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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
like just only okay like kinda disappointing and animal thing was weird
3.5 stars. Although I wasn't overly impressed, the more I got into the book the more I came to appreciate the writing. The characters grew on me.
Tana French is a master at spinning a good mystery and at creating rich, vivid characters. In this one, a horrible family tragedy turns into an examination of the recession, suicide, mental illness and all the awful ways those things impact families. French also demands that we examine our views on what it means to be "normal" in today's society as well as what it may cost some to try to live up to that rather arbitrary definition. At what price do we demand normalcy? and who gets to say what that should even entail? I loved getting to know Scorcher Kennedy again even though he ended up breaking my heart, and I have to wonder if Richie will ever pop up again too...possibly for redemption. Who knows. What I do know is that this book affirms that anything by French is a worthy read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Suicide, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Tana French is one of my favorite authors. I await the arrival of a new book from her impatiently and I am never disappointed. Her Dublin Murder Squad series never fails to keep me turning pages, admiring her writing style, and given much to think about as she opens up this complex world.
Broken Harbor is, like all Ms. French's books, about a murder and the cops who are assigned to it. This time it's a truly awful murder - two small children suffocated in their sleep, father and mother both knifed in the downstairs part of the house, lying together in death. Except the mother's alive and from there things get interesting.
Ms. French has a real affinity for bringing together the typical police procedural along with deeper stories about the families and the cops who are affected by the crime. Murder is complicated, solving it is difficult, everyone has beliefs that may prevent a solve, and no gets out completely alive. Richly realized characters, gorgeous writing, wonderful stories - all the things I love in a novel. Highly recommended.
Visit me at chaotic compendiums for reviews and more.
Broken Harbor is, like all Ms. French's books, about a murder and the cops who are assigned to it. This time it's a truly awful murder - two small children suffocated in their sleep, father and mother both knifed in the downstairs part of the house, lying together in death. Except the mother's alive and from there things get interesting.
Ms. French has a real affinity for bringing together the typical police procedural along with deeper stories about the families and the cops who are affected by the crime. Murder is complicated, solving it is difficult, everyone has beliefs that may prevent a solve, and no gets out completely alive. Richly realized characters, gorgeous writing, wonderful stories - all the things I love in a novel. Highly recommended.
Visit me at chaotic compendiums for reviews and more.
mysterious
medium-paced
This one was better than the first book in the series, but it got monotonous toward the end. It also kind of felt like she didn’t know how to wrap it up.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The amateur reviewer's lament: WHY is it so much harder to review a book you love, rather than one you loathe??
Tana French has given us another fantastic addition to her Dublin Murder Squad series. After a "meh" (for me, anyways) installment with Faithful Place, French is back in high gear with Broken Harbor. This time around, the hot seat is occupied by Michael "Scorcher" Kennedy. When a young family is brutally murdered on a new estate near the coast, Kennedy is on the case. Even though he has a rookie for a partner, he's got the best solve rate on the squad and it confident that he'll find his man. However, the doubts and questions pile up as this picture perfect family's past comes to light, and Kennedy's own history with Broken Harbor begins to seep into the case.
French's books are so much more than a simple mystery. The flawed characters, tragic pasts, conflicting morals, unusual settings and social commentary, take her books out of easy categorization. Add in her sparse, taut writing and it's ... what? Literary fiction? Noir? Mystery? Social history? It's a bit of everything and defies categorization except for GOOD. DAMN GOOD. SO GOOD you put everything down and read it right now GOOD.
Tana French has given us another fantastic addition to her Dublin Murder Squad series. After a "meh" (for me, anyways) installment with Faithful Place, French is back in high gear with Broken Harbor. This time around, the hot seat is occupied by Michael "Scorcher" Kennedy. When a young family is brutally murdered on a new estate near the coast, Kennedy is on the case. Even though he has a rookie for a partner, he's got the best solve rate on the squad and it confident that he'll find his man. However, the doubts and questions pile up as this picture perfect family's past comes to light, and Kennedy's own history with Broken Harbor begins to seep into the case.
French's books are so much more than a simple mystery. The flawed characters, tragic pasts, conflicting morals, unusual settings and social commentary, take her books out of easy categorization. Add in her sparse, taut writing and it's ... what? Literary fiction? Noir? Mystery? Social history? It's a bit of everything and defies categorization except for GOOD. DAMN GOOD. SO GOOD you put everything down and read it right now GOOD.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced