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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Someone described this as John Green meets a Quentin Taratino movie and I think that is 100 % accurate. I really liked this. It was brutal at times, but also strangely emotional and touching and even funny. Very unique. Good stuff.
I don't usually give trigger warnings, but if you are not cool with descriptions of people getting shot, then this is not the book for you. Think Quentin Tarantino on the page.
I don't usually give trigger warnings, but if you are not cool with descriptions of people getting shot, then this is not the book for you. Think Quentin Tarantino on the page.
3.5 Pretty good. Had some really nice moments, seemed to be trying a bit hard at other times.
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti zeroes in on a father, Samuel Hawley, his gritty crime life and his daughter, Loo. We see Loo grow up over the course of the book as the story works itself out. Hawley is a complicated character and I found myself trying to decide what my feelings about him were, exactly. He's not completely despicable but he's not fully likable either. Loo, while at times, an odd child with a propensity for violence, is more relatable and easier to connect to as we watch her grow and even walk through her first love.
Told in alternating chapters, we learn the backstory of Samuel Hawley through his gun wounds he's acquired over the years. The other chapters are from Loo's modern day perspective and interactions. I found myself more drawn to Loo's chapters than Hawley's, I think because I didn't develop a strong connection with Hawley and didn't care much about him or the trouble he got himself (and his family) into through his career choice. Hawley's love for and protection of Loo is definitely admirable. He will stop at nothing to protect her.
Many have raved about this book, giving it a solid 4, 4.5 and 5 stars and while I did like the story, I didn't love it. There was a lot of violence in the book, even a domestic violence scene, and a mechanical feel to the transitions between story lines. As a crime, mystery and thriller reader, I'm not afraid of grit or gruesome or even violence, but this one felt different to me.
Overall, it is a solid story and one I could even see as a movie, however, it just left me underwhelmed in the end.
Told in alternating chapters, we learn the backstory of Samuel Hawley through his gun wounds he's acquired over the years. The other chapters are from Loo's modern day perspective and interactions. I found myself more drawn to Loo's chapters than Hawley's, I think because I didn't develop a strong connection with Hawley and didn't care much about him or the trouble he got himself (and his family) into through his career choice. Hawley's love for and protection of Loo is definitely admirable. He will stop at nothing to protect her.
Many have raved about this book, giving it a solid 4, 4.5 and 5 stars and while I did like the story, I didn't love it. There was a lot of violence in the book, even a domestic violence scene, and a mechanical feel to the transitions between story lines. As a crime, mystery and thriller reader, I'm not afraid of grit or gruesome or even violence, but this one felt different to me.
Overall, it is a solid story and one I could even see as a movie, however, it just left me underwhelmed in the end.
adventurous
tense
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:
Yes
I loved this story- especially at the end. Guns, however, leave a bad taste in my mouth and as much as I enjoyed the story, they prevented me from giving 5 stars bc I don't generally enjoy reading that kind of violence
this book was sad, but really well written. the story of Loo and her dad Hawley is a strained one...full of secrets, but also full of love. I really enjoyed it, I think Hannah Tinti has a really great way with words and knows how to tell a story.
Something I really liked about this book is how it starts in the middle, works its way backwards revealing the past, and also moves forwards propelling the characters into the future. The jumping around through time was smooth, giving insights into the characters at just the right times.
Speaking of characters, I found their humanness compelling--they didn't always make the best decisions but they always made the most of what they had. This book did work its way into my heart, especially with Samuel trying to escape his past and protect his daughter from his mistakes. Life is what it is, and you can't undo the things you've done you just have to go forward.
Recommended for readers who enjoy family ties, facing your past, and criminals with heart.
Speaking of characters, I found their humanness compelling--they didn't always make the best decisions but they always made the most of what they had. This book did work its way into my heart, especially with Samuel trying to escape his past and protect his daughter from his mistakes. Life is what it is, and you can't undo the things you've done you just have to go forward.
Recommended for readers who enjoy family ties, facing your past, and criminals with heart.
I did not seem to enjoy this one as much as many did. I think my primary issue is that I found the father to be so unlikeable and without conscience in his life of crime (one scene late in the book really bothered me with its violence). Interesting concept, but didn't love it.
I feel like every year there is a book everyone loves that is a big nope for me. That is this book. Too violent, hated the characters, hated the story, hated the writing. All bad. Hated it.