Reviews

IQ by Joe Ide

elby3gc's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more from this author and this character.  There was enough social commentary/context for me to respect the characters’ development but it wasn’t heavy handed. It was organic. Maybe reminded me a little bit of Sherman Alexie in that way. I am giving it a four because I really enjoyed it and am enthusiastically recommending it.

kemareadsalot's review against another edition

4.0

The narrator did a great job! 

booklovinalicia's review against another edition

3.0

Overall, it was a decent read. I think the timelines jumping back and forth were just too much for me. I understand the need to know the back story, but I feel it could have been done without causing so much chaos and without taking away from the main story. I did enjoy the characters, but I think this book just isn't for me. I give it 3 stars. To read my full review on this and other books please check out my blog at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com

Thanks to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for allowing me the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

hahildebrand's review against another edition

4.0

This is an enjoyable read, one I'm glad I won a review copy of from Goodreads. Young Sherlock in LA, essentially, but more fun and effective than that makes it sound.

A few things rankled: the

Spoiler

dead

brother's saintliness (admittedly from the main character's interior perspective, but still, no one thinks a sibling they have lived with is perfect); a minor character described as using fancy words wrongly, which is a nice image, but we subsequently get several pages of this dialogue at a key moment, which I think might be meant to be funny but is actually annoying; and the very fact that this is marketed as the first in a series, and leaves a prominent element dangling for future installments. I'm not a fan of books that purport themselves to be the first in a new series - I'd rather get a decent standalone story and then be delighted to find that a sequel is on its way. That's irrational, right? Books have been serialised since before Dickens got into it. Still.

Overall I'd say this is a solid 3.5, and despite what I've said above I'd be very happy to read the next chapter of IQ's story. A section in here which condenses Isaiah's super-detective origins into just a few pages is worth the price of entry alone.

reemareadsalot's review against another edition

4.0

As good as everyone says. I loved Isaiah, his style of detection and his heart. Want to dive right into the next one in anticipation of the Book 3 release!

rmarcin's review against another edition

4.0

Some of the language was harsh, as it was written about gangs and rappers in LA. However, the character of Isaiah, aka IQ, was wonderful. He had heart, grit, and brains. I look forward to reading more from Joe Ide, hoping he continues with more about IQ. Considering the ending of the book, I do think we will be hearing more, as the book was open ended regarding the owner of the car.

erinkilmer's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

cathiedalziel's review against another edition

2.0

2.5 stars but I just can't round it up to 3.

Parts grabbed my attention for about 3 minutes and then, nothing.

Perhaps a better more in depth review to follow, but probably not.

balbsharp's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

antiopelle's review against another edition

2.0

I was reeled in by the tagline ‘ Sherlock Holmes of the 21st Century’ but it soon dawned on me that I was in a whole other world far far away from my comfort zone. After years of reading about Scottish or Irish detectives, the underbelly of LA is indeed a whole other world.
The first part were we were told about Isaiah’s past was ok, but when he starts to work on the case the slang and stereotypes were so bad I couldn’t continue. Not a shred of Sherlock in sight.
Life is too short to spend time on a book you don’t like and can’t connect with, therefore it’s a DNF for me after 1/3rd.