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mephala's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It's a slow burn, almost solely a character study not only of the main protagonist, Cal Hooper, but also the tightknit community of Ardnakelty, a small village in rural Ireland. This is not a fast paced thriller full of twist and turns that keeps one on one's toes, but a slow dive into dense and treacherous inner workings of a small community, that on surface might appear quite and almost innocent, but hides a dark and harsh underbelly.
The Searcher (a very apt title) is a story of a stranger in strange land, Cal, looking for his place in a new country - among people seemingly not that different that himself, but foreign all the same - all while trying to solve a disappearance of one of Ardnakelty's more troubled denizen.
Yes, the first couple of chapter of this one were a little difficult to read through. The plot unfolds slowly, there are many lengthy inner monologues and dense dialogs of characters just talking, "shooting the breeze". It was a good way to establish main characters and most important players in the story, yet it felt too much at times.
After the plot unfolds a little there's still no groundbreaking developments - the mystery culminates in pretty much expected way - although, there is one pretty amazing plot twist that made me like main characters all that much.
This in not really a murder mystery, a whodunit, but uses that particular plot to tell a slow paced but fascinating story about... people. About a small community, its members, and how all those people work and live together. How many secrets they share.
What's more, the book's atmosphere is wonderful; Tana French masterfully described the gloomy, silent landscapes, and the always present slightly threatening quietness. Because Ardnakelty might be quite, but it's definitely not a peaceful place.
It took a while for this book to drew me in, but it the end it was well crafted story.
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence and Physical abuse
Minor: Addiction and Suicide
noshelf_control's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence
moon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
that said, i'm a huge fan of the way tana french moulds her characters. all of them feel so authentically human, with their flaws and individualities that set each character apart from the rest. i have my reasons for disliking the main character and others as well, which is why i answered that i didn't find the characters lovable, but trey and lena are an exception. the way i got so attached to trey like she was my own sibling...
my point is, i didn't hate this book due to the brilliant writing, but the other things could be better.
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Hate crime
readerette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, and Physical abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Medical content
sarabara's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Animal death
aliceofbattenberg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse
hannahlbevans's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
jbraith's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Violence
haleyapratt's review
3.0
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Suicide, and Xenophobia