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marshaskrypuch's review against another edition
5.0
John Hart stands head and shoulders over other thriller writers for his lean and evocative writing and his richly nuanced characters. A very satisfying read.
Iron House is about brothers who grow up in Iron House, an orphanage out of Lord of the Flies.
Julian, the younger brother, is weak both physically and emotionally and is thus a magnet for brutality. His brother Michael will do anything to protect him. The boys are separated when Michael shoulders the blame for a just murder committed by Julian. Michael runs away and Julian is adopted by a billionaire senator and his wife. Over the years he achieves fragile health and happiness.
Michael grows up on the street and ultimately becomes the protege and killer for a kingpin mobster. When the mobster dies, Michael tries to turn his life around but it isn't that easy. The mobster now in charge sees Michael as a valuable asset and is willing to do anything to keep his loyalty. He threatens to kill Elena, Michael's pregnant fiancee, and he says that he will kill Julian as well.
Michael hasn't seen his brother since that fateful night when he ran away from the orphanage. Now he has to find his brother and make sure that he's safe. But he also has to protect Elena.
The story unfolds with page-turning complexity and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Iron House is about brothers who grow up in Iron House, an orphanage out of Lord of the Flies.
Julian, the younger brother, is weak both physically and emotionally and is thus a magnet for brutality. His brother Michael will do anything to protect him. The boys are separated when Michael shoulders the blame for a just murder committed by Julian. Michael runs away and Julian is adopted by a billionaire senator and his wife. Over the years he achieves fragile health and happiness.
Michael grows up on the street and ultimately becomes the protege and killer for a kingpin mobster. When the mobster dies, Michael tries to turn his life around but it isn't that easy. The mobster now in charge sees Michael as a valuable asset and is willing to do anything to keep his loyalty. He threatens to kill Elena, Michael's pregnant fiancee, and he says that he will kill Julian as well.
Michael hasn't seen his brother since that fateful night when he ran away from the orphanage. Now he has to find his brother and make sure that he's safe. But he also has to protect Elena.
The story unfolds with page-turning complexity and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
406_lisa's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
jesica13's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
leeleew's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome book!!! Everytime you think you have it figured out there is another twist.
tamaralgage1's review against another edition
4.0
First let me say this is a good book. This author has done another outstanding job of crafting a story and pulling the reader into the pages. If you like to be tortured page after page methodically, you have come to the right book. Personally, I had to skip a few pages occasionally. This author is just a little too good at crafting scenes in detail. There were moments where I would become afflicted with a serve case of the heebie-jeebies and had to skip ahead.
In this book, you have two brothers that have been found in the woods and sent to an orphanage. This is some of the most difficult scenes in the book. But add into the mix a "mob family"; money; a Politian; and family love what could possible go wrong. The result is an action packed thriller. As I said, good book.
In this book, you have two brothers that have been found in the woods and sent to an orphanage. This is some of the most difficult scenes in the book. But add into the mix a "mob family"; money; a Politian; and family love what could possible go wrong. The result is an action packed thriller. As I said, good book.
bookkat's review against another edition
4.0
I like this book much more than I thought I would. I am not particularly interested in mob stories, which is how this book starts, but it is not where it is going. The story is the epic journey of brothers: Michael and Julian.
Michael and Julian begin as orphans at Iron House - a miserable boys home in the North Carolina mountains. Younger, weaker brother Julian is frequently and brutally bullied. Julian ends up being adopted by wealthy parents, while Michael ends up on the run and ultimately taken in by a mob boss, where he becomes a professional killer.
However, Michael wants out - to live a 'normal' life, with Elena, his pregnant girlfriend, who had no idea of the life Michael was living.
A compelling read, with lots of twists and turns along the way. Michael is the character we get to know and understand best. This is a story of loss, courage, redemption, and love, juxtaposed against a story of violence, greed, and cruelty.
As a bonus, author John Hart lives in Durham, NC, where I spent most of my life, and his story is steeped in North Carolina locales.
Michael and Julian begin as orphans at Iron House - a miserable boys home in the North Carolina mountains. Younger, weaker brother Julian is frequently and brutally bullied. Julian ends up being adopted by wealthy parents, while Michael ends up on the run and ultimately taken in by a mob boss, where he becomes a professional killer.
However, Michael wants out - to live a 'normal' life, with Elena, his pregnant girlfriend, who had no idea of the life Michael was living.
A compelling read, with lots of twists and turns along the way. Michael is the character we get to know and understand best. This is a story of loss, courage, redemption, and love, juxtaposed against a story of violence, greed, and cruelty.
As a bonus, author John Hart lives in Durham, NC, where I spent most of my life, and his story is steeped in North Carolina locales.
rmichno's review against another edition
2.0
Gave up 1/4 of the way in. This reads like a bad action movie. Maybe an early Steven Seagal would play the role of Michael. Too many other books on the shelf to finish this one.