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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I picked up this copy of TEMPER by Layne Fargo at a book swap with some fellow Southern California bookstagrammers. I knew nothing about this one, but the cover caught my eye and I added it to my October reading list when I wanted something quick to finish off the month. I read this one so quickly I almost forgot to log it on my read list entirely, so it for sure fit that quick read I was looking for.
Kira is a struggling actress who is barely making ends meet in Chicago by performing in schools and living with her best friend who has financial means she doesn’t. As the book opens, Kira is finally about to get her big break, starring in a new play “Temper” with Malcom, an actor and director who has quite the reputation for pushing the limits on the projects he’s starring in. Kira is eager to land the part, burning all other bridges in an effort to prove herself worthy.
Joanna is Malcom’s business partner and co-founder of the theater putting on “Temper”, but their relationship is much more complicated than that. She doesn’t feel that Kira is right for the role, but Malcom has the final say and Kira is soon on board. Joanna has aspirations beyond just supporting Malcom’s rise to fame and she’s got some secrets of her own.
This is a book that left me with mixed feelings. I think there was a lot that was well done in the way the narrative switched between the POVs of Kira and Joanna with their stories and backstories interesting and overlapping with the drama being portrayed on stage. “Temper” is a play which centers on emotion and violence and the ways that impacts the characters in their real life is very well done.
One of the issues I had with the story is that there weren’t any characters I really liked or connected with. I would guess that was done intentionally here, but for me it made me less invested in the story. The way the characters blur the lines of their relationships between friendship and romance and bed partners wasn’t to my tastes. From the book’s synopsis I didn’t really expect that aspect of the story.
The book definitely kept my attention to want to know where the plot was heading and it definitely worked in that respect. You know things are going to get darker, you just don’t necessarily know how dark!
Kira is a struggling actress who is barely making ends meet in Chicago by performing in schools and living with her best friend who has financial means she doesn’t. As the book opens, Kira is finally about to get her big break, starring in a new play “Temper” with Malcom, an actor and director who has quite the reputation for pushing the limits on the projects he’s starring in. Kira is eager to land the part, burning all other bridges in an effort to prove herself worthy.
Joanna is Malcom’s business partner and co-founder of the theater putting on “Temper”, but their relationship is much more complicated than that. She doesn’t feel that Kira is right for the role, but Malcom has the final say and Kira is soon on board. Joanna has aspirations beyond just supporting Malcom’s rise to fame and she’s got some secrets of her own.
This is a book that left me with mixed feelings. I think there was a lot that was well done in the way the narrative switched between the POVs of Kira and Joanna with their stories and backstories interesting and overlapping with the drama being portrayed on stage. “Temper” is a play which centers on emotion and violence and the ways that impacts the characters in their real life is very well done.
One of the issues I had with the story is that there weren’t any characters I really liked or connected with. I would guess that was done intentionally here, but for me it made me less invested in the story. The way the characters blur the lines of their relationships between friendship and romance and bed partners wasn’t to my tastes. From the book’s synopsis I didn’t really expect that aspect of the story.
The book definitely kept my attention to want to know where the plot was heading and it definitely worked in that respect. You know things are going to get darker, you just don’t necessarily know how dark!
Wow! Every character in this is psychotic but I still felt that I couldn't pull my eyes away! I don't know what to say any more than that because I want people to experience it for themselves. All I do want to say is that, I think, one character for sure knew what they were doing and how this play would play out. Really dark, really good psychological thriller.
Temper is so intense I don't even know where it got the audacity to be so chaotic and fucked up.
Ooof. I am still untangling how I feel. Excellent storytelling — I was hanging on to every word and had no idea how things were going to play out — but I am just so frustrated and unsatisfied. Not a bad read, not a "good" one. Just...strange and unsettling.
I finished this book a couple weeks ago and my first thought was, "Wow, the ending was wild!" But I'm jumping ahead of myself a bit. This book is a tale of ambition and desire, set in the backdrop of the Chicago theater scene. It's about Kira, a 30-something actress who's finally landed the part that could be her breakout role. It also tells the story of Joanna, the business woman who runs the theater that's staging the play, Temper.
The chapters alternate perspectives between these two women. In terms of personality, Kira and Joanna are opposites. Kira is passionate and fiery, while Joanna is cool and level-headed. I thought the author did a good job of creating two distinct voices for these characters.
They're both under the spell of a man named Mal, who co-owns the theater with Joanna and stars in the play opposite Kira. Mal is mysterious and brooding and he pushes the actors and actresses that he works with to extreme lengths. Kira is warned about Mal from the beginning, but she's not about to turn down this amazing role and feels certain that she's up to the challenge. Meanwhile, Joanna has always had an unusual relationship with Malcolm, which Kira threatens when she comes into their lives.
