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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Real score 4.12. Gotta love something that makes you nauseous to your bowels. Also something that makes you like a killer. Tick, tick. Some jumping of the shark here. Seems that that isnβt an issue for me. βSo that happened, eh? Well, there you go then.β
All the cliches apply here - "thrill ride!", "roller coaster!" that I "couldn't put down!" Bazell's Peter Brown is a ferocious and funny intern at Manhattan Catholic hospital who used to be a hitman for the mob before entering the witness protection program. Beat the Reaper is thoroughly engrossing, capturing society's fascination with the raw violence of the mob and the more subtle violence of modern medicine.
this is an utterly ridiculous book because no mafiaso should such a startling insight into the practice of medicine. Also it contains one of the best improvised weapons i have ever heard or read of. I mean, WHAT a ride! It's funny in a grim way that has been perfected by others, it's disturbing in a casual tone that also others have perfected, and it gets the details of how a hospital-from-hell actually functions, a combintation of these, I havent read before.
think jason statham playing a reformed mafiaso who is now a doctor. this is such a statham book.
think jason statham playing a reformed mafiaso who is now a doctor. this is such a statham book.
This book was written for guys to read. It's a quick read but always felt disjointed and way too "dude" focused.
Well, this was the darkhorse I did not expect! I've had this book on my to read list for probably a decade and couldn't remember why I wanted to read it. Then I randomly started it and woah, am I glad I wrote this title down. It's like Dexter meets ER meets Arrow. Seriously, the main character has to be played by Stephen Amell, because at no point could I not imagine Pietro as anyone other than Oliver Queen in a bad mood. I listened to the audiobook version read by Robert Petkoff, who does an amazing job.
The story basically goes as follows (no spoilers): NJ homeboy Pietro infiltrates the mob (in a way that's scarily disciplined and ruthless for a teenager) to avenge his grandparents' murders, falls for the lifestyle while he's at it, becomes a hitman with scruples, eventually leaves the mob, goes into witness protection, becomes a doctor, and while he's doing his internship, is discovered by a mobster patient. The book jumps between the present, where Pietro is already a doctor trying to quiet the aforementioned snitch, and the past, with Pietro's origin story. I would have preferred a linear narrative, but Bazell made it work.
Bazell clearly knows his medical stuff, and teaches his audience lots of interesting tidbits along the way. There's well disguised foreshadowing that hides among lots of red herrings that could be foreshadowing or could be coincidences. There's lots of foul language and tough guy talk. Pietro is master of the bad mood (Hello, Friend!). Warning for the end of the book which contains some very graphic, very hardcore badassery. Seriously, it's graphic, and not like what you'd typically expect from a tv show. But daaaaaaamn, dude, hardcore.
The story basically goes as follows (no spoilers): NJ homeboy Pietro infiltrates the mob (in a way that's scarily disciplined and ruthless for a teenager) to avenge his grandparents' murders, falls for the lifestyle while he's at it, becomes a hitman with scruples, eventually leaves the mob, goes into witness protection, becomes a doctor, and while he's doing his internship, is discovered by a mobster patient. The book jumps between the present, where Pietro is already a doctor trying to quiet the aforementioned snitch, and the past, with Pietro's origin story. I would have preferred a linear narrative, but Bazell made it work.
Bazell clearly knows his medical stuff, and teaches his audience lots of interesting tidbits along the way. There's well disguised foreshadowing that hides among lots of red herrings that could be foreshadowing or could be coincidences. There's lots of foul language and tough guy talk. Pietro is master of the bad mood (Hello, Friend!). Warning for the end of the book which contains some very graphic, very hardcore badassery. Seriously, it's graphic, and not like what you'd typically expect from a tv show. But daaaaaaamn, dude, hardcore.
Listened to it, and what a great and grotesque ride it was!
Incredibly entertaining but far-fetched. The kind of book you don't want to put down (and won't) but one that, upon completion, you will recognize as not serious enough to be worthy of accolades.
I'm giving this a 4 just for the voice alone, which is wonderful But actually, the structure works surprisingly well also, flashing back and forward. And Bazell manages to insert all sorts of interesting little factoids--I have no idea if they are accurate, but they have that feel--and in such a great voice that I kept reading sections out loud to my husband. Wonderful use of black humor.
The plot is fairly standard, but it works and I was engaged the whole time. It did feel like Bazell lost control of things toward the end; the past and present scenes start to collide in a slightly distracting way and the violence amps up to a degree that became off-putting (there are three pages toward the end that I could barely stand to read--and I didn't really, I just skimmed them).
The fact that this is Bazell's first book and that he's also a medical resident makes me hate him a little, but in a good way. I'll look forward to what he does next. But there's no way he gets to practice medicine on me.
The plot is fairly standard, but it works and I was engaged the whole time. It did feel like Bazell lost control of things toward the end; the past and present scenes start to collide in a slightly distracting way and the violence amps up to a degree that became off-putting (there are three pages toward the end that I could barely stand to read--and I didn't really, I just skimmed them).
The fact that this is Bazell's first book and that he's also a medical resident makes me hate him a little, but in a good way. I'll look forward to what he does next. But there's no way he gets to practice medicine on me.
Oh my gosh. I got this as a recommendation from my buddy at the library. I LOVED it. I gotta say, my favorite part was the "Don't try this at home, kids" but for adults dimmer than Skinflick. π Sorry, I don't like him. Period.
I felt like I learned something (despite the "don't practice medicine because you read this book, ya mook." disclaimer.) Like the front left side of your brain is in charge of your personality. How cool is that?!
I might not have liked this book had I not been listening to it on audio. I loved that! I felt so gansta driving around in my little four door.ππ I will say this though. I managed not to grieve a favored character by ugly crying this time!
Holy crap. Just. Yes. When I reccomended this book to my father I said "It's a cross between The Sopranos and Happy" if you loved one or both of those things you'd probably like this.
I felt like I learned something (despite the "don't practice medicine because you read this book, ya mook." disclaimer.) Like the front left side of your brain is in charge of your personality. How cool is that?!
I might not have liked this book had I not been listening to it on audio. I loved that! I felt so gansta driving around in my little four door.ππ I will say this though. I managed not to grieve a favored character by ugly crying this time!
Holy crap. Just. Yes. When I reccomended this book to my father I said "It's a cross between The Sopranos and Happy" if you loved one or both of those things you'd probably like this.