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sissonp33's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ravenjones's review against another edition
1.0
Very generic thriller with cardboard cutout characters.
This guy convinced his sister to drown herself, as a joke, with all of his friends and they forgot about her so she actually died and now he's hell bent on killing the kids of the people who he did it with like 50 years later (despire the fact that the people who he killed his sister with are all still alive). And he has a brain tumour so he's like a less commercially successful Jigsaw.
justinbaumann71's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
2.0
"Nine Lives" by Peter Swanson starts with a promising premise but quickly descends into a convoluted and underwhelming narrative. The book's central idea—nine strangers receiving a mysterious list with their names—initially piques interest, but the execution leaves much to be desired. As these individuals, ranging from an oncology nurse to an aspiring actor, begin to meet grim fates, the story fails to deliver on its potential.
The novel's biggest flaw lies in its unwieldy cast of characters. With nine main characters, plus an antagonist and a host of secondary figures, the narrative becomes a jumbled mess. The decision to structure the book into sections that shrink as characters are eliminated exacerbates the confusion, making it hard for readers to keep track of who's who. This overcrowding forces a shallow treatment of each character, reducing them to mere stereotypes—one-dimensional figures that are easy to forget.
Further diminishing the story's impact is Swanson's clumsy and obvious homage to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." The novel borrows heavily from Christie's classic, right down to the countdown of victims, but lacks the finesse and suspense that made the original a masterpiece. Instead, the references feel forced and heavy-handed, as if Swanson is trying too hard to align himself with a genre icon.
The plot twist, meant to be a shocking revelation, is telegraphed far too early, making the latter half of the book a predictable slog. The so-called mystery unravels around the 40% mark, leaving little incentive for readers to continue other than to see the inevitable conclusion play out. The pacing, supposedly brisk, instead feels rushed and disorganized, further detracting from any potential engagement.
In the end, "Nine Lives" is a disappointing read, marred by a bloated cast, lackluster character development, and a derivative plot. For a second outing with Peter Swanson, this book leaves me questioning the author's acclaim. Perhaps his more popular works hold the key to his appeal, but based on this experience, it's hard to see what that might be.
kat_fields's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Peter Swanson writes an entertaining thriller, but there are better homages to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.
heatherlovesstories's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
soojaymax's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
mcngoddess's review
4.0
4--4.5
Its amazing how quickly I fell in love with the characters only to have them *spoiler alert* die.
Thankfully, Mr. Swanson wrote a character list and a short description of the 9 characters at the front of the book.
In the beginning, I had a little trouble keeping it straight, but once I got to know the characters, I was good.
The nod to Agathe Christie made me think I could figure it out... and I did, but not completely.
I appreciated the ending, which answered any questions.
Well paced. Enjoyable.
Its amazing how quickly I fell in love with the characters only to have them *spoiler alert* die.
Thankfully, Mr. Swanson wrote a character list and a short description of the 9 characters at the front of the book.
In the beginning, I had a little trouble keeping it straight, but once I got to know the characters, I was good.
The nod to Agathe Christie made me think I could figure it out... and I did, but not completely.
I appreciated the ending, which answered any questions.
Well paced. Enjoyable.