I was fascinated by the relationship between Joanna and Mal and spent the first chunk of pages trying to figure out how they were involved. As Kira starts to become a part of their orbit, I thought the author did a good job of showing the strain on their relationships with each other. The tension kept ramping up throughout and I felt like they could reach their breaking point at any moment.
I've always enjoyed the theater, so it was fascinating to get a behind the scenes look at what goes into a production; the rehearsal hours, and practice fighting, and blood, sweat, and tears. As the rehearsals progress, Kira, Mal, and Joanna are all involved in some sort of power struggle and each person has their own agenda.
This book was compelling- I definitely wanted to know what would happen to Kira, Mal, and Joanna. The book did give me a bit of a Black Swan vibe due to the dramatic nature, and like I said, that ending left me with my jaw dropped. If you're interested in the theater and enjoy a good psychological thriller, then I'd definitely recommend this one!
The chapters alternate perspectives between these two women. In terms of personality, Kira and Joanna are opposites. Kira is passionate and fiery, while Joanna is cool and level-headed. I thought the author did a good job of creating two distinct voices for these characters.
They're both under the spell of a man named Mal, who co-owns the theater with Joanna and stars in the play opposite Kira. Mal is mysterious and brooding and he pushes the actors and actresses that he works with to extreme lengths. Kira is warned about Mal from the beginning, but she's not about to turn down this amazing role and feels certain that she's up to the challenge. Meanwhile, Joanna has always had an unusual relationship with Malcolm, which Kira threatens when she comes into their lives.
I was fascinated by the relationship between Joanna and Mal and spent the first chunk of pages trying to figure out how they were involved. As Kira starts to become a part of their orbit, I thought the author did a good job of showing the strain on their relationships with each other. The tension kept ramping up throughout and I felt like they could reach their breaking point at any moment.
I've always enjoyed the theater, so it was fascinating to get a behind the scenes look at what goes into a production; the rehearsal hours, and practice fighting, and blood, sweat, and tears. As the rehearsals progress, Kira, Mal, and Joanna are all involved in some sort of power struggle and each person has their own agenda.
This book was compelling- I definitely wanted to know what would happen to Kira, Mal, and Joanna. The book did give me a bit of a Black Swan vibe due to the dramatic nature, and like I said, that ending left me with my jaw dropped. If you're interested in the theater and enjoy a good psychological thriller, then I'd definitely recommend this one!
Temper by Layne Fargo: 7/10
Received this book as part of a promotional giveaway.
Temper is certainly a page-turner, gritty and intense. Set in the Chicago theater scene, it is only natural that this novel really brings the drama. As Kira lands the role of a lifetime, she must grapple with a director with a reputation for driving his actors to their limits. The end result, startling. A very quick, addictive read.
The novel makes good use of an interesting, unique plotline. There are not many books about the inside of the theater world, and this one succeeds at being interesting without beating the reader over the head with theater. Another plus is Fargo's style of prose which at times makes the book impossible to put down.
However, while thrilling and intense, the novel manages to be predictable. Many of the biggest "twists" did not catch me off guard and could be foreseen chapters ahead. Another qualm I have is just how sexy the novel is. Whereas sex in literature can be lovely and really contribute to a work, in the case of Temper it just seems to take up space. Everyone has sex with everyone and at times it gets old.
Overall, a very good novel. Anyone who loves thrillers should definitely purchase a copy when it is available for sale.
Received this book as part of a promotional giveaway.
Temper is certainly a page-turner, gritty and intense. Set in the Chicago theater scene, it is only natural that this novel really brings the drama. As Kira lands the role of a lifetime, she must grapple with a director with a reputation for driving his actors to their limits. The end result, startling. A very quick, addictive read.
The novel makes good use of an interesting, unique plotline. There are not many books about the inside of the theater world, and this one succeeds at being interesting without beating the reader over the head with theater. Another plus is Fargo's style of prose which at times makes the book impossible to put down.
However, while thrilling and intense, the novel manages to be predictable. Many of the biggest "twists" did not catch me off guard and could be foreseen chapters ahead. Another qualm I have is just how sexy the novel is. Whereas sex in literature can be lovely and really contribute to a work, in the case of Temper it just seems to take up space. Everyone has sex with everyone and at times it gets old.
Overall, a very good novel. Anyone who loves thrillers should definitely purchase a copy when it is available for sale.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
