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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
was not intrigued until i hit the 70-80% mark
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was decently entertaining and relatively well-paced despite having a smidge of 10 pounds of plot in a 5 pound bag feel. The main downfalls for me were that I literally just didn’t care about Riley and her traumatic history that made her so invested in this case and I also wasn’t particularly invested in the political subplot about Big Agriculture and China trying to commit agricultural theft. Like, I get that that’s probably something that’s actually happening and affecting American farmers so it’s kind of an interesting twist to add to an otherwise generic serial killer thriller (well, slightly ungeneric because of the cannibalism that I don’t actually consider cannibalism because cannibalism implies intent and awareness), but it still was just kinda meh to me.
This was a good story, and I would look forward to more. I personaly live in illinois and work in agriculture, so I was on board with everything going on. I was somewhat surprised to find the author was from the UK! Possibly accounted for a little bit of stilted conversations, though bringing in a character who needed the culture explained to them was a good cover ;)
A Midwestern editor would have caught the fact that Midwesterners refer to their crops as corn and beans (instead of maize and soy). This farmer's daughter may have giggled a bit when reading.
Erin Young sets out with ambition in The Fields, tackling a complex plot and weighty themes. While there could be promise, failings in character development, plot pacing, and common sense create a story that undermines the central messages Young attempts to communicate.
This book looks to narrate the strife of small businesses, corporate and political corruption, and the challenges women face in male-centric societies. We leave the story with an ending that reinforces all of the negative stereotypes or perceived flaws these individuals or groups seek to overcome while empowering the proposed evils.
Starting with our main character, Riley, we have a small town and a newly appointed police sergeant who routinely faces doubts from her male coworkers about the validity of her position. She is frequently dubbed a "DEI" hire to "check a box" or perceived to have only gained her position through nepotism, having had a grandfather on the force.
Throughout the story, readers get no background to Riley's working history to show us her merit. In the ongoing investigation that makes the plot of this book, Riley shows ~ zero ~ deductive reasoning and makes no tangible steps to solving the case through actual detective work. She does not have to be the sole heroine, but please have her accomplish something.
I was actively rooting for her character, but the complete failings and hypocrisy in execution left me agreeing with the doubts about her qualifications and feeling entirely anti-feminist against my will.
That is before we mention that our Iowa-born-and-bred police sergeant confuses corn stalks for cannabis plants or
Meanwhile, she repeatedly makes reckless decisions that defy reasonable police work. While some of this could be explained through the assault subplot (more on that later), it undermines the reader's belief that Riley should actually be in charge.
Young provides no personal description or larger development of Riley's personality whatsoever. I could not tell you her likes and dislikes or anything about her character beyond how she reacts to the events at hand.
Riley is not the only character with flawed development. Characterization overall is shallow. Nearly every character in this book is one-dimensional, a stereotype, or merely a device for the author to dump information on the reader. We have the deadbeat stoner with no job, the 'northerner' vegan recycler, the moody teenager etc., etc.
The story's most developed and layered character is Riley's ex-hookup and designated conflict-driving coworker. Their friction, his lashing out, and later revealed hurt establish him as the story's most 'human' or realistic character. Again, Young's writing undermines what Riley is going through, and as much as I hate to say it, it makes her seem unsympathetic in comparison to Jackson when it is supposed to do the opposite. Riley can be flawed and unable to control her own emotions - and should be given the events in her life - but she shouldn't be flawed because the writing can't establish her character.
Many reviews remark on Young including too many characters, which confuses the story. To me, it is not a matter of too many characters but that the characters are not developed or introduced well enough to stick with a reader without effort. Many characters are introduced and employed to drive a specific aspect of the plot, then never mentioned again. Even characters who should have more engagement and do appear more than once throughout the story are left with little to no resolution in their ending. In an attempt to be fair, Young is clearly using this novel to set up a further series, and I'm sure we would get more from some of these characters in future books. However, that is dependent on this book being enough of a success for the reader to want to tolerate reading another. Simple execution choices could largely correct this disconnect while leaving space to develop these characters further in the following issues.
Young heavily relies on side characters to deliver exposition—like a farmer halting a murder report to monologue on big Agriculture and China or a woman at a party delivering the Wikipedia history of Flint, Michigan. These info dumps, aimed at reinforcing the novel’s themes, come off as forced and inauthentic, even to readers sympathetic to the issues raised. The research dumping and necessity of lengthy explanations to accomplish Young's complex plot make the story drag.
On the topic of Young's research dumping, I am not from Iowa, nor have I been there, but I am certain there is far more to the state than corn, gas stations, and the state fair.
For our procedural fans, there are zero red herrings. Almost every single clue or piece of evidence introduced wraps up neatly (while also very clumsily) into the final reveal. We face incredibly unbelievable, cheap plot devices like the use of a chance snake bite to save sensitive information about the investigation. Men who are emphasized as "professional" hired criminals just don't happen to notice they dropped the very object they came for. Moments like these could’ve been more compelling had Riley shown actual investigative or strategic skill and found a way to get herself out of the scenario.
To wrap up, Young's prose did shine in flashes, but I more frequently found myself pulled from the story by the aggressive use of passive voice. Lastly, this book is promoted as a debut novel, while Young has numerous publications under a different pen name.
In the end, The Fields is an earnest attempt weighed down by its own execution.
This book looks to narrate the strife of small businesses, corporate and political corruption, and the challenges women face in male-centric societies. We leave the story with an ending that reinforces all of the negative stereotypes or perceived flaws these individuals or groups seek to overcome while empowering the proposed evils.
