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siglerbooknook's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was left at the end of this book feeling like I needed a bath and not in an entertaining thriller way.
I appreciate the premise of this book and ever some of the morals Dekker was clearly pointing at through the story, morals like not using religion as a shield to condone mistreating others, or that all people are equally important.
That being said, the "Hero" Brad Raines creeped me out as much as the villain. The villain, Quentin we know is evil from the very first chapter we see him and he is clearly insane. Brad, on the other hand, is portrayed as a broken yet wonderful and desireable man, but his interactions with his partner, the victims, and especially the love interest Paradise come across as borderline preditorial.
I wanted to love the inclusion of the residents at the mental health clinic and I think it was neat that Dekker tried to use such an under appreciated part of society to bring home how important and special all people are. However, he wrote all 4 of them so childish and one dimensional that I don't feel like any of them were done justice. He fell into a lot if stereotypes while writing them that left the characters feeling flat.
My biggest fault with the story is near the end and directly deals with the final confrontation. Not only did it feel completely unbelievable, but it also kind of annoyed me how flippantly serious issues were addressed.
This is my second Dekker book so I know this story doesn't encompass his complete style, so even if you dislike this one you may find others of his novels more to your taste. While I doubt this will be one I recommend often, I do appreciate how much it made me think as I read it.
I appreciate the premise of this book and ever some of the morals Dekker was clearly pointing at through the story, morals like not using religion as a shield to condone mistreating others, or that all people are equally important.
That being said, the "Hero" Brad Raines creeped me out as much as the villain. The villain, Quentin we know is evil from the very first chapter we see him and he is clearly insane. Brad, on the other hand, is portrayed as a broken yet wonderful and desireable man, but his interactions with his partner, the victims, and especially the love interest Paradise come across as borderline preditorial.
I wanted to love the inclusion of the residents at the mental health clinic and I think it was neat that Dekker tried to use such an under appreciated part of society to bring home how important and special all people are. However, he wrote all 4 of them so childish and one dimensional that I don't feel like any of them were done justice. He fell into a lot if stereotypes while writing them that left the characters feeling flat.
My biggest fault with the story is near the end and directly deals with the final confrontation. Not only did it feel completely unbelievable, but it also kind of annoyed me how flippantly serious issues were addressed.
This is my second Dekker book so I know this story doesn't encompass his complete style, so even if you dislike this one you may find others of his novels more to your taste. While I doubt this will be one I recommend often, I do appreciate how much it made me think as I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Death, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gore, Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence
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