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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had heard from several people that this was their favorite French novel, and I wasn't disappointed. There are only so many secrets and plot twists before you feel like you've read them all, and for the most part this one felt unique. I don't remember how much Cassie's character was developed in French's first novel. I'm wondering if I were to go back and reread it if some of her "yikes, don't do that" decisions would have made more sense. French takes a lot of care and attention to character development as well as plot, which at times felt excessive in this almost 500-pager, but overall I very much enjoyed it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
The second of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, the Likeness, casts its spotlight on Cassie Maddox. The witty and fearless detective appeared in French’s In the Woods as the main character’s partner and best friend. This time, Cassie takes on the role of narrator, and tells another thrilling story of events that take place after the conclusion of the first book. Readers would definitely benefit from reading the first novel, but would not find it necessary in order to enjoy this one. Cassie, having now moved on from the Murder Squad into a new position in Domestic Violence, gets a call from her boyfriend, Sam (who is still with the Squad). He asks for her help on a curious case that he has just been called out on. When she arrives at the scene, Cassie is surprised to also encounter her former boss from the undercover division. Frank Mackey was her supervisor when she left that job after being injured while on a mission. His presence at this scene is explained when she sees the victim. Not only does the dead woman look exactly like Cassie, she also had been using her old undercover identity, “Lexie Madison.” Frank wants her to use both her undercover and murder squad experience to impersonate the woman and solve the mystery of her death and discover her real origins. The real challenge would be deceiving the classmates that the deceased was living with- a group of strangely over-attached misfits from the college nearby. They seem to know each other to an uncanny degree, won’t talk to outsiders and are, of course, the main suspects in the murder investigation. Cassie needs to infiltrate their group and maintain their trust, using only phone video recordings to get into character. As she gets deeper into the ruse, she contends with her own search for belonging and a burgeoning desire to discover what she really wants for her own future. What is so amazing about this book is that it requires a huge suspension of disbelief and acceptance of extreme coincidence on the part of the reader-a feat that only a writer as skilled as Tana French could evoke. The next book in the series, Faithful Place, continues her exploration of different character arcs with a story involving Frank Mackey. Mystery fans who enjoy a more literary style, doppelganger fiction, and the 1992 novel Secret History (by Donna Tartt) would find much to enjoy in French’s excellent second outing.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced