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kat_mayerovitch's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, was this ever a treat! I wasn't sure what was going on in the beginning. Was this man our antagonist? Someone else? But by the third chapter or so I was absolutely hooked, and it kept me gripped for the entire rest of the novel.
I'm terrible at chess, but like many of the characters in this book, I'm a sucker for a good puzzle. So it doesn't matter if it's a political thriller, a twisted fantasy, or an old-fashioned heist: if you give some brilliant minds a twisted set of clues to follow, I'm here for it. Bonus that these characters manage to be so multidimensional and flawed in spite of their brilliance, a testament to Abrams's skill as an author.
Definitely recommend this one!
I'm terrible at chess, but like many of the characters in this book, I'm a sucker for a good puzzle. So it doesn't matter if it's a political thriller, a twisted fantasy, or an old-fashioned heist: if you give some brilliant minds a twisted set of clues to follow, I'm here for it. Bonus that these characters manage to be so multidimensional and flawed in spite of their brilliance, a testament to Abrams's skill as an author.
Definitely recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Terminal illness, and Murder
snipinfool's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this. While romance is usually my genre of choice, I am glad I read this one. The twists and turns kept me entertained and I found myself wanting to race through chores so I could get back to it. It's sad that I could see the events from this story happening here. Power hungry politicians who think they are above the law in the name of "patriotism" number too many to count. Excellent story Ms. Abrams.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Addiction
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
While Justice Sleeps is a legal and political thriller, written by Stacey Abrams who is obviously very knowledgeable about the operations and machinations of both arenas. Avery Keene is a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn, who is frequently the swing vote on important high profile cases. When he falls into a coma Avery is stunned to learn that she, not his wife or son, has been named as his legal guardian and power of attorney. With no legal precedent for what to do in this situation and some important cases, including one relating to a merger between an American biotech business and an Indian genetics company, awaiting verdicts much handwringing and wrangling results. Avery uncovers information suggesting a chilling conspiracy as well as chess-like clues left by Wynn which put her in danger.
Avery is an intelligent and principled character trying to manage a uniquely stressful situation as well as dealing with her mother’s addiction issues. She’s certainly a character you can root for. But like all thrillers it’s the plot that keeps you reading and this is multi-layered and detailed with plenty of twists and turns. It is frightening how plausible so much of this book is. Not being a chess player nor having much chess knowledge (nor a deep knowledge of the American political and legal landscape come to that) undoubtedly meant I missed some of the finer points. But that mattered not a bit. Thing kept moving and the intrigue intensified so I had no time to dwell on my deficiencies. Besides there were enough ethical issues for me to mull over. Not to mention lots of morally reprehensible behaviour to rail against.
Possibly a bit too detailed and intricate for me as a reader, but it kept me engrossed from beginning to end and left me with plenty to think about.
Avery is an intelligent and principled character trying to manage a uniquely stressful situation as well as dealing with her mother’s addiction issues. She’s certainly a character you can root for. But like all thrillers it’s the plot that keeps you reading and this is multi-layered and detailed with plenty of twists and turns. It is frightening how plausible so much of this book is. Not being a chess player nor having much chess knowledge (nor a deep knowledge of the American political and legal landscape come to that) undoubtedly meant I missed some of the finer points. But that mattered not a bit. Thing kept moving and the intrigue intensified so I had no time to dwell on my deficiencies. Besides there were enough ethical issues for me to mull over. Not to mention lots of morally reprehensible behaviour to rail against.
Possibly a bit too detailed and intricate for me as a reader, but it kept me engrossed from beginning to end and left me with plenty to think about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Murder, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Addiction
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There was so much I didn't like about this book, which was a big disappointment as I really like Stacey Abrams.
First of all, the plot was preposterous. Not the part about the genetics and the government secrecy, but the part about Avery and her pals running around being heroes.
Secondly, the convoluted games were quite clever and entertaining, but strained credulity. For there to have been so little interaction for two years, how could Judge Wynn possibly have known Avery well enough to think she'd solve his puzzles?
Third, bits and pieces were left out so continuity was spotty. One non-spoiler example: how and when did Avery, et al, determine that Wilma was Betty?
Fourth, there was so much repetition: Avery's "green eyes, the mother who "gave her life" (as in, gave birth to Avery).
Overall, my ability to suspend disbelief fizzled out early on and I'm sad to be so disappointed.
First of all, the plot was preposterous. Not the part about the genetics and the government secrecy, but the part about Avery and her pals running around being heroes.
Secondly, the convoluted games were quite clever and entertaining, but strained credulity. For there to have been so little interaction for two years, how could Judge Wynn possibly have known Avery well enough to think she'd solve his puzzles?
Third, bits and pieces were left out so continuity was spotty. One non-spoiler example: how and when did Avery, et al, determine that Wilma was Betty?
Fourth, there was so much repetition: Avery's "green eyes, the mother who "gave her life" (as in, gave birth to Avery).
Overall, my ability to suspend disbelief fizzled out early on and I'm sad to be so disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Addiction, Medical content, and Islamophobia
niklit's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This isn't my usual genre of books. I probably would have liked it more if I knew more about the legal system and the way our government is run, but since I don't, I had a hard time keeping up with some of the twists, turns, and legalese. Not a bad book at all, but just not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Genocide
electrifyingpenguin's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Genocide, Death, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Kidnapping
jdsquared's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Death
Minor: Blood
kmaron's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Death
lisafrancine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Violence
mangofandango's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I've never really read a political thriller before, but I have so much respect for Stacey Abrams and I like to sometimes try something outside of my typical reading choices, so I picked this one up at the library. I can't say I have a new favorite genre, but it was worth reading. It involves chess, which I don't know much about, probate court and guardianship (which I know more about than I used to thanks to the podcast Toxic, about Britney Spears' conservatorship and the issue of conservatorship and guardianship abuse, check it out), genetic bioengineering, which I could mostly follow, and a lot of other Stuff that makes it a fairly weighty read for a thriller. I didn't have as much fun as I usually do when reading something marketed as a thriller, but I did find this to be an interesting experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Xenophobia, and Gun violence