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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-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:
N/A
I found it a slow read at the start. Got interesting in the middle. Left me hanging a bit in the end.
Putting this down, after our book club discussion I'm not going to waste two hours of my life reading this. It'll be my airplane or stuck at the Doctor's office book...
Can’t wait to start the next one in this series! Really enjoyed the pace of this story, and of course I loved accidentally learning about the National Archives while enthralled in this story! Another great Brad Meltzer book!
I thought this would be an interesting book because of the Dan Brown series which I enjoyed tremendously. Unfortunately, this book fell very short for me. The dialogue was horribly cheesy, the characters were not interesting and the plot was laughable. I am sorry, but when the main female character is named Clemmi for goodness sakes, you know the book will be bad. Here's my breakdown:
Characters:
Beecher is a hopeless archivist who is mourning the fact that hhis fiance, Iris, broke up with him (probably because he is so boring). The chick even left her beloved bike there and refuses to come get it. What does this have to do with the plot? Absolutely nothing except that he pines over her until he falls for Clemmi.
Clemmi is Beecher's first kiss, and apparently, one is supposed to worship their first kiss for the rest of their lives (I didn't get that memo). Clemmi is strong...no wait, she's weak, no she's pregnant, no she has cancer, no maybe not. Clemmi has the personality of a chameleon throughout this book. She just so happens to come into Beecher's life when she requests a file of her long lost daddy. Did I fail to mention Beecher lost his daddy too?? They bond over this point.
Tot is not a Tot. Tot is an older male. Perhaps this is Meltzer's point..to name people what they are NOT?? Except Beecher does have the personality of a beached animal so I guess it doesn't work there...
Plot:
Beecher takes Clemmi into a forbidden room. Clemmi and Beecher spill coffee in the room. In the chaos they knock over a chair and find a book hidden underneath which may or may not be the President's book and he's on his way to the forbidden room at that very moment. Instead of minding their own business, they take said book, not knowing what it is. Someone ends up dead two minutes later and the torture begins. In a series of twists and turns, it is revealed that everyone is the opposite of what they say they are and the book ends....it doesn't really end at all....Congratulations, you have just read 449 pages for nothing....
Characters:
Beecher is a hopeless archivist who is mourning the fact that hhis fiance, Iris, broke up with him (probably because he is so boring). The chick even left her beloved bike there and refuses to come get it. What does this have to do with the plot? Absolutely nothing except that he pines over her until he falls for Clemmi.
Clemmi is Beecher's first kiss, and apparently, one is supposed to worship their first kiss for the rest of their lives (I didn't get that memo). Clemmi is strong...no wait, she's weak, no she's pregnant, no she has cancer, no maybe not. Clemmi has the personality of a chameleon throughout this book. She just so happens to come into Beecher's life when she requests a file of her long lost daddy. Did I fail to mention Beecher lost his daddy too?? They bond over this point.
Tot is not a Tot. Tot is an older male. Perhaps this is Meltzer's point..to name people what they are NOT?? Except Beecher does have the personality of a beached animal so I guess it doesn't work there...
Plot:
Beecher takes Clemmi into a forbidden room. Clemmi and Beecher spill coffee in the room. In the chaos they knock over a chair and find a book hidden underneath which may or may not be the President's book and he's on his way to the forbidden room at that very moment. Instead of minding their own business, they take said book, not knowing what it is. Someone ends up dead two minutes later and the torture begins. In a series of twists and turns, it is revealed that everyone is the opposite of what they say they are and the book ends....it doesn't really end at all....Congratulations, you have just read 449 pages for nothing....
Beecher White is an archivist at the National Archives in Washington D.C.While trying to impress an old high school flame with a tour of the National Archives, he finds himself at the center of a Presidential level conspiracy. While giving Clementine the tour, along with Orlando his friend at the Archives, they find a book by George Washington himself, right before the president is scheduled to be in this private chamber. Immediately after finding it, his friend dies. Thus begins, a series of events, clues and conspiracy theories, that will have you wondering who is friend and who is foe. Do not expect to get to know Beecher or any of the other characters, as this book is completely plot driven, I would not quote any of the history in this book as fact either. I enjoyed this fast paced, action backed thriller.
Sadly, meh. I thought I was going to love this one...espionage, The National Archives, puzzles to solve. Instead it was so farfetched that I barely made it through. Oh well. It was worth a try.
I think this is the last book by this author I will be reading. He's really good at the beginning and even the twists and turns along the way are well done, the reveals are satisfying... To a point. The last 100-50 pages is where everything stars to wind down, then all apart and ultimately leave you thinking "Wait, what? That can't possibly be the END!" it's as if every book he writes is ended with the sequel in mind. Except, to my knowledge, none of his books have sequels. I've read four of his books now ( at least) hoping his style had improved over time and its pretty much the same every time. Moving on...
I must have really liked it more than three stars because I ripped through it in just a couple of days. I try to go with my gut on the stars though. I'm also listening (this is the sort of book my husband loves), so I might end up at four. Have already downloaded the Fifth Assassin and even though my contacts are dry and I'm so so sleepy, I'm about to start.