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pancakes_for_algernon's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
guyphi's review against another edition
4.0
Emotional & winning. The best novel I've read this year and last. Brilliantly employs a pulp subgenre (the One Last Big Score) in a meditation on friendship, individual legacy, and fiction writing.
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
3.0
So I’ve read every novel King has written and this one would land in the middle in a ratings list. It was a strange one. Not really scary or horror, more of a thriller. I found the military flashbacks much more engaging than I was thinking they would be. However, I found Alice’s situation and reactions to that really unrealistic. So good and bad. Hit and miss.
novelette's review against another edition
5.0
Good god. I am now in love with a contract killer. Or rather, I am in love with the art of the story. A story that reminds us that a story is just that, a fiction brought to life by the storyteller.
garlicbread247's review
The German translation was really weird - extremely simple sentence structure and old-fashioned expressions - I kept cringing all the time :/
Also, it felt like King wrote two different books and tried to merge them somehow (and I don't mean the "book within a book" - oh so it's actually three different plots).
For these reasons, I didn't finish Billy Summers (at 74%). Maybe I could have struggled through somehow, but the writing style killed it for me.
Also, it felt like King wrote two different books and tried to merge them somehow (and I don't mean the "book within a book" - oh so it's actually three different plots).
For these reasons, I didn't finish Billy Summers (at 74%). Maybe I could have struggled through somehow, but the writing style killed it for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Murder
mollyhyland's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.0
tabatha_shipley's review against another edition
4.0
What I Did Like:
+Has an old-school Stephen King feel with the story within a story, sections within chapters, and strong descriptions. Plus, as I mentioned, it goes on longer than you expect and feels almost like its own sequel. That’s also classic King.
+Captivating story. Between the hired killer, the secret identities, and the secrets kept from the reader, this keeps your attention for every page.
+The ending works. At first I didn’t like it. But after I sat with it for a bit, I did. I couldn’t think of a way it could have ended better that actually worked for the character and the story. This way felt authentic for the story.
Who Should Read This One:
-Old school King fans. This has a good vibe.
-Fans of stories about assassins for hire. This goes on after you think it’s over and it works.
-Fans of vigilante justice stories.
My Rating: 4 Stars
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2023/09/20/2023-book-review-billy-summers/
+Has an old-school Stephen King feel with the story within a story, sections within chapters, and strong descriptions. Plus, as I mentioned, it goes on longer than you expect and feels almost like its own sequel. That’s also classic King.
+Captivating story. Between the hired killer, the secret identities, and the secrets kept from the reader, this keeps your attention for every page.
+The ending works. At first I didn’t like it. But after I sat with it for a bit, I did. I couldn’t think of a way it could have ended better that actually worked for the character and the story. This way felt authentic for the story.
Who Should Read This One:
-Old school King fans. This has a good vibe.
-Fans of stories about assassins for hire. This goes on after you think it’s over and it works.
-Fans of vigilante justice stories.
My Rating: 4 Stars
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2023/09/20/2023-book-review-billy-summers/