediate suspect.
This is a mystery novel with layers of psychological tension woven through. We have characters who are without a father figure, or who have a completely dysfunctional family life. Add to this the prejudices and assumptions of a small Southern town’s citizens and police force, and the media frenzy surrounding the unexplained disappearance of two vibrant young women, and you have a recipe for personal tragedy. Franklin does a good job of building tension, giving us clues as to what is really happening, and what happened all those years ago. I was a little confused about his skipping back and forth in time – some chapters deal with the boys’ childhood, some with the first disappearance, some with the present – but I thought Franklin did a good job with this device. It certainly kept me on my toes trying to figure out what really happened. I’m not sure I was totally satisfied with the ending, but I think it reflected reality. Such tragedies never end well.
This is a mystery novel with layers of psychological tension woven through. We have characters who are without a father figure, or who have a completely dysfunctional family life. Add to this the prejudices and assumptions of a small Southern town’s citizens and police force, and the media frenzy surrounding the unexplained disappearance of two vibrant young women, and you have a recipe for personal tragedy. Franklin does a good job of building tension, giving us clues as to what is really happening, and what happened all those years ago. I was a little confused about his skipping back and forth in time – some chapters deal with the boys’ childhood, some with the first disappearance, some with the present – but I thought Franklin did a good job with this device. It certainly kept me on my toes trying to figure out what really happened. I’m not sure I was totally satisfied with the ending, but I think it reflected reality. Such tragedies never end well.
shareen17's review
4.0
A book that shows how two boys' lives become linked through the disappearance of two girls, one in the present day, the other in their past. Great story-telling with plenty of deep south atmosphere.
andersond826's review
5.0
This was a good read. Franklin's writing is not at all complex but at the same time it is descriptive and the type that makes you want to underline or highlight and then go back to in the future. We discussed it at book club, and while we can always find things to pick apart,everyone liked this one.
colleengeedrumm's review
4.0
I would give it 4.5 stars if I could. Really, really well done with many discussable issues to this story. Loved all the characters and setting. Loved the storytelling. I want to read more by him.
gabmc's review against another edition
4.0
This was a beautifully written story about race, prejudice and being an outcast in a small town. Larry Ott has wanted to fit in for his entire life. He was accused of a terrible crime when he was a teenager and when a similar crime happens 25 years later, he is suspected again. His one time friend, Silas Jones, has just returned to town as a police constable and becomes involved in the investigation. There are so many secrets held by so many people though.
melovesbooks's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Had to read it for school
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Gun violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, Misogyny, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Medical content, Dementia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Vomit, and Animal cruelty
billymac1962's review
5.0
I didn't sleep well last night.
It was one of the very rare occurrences where I finish a book in bed without another one to pick up right away. You see, I hate being between books. When I finish one, I immediately choose another and begin it right away. But last night was an anomaly. Just the way things worked out.
So. Turning out the light immediately after finishing this left me
thinking about the whole thing for much of the night. I kept going over what it was that Franklin did that made me care for these characters so much. He has an understated style of writing, but what was there really resonated.
Larry Ott. Oh man. How I felt for this guy. A boy after my own heart, lonely but finding refuge in Stephen King's novels. In adulthood, a man who is ostracized by an entire town amid suspicions that he killed a girl 25 years ago.
Now, another girl is missing, and "Scary Larry" is, of course, suspected.
Did he or didn't he?
The story moves along in present day, and also flashing back to the past (a formula I never tire of), and explores life in small town Mississippi, and Larry's friendship with a Silas (a dirt-poor black boy). I was totally immersed. Part of the reason I didn't have another book ready to read after this one is because this is the only book that mattered while I was reading it.
I've noticed some reviewers have made comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird, which is inevitable given the Mississippi setting and race relations. A pretty high standard there, but I feel it's warranted.
I wish I had the eloquence to describe how Franklin touched on life in Mississippi and how human kindness struggles to rise to the surface, and does it, really?
Gosh, I loved being into this story and I'm so sorry it's over. I'm still thinking about it and I'm having a tough time selecting the next book to read.
Any book that keeps buzzing in my head like this did deserves the highest rating.
It was one of the very rare occurrences where I finish a book in bed without another one to pick up right away. You see, I hate being between books. When I finish one, I immediately choose another and begin it right away. But last night was an anomaly. Just the way things worked out.
So. Turning out the light immediately after finishing this left me
thinking about the whole thing for much of the night. I kept going over what it was that Franklin did that made me care for these characters so much. He has an understated style of writing, but what was there really resonated.
Larry Ott. Oh man. How I felt for this guy. A boy after my own heart, lonely but finding refuge in Stephen King's novels. In adulthood, a man who is ostracized by an entire town amid suspicions that he killed a girl 25 years ago.
Now, another girl is missing, and "Scary Larry" is, of course, suspected.
Did he or didn't he?
The story moves along in present day, and also flashing back to the past (a formula I never tire of), and explores life in small town Mississippi, and Larry's friendship with a Silas (a dirt-poor black boy). I was totally immersed. Part of the reason I didn't have another book ready to read after this one is because this is the only book that mattered while I was reading it.
I've noticed some reviewers have made comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird, which is inevitable given the Mississippi setting and race relations. A pretty high standard there, but I feel it's warranted.
I wish I had the eloquence to describe how Franklin touched on life in Mississippi and how human kindness struggles to rise to the surface, and does it, really?
Gosh, I loved being into this story and I'm so sorry it's over. I'm still thinking about it and I'm having a tough time selecting the next book to read.
Any book that keeps buzzing in my head like this did deserves the highest rating.