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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
This book follows Jim Clemo's return to the force and the first case he works - what really happened between to teenage friends on a fateful night.
This story follows the lives Noah and Abdi, two boys with very different but heartbreaking backgrounds. Noah grew up fighting cancer and you learn that he has a relapse. Abdi is a Somali immigrant who learns of a life changing secret about his family.
One night, Noah and Abdi go on an adventure that leaves Noah in a coma and Abdi too shocked to speak. DI Clemo must determine if whether Noah's fall was accidental. He must also do this in the midst of recent racial riots, and with interference his ex-girlfriend (who has become overzealous crime journalist).
The story is told in alternating points of view which allows the reader to piece together what really happened that night. In fact, the readers learn the truth before the rest of the characters.
For me, this story was not as suspenseful as I was expecting. I also felt as there were too many stories that overlapped, though Macmillan did a wonderful job bringing it all together. Overall, I was thoroughly entertained by this book and would definitely recommend it to others.
This story follows the lives Noah and Abdi, two boys with very different but heartbreaking backgrounds. Noah grew up fighting cancer and you learn that he has a relapse. Abdi is a Somali immigrant who learns of a life changing secret about his family.
One night, Noah and Abdi go on an adventure that leaves Noah in a coma and Abdi too shocked to speak. DI Clemo must determine if whether Noah's fall was accidental. He must also do this in the midst of recent racial riots, and with interference his ex-girlfriend (who has become overzealous crime journalist).
The story is told in alternating points of view which allows the reader to piece together what really happened that night. In fact, the readers learn the truth before the rest of the characters.
For me, this story was not as suspenseful as I was expecting. I also felt as there were too many stories that overlapped, though Macmillan did a wonderful job bringing it all together. Overall, I was thoroughly entertained by this book and would definitely recommend it to others.
Surprisingly good! The end was a little convoluted, but overall I enjoyed the plot twists, character reveals, the whole thing.
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the second book in a series that follows DI Jim Clemo. I read the first one a couple of years ago, but don’t remember many of the details. There are a few references to the first book, but it doesn’t detract from the storyline in this book.
Overall, I couldn’t really get invested in this story. There weren’t any major plot twists, and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. I almost decided to put this one down, but knowing a lot of thrillers pick up in the second half, I kept going. The book did pick up a little bit, but not as much as I would have hoped.
The book also alternates between characters and some of the characters' viewpoints are from the past and some chapters alternate between viewpoints within the chapters. The chapters also aren’t labeled, so it could be a bit confusing at times.
I do remember enjoying The Perfect Girl and What She Knew, so I still look forward to picking up some other books by her, this one just wasn’t for me!
Overall, I couldn’t really get invested in this story. There weren’t any major plot twists, and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. I almost decided to put this one down, but knowing a lot of thrillers pick up in the second half, I kept going. The book did pick up a little bit, but not as much as I would have hoped.
The book also alternates between characters and some of the characters' viewpoints are from the past and some chapters alternate between viewpoints within the chapters. The chapters also aren’t labeled, so it could be a bit confusing at times.
I do remember enjoying The Perfect Girl and What She Knew, so I still look forward to picking up some other books by her, this one just wasn’t for me!
In the end, I liked it more than I thought I would, but it took me a LONG time to get hooked. I really enjoy her writing style, but I definitely didn't like this story as much as What She Knew.
I did enjoy this book. I gave it a 4 star because I felt like it was drawn out some. I figured out the ending also. I would still recommend this book.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really loved Gilly Macmillan's first novel, so maybe I just expect her books to wow me more than this did. Not bad, but nothing amazing. It did have a nice twist that I didn't expect.
I was given this copy by the publishers, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn’t read the first Detective Clemo story, which luckily didn’t matter when getting into this gloriously complex crime book. It’s different to a lot I have read - largely because it’s not about a gruesome murder! It’s not a thriller or your standard crime fare. It’s a bit slow to be fair, and I felt it was a little overwritten in places, but the themes were really well done. Just the right amount of intrigue, sentiment and facts. The story of the boys worked for me - even if Noah wasn’t particularly likeable it was hard not to have sympathy for him.
I think the story is good and I’d recommend it to someone who wanted to try something a bit different but I would also say that it does suffer slightly from being two stories in one. Noah’s story is largely unaffected by Abdi’s (though the opposite is not true) and is really only muddled by it. Whereas Abdi and his family’s story was really the more interesting and intriguing, it really only served to muddle the waters of what happened to Noah, and I’m not sure I like that particular aspect of how the story was told.
I hadn’t read the first Detective Clemo story, which luckily didn’t matter when getting into this gloriously complex crime book. It’s different to a lot I have read - largely because it’s not about a gruesome murder! It’s not a thriller or your standard crime fare. It’s a bit slow to be fair, and I felt it was a little overwritten in places, but the themes were really well done. Just the right amount of intrigue, sentiment and facts. The story of the boys worked for me - even if Noah wasn’t particularly likeable it was hard not to have sympathy for him.
I think the story is good and I’d recommend it to someone who wanted to try something a bit different but I would also say that it does suffer slightly from being two stories in one. Noah’s story is largely unaffected by Abdi’s (though the opposite is not true) and is really only muddled by it. Whereas Abdi and his family’s story was really the more interesting and intriguing, it really only served to muddle the waters of what happened to Noah, and I’m not sure I like that particular aspect of how the story was told.