Starting with our main character, Riley, we have a small town and a newly appointed police sergeant who routinely faces doubts from her male coworkers about the validity of her position. She is frequently dubbed a "DEI" hire to "check a box" or perceived to have only gained her position through nepotism, having had a grandfather on the force.
Throughout the story, readers get no background to Riley's working history to show us her merit. In the ongoing investigation that makes the plot of this book, Riley shows ~ zero ~ deductive reasoning and makes no tangible steps to solving the case through actual detective work.
Spoiler
She routinely has information, quite literally, handed to her or succeeds through matter of coincidence. The only thing that can be said about her police work is that she is more empathetic in some discovery interviews to root out information, and she holds onto potential leads that other officers dismiss. We do not see her do anything with this information to actively solve the case. The final 'showdown' ends with her entering a property, injured and alone, not calling for backup, and listening to a 45-minute monologue to wrap up the case before getting shot and saved by a man.I was actively rooting for her character, but the complete failings and hypocrisy in execution left me agreeing with the doubts about her qualifications and feeling entirely anti-feminist against my will.
That is before we mention that our Iowa-born-and-bred police sergeant confuses corn stalks for cannabis plants or
Spoiler
that the discovery of the property that solved the case could have happened in the initial stages of the investigation, given that it is within walking distance of where we find the first body and owned by one of the initial suspects.Meanwhile, she repeatedly makes reckless decisions that defy reasonable police work. While some of this could be explained through the assault subplot (more on that later), it undermines the reader's belief that Riley should actually be in charge.
Young provides no personal description or larger development of Riley's personality whatsoever. I could not tell you her likes and dislikes or anything about her character beyond how she reacts to the events at hand.
Spoiler
Her character is consumed by an activated trauma response, with the case's first victim being a high school friend, a friend who was present when Riley was assaulted as a young teenager. It is entirely justified and reasonable for Riley's actions to be driven by that emotional conflict or for that emotional conflict to consume her character and parts of her personality. However, the assault story is frequently used to drive the plot before being largely brushed aside following a singular conversation. Young's handling of the sexual assault feels largely insensitive and performative.Riley is not the only character with flawed development. Characterization overall is shallow. Nearly every character in this book is one-dimensional, a stereotype, or merely a device for the author to dump information on the reader. We have the deadbeat stoner with no job, the 'northerner' vegan recycler, the moody teenager etc., etc.
The story's most developed and layered character is Riley's ex-hookup and designated conflict-driving coworker. Their friction, his lashing out, and later revealed hurt establish him as the story's most 'human' or realistic character. Again, Young's writing undermines what Riley is going through, and as much as I hate to say it, it makes her seem unsympathetic in comparison to Jackson when it is supposed to do the opposite. Riley can be flawed and unable to control her own emotions - and should be given the events in her life - but she shouldn't be flawed because the writing can't establish her character.
Many reviews remark on Young including too many characters, which confuses the story. To me, it is not a matter of too many characters but that the characters are not developed or introduced well enough to stick with a reader without effort. Many characters are introduced and employed to drive a specific aspect of the plot, then never mentioned again. Even characters who should have more engagement and do appear more than once throughout the story are left with little to no resolution in their ending. In an attempt to be fair, Young is clearly using this novel to set up a further series, and I'm sure we would get more from some of these characters in future books. However, that is dependent on this book being enough of a success for the reader to want to tolerate reading another. Simple execution choices could largely correct this disconnect while leaving space to develop these characters further in the following issues.
Young heavily relies on side characters to deliver exposition—like a farmer halting a murder report to monologue on big Agriculture and China or a woman at a party delivering the Wikipedia history of Flint, Michigan. These info dumps, aimed at reinforcing the novel’s themes, come off as forced and inauthentic, even to readers sympathetic to the issues raised. The research dumping and necessity of lengthy explanations to accomplish Young's complex plot make the story drag.
On the topic of Young's research dumping, I am not from Iowa, nor have I been there, but I am certain there is far more to the state than corn, gas stations, and the state fair.
Spoiler
On the larger plot, we face conflicts between small-town business owners and large corporations, as well as environmental/community well-being and political corruption. The story ends with a rogue corporate scientist planting experimental corn that, combined with drug use and malnutrition, creates rabid, cannibalistic, diseased corn-eaters. The resolution strongly paints the implication that if the "big ag" corporation had retained control, the chaos could’ve been avoided.For our procedural fans, there are zero red herrings. Almost every single clue or piece of evidence introduced wraps up neatly (while also very clumsily) into the final reveal. We face incredibly unbelievable, cheap plot devices like the use of a chance snake bite to save sensitive information about the investigation. Men who are emphasized as "professional" hired criminals just don't happen to notice they dropped the very object they came for. Moments like these could’ve been more compelling had Riley shown actual investigative or strategic skill and found a way to get herself out of the scenario.
To wrap up, Young's prose did shine in flashes, but I more frequently found myself pulled from the story by the aggressive use of passive voice. Lastly, this book is promoted as a debut novel, while Young has numerous publications under a different pen name.
In the end, The Fields is an earnest attempt weighed down by its own execution.
I completely understand why people don't like this book, I really wasn't expecting agricultural politics but man I LOVED IT!! To me it really kept it from being a run of the mill murder mystery. You still had that aspect but there was an entire other mystery happening as well that was tied in! I thought it was very creative and felt like such an interesting change of pace. I will be getting the second book the moment I'm able to.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Would’ve thought it was written by an Iowan except for the overuse of maize lol