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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed the time jumps and the different stories that were told- even though it all connected into one larger story, each bullet felt like its own adventure. I loved how well rounded all of the characters were, and how each character had their own story as well, instead of simply being a plot device for Loo and Hawley. And I also really liked the openness of the ending, and how it seemed more like a new beginning even though there is no telling what Loo and Hawley will do next.
Father (Hawley) with a mysterious past has a daughter who is digging to discover elements of it; this is about their relationship and sometimes-thwarted attempts at a new life. The reader relives each of twelve key dangerous situations in Hawley's life when things might have ended forever, before reading through his attempt at reconciling with the present and future alongside his daughter.
This book is incredible and heartbreaking and gets at the complexity of people in a way that is really rare.
I liked this book but it wasn't quite what I was expecting, based on the title and blurb. I suppose it is technically a thriller but not in a typical fast paced "who done it" way. This is an epic story of family, love, and loyalty. It plods along, gradually piecing things together through the telling of the story of each of Samuel Hawley's gunshot wounds. I always like the alternating between present and past, and I especially like how it's presented here. The writing is beautiful, I reread some passages simply to experience them over again. It's an emotional story that I think would be enjoyed by fans of literary fiction as well as thrillers.
slow-paced
Three and a half stars. A man with a history of crime and violence takes care of a daughter and tries to reconcile his past as the girl faces an uncertain future. Good action scenes and strong characters.
So this is basically if "My Absolute Darling" wasn't just straight torture-porn. Which isn't to say it's good. It's another weird dysfunctional violent dad/daughter relationship, but more approachable, but still not healthy or satisfying. This book wanted to be so much more than it was. It wanted to be HIGH LITERATURE and it's not. I don't exactly know what it was missing, but...it was.
Would recommend!
I raced through this in 2 days and could not put it down. I really liked the structure of it, going back and forth in time, and the characters/plot reminded me of [b:Peace Like a River|227571|Peace Like a River|Leif Enger|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436139976s/227571.jpg|3332231] (mixed-up ethics, who's the hero?) and [b:Last Night in Montreal|6105964|Last Night in Montreal|Emily St. John Mandel|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328694897s/6105964.jpg|6283315] (intrigue, father/daughter dynamic) in a good way. And I always love a thread of desperation in a desolate landscape. Bonus awesomeness: the dust jacket has holes in it! I almost missed this detail because of the protective library cover, but I super love it.
I raced through this in 2 days and could not put it down. I really liked the structure of it, going back and forth in time, and the characters/plot reminded me of [b:Peace Like a River|227571|Peace Like a River|Leif Enger|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436139976s/227571.jpg|3332231] (mixed-up ethics, who's the hero?) and [b:Last Night in Montreal|6105964|Last Night in Montreal|Emily St. John Mandel|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328694897s/6105964.jpg|6283315] (intrigue, father/daughter dynamic) in a good way. And I always love a thread of desperation in a desolate landscape. Bonus awesomeness: the dust jacket has holes in it! I almost missed this detail because of the protective library cover, but I super love it.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes