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A review by dinipandareads
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
5.0
4.5 stars rounded up.
CW: physical and sexual abuse.
I mean, I don’t know what to say. Jane Harper has blown me away again with this story. It’s just as atmospheric as her debut novel, The Dry, and it’s simply a brilliant character driven mystery that covers complex family relationships and abuse. The air was not only thick with the oppressive heat of the outback, but with mystery and secrets that everyone kept close to their chest. There was an eerie element to this story that kept the hairs on the back of my neck raised at all times, and the writing kept pulling me along trying to figure out just what happened. I was also pleasantly surprised when I realized she tied in some of the characters and a scene from The Dry! Very cleverly done.
Once again, Jane Harper’s writing was so compelling and she seamlessly weaved the stark nature of the outback into the narrative, making it not just an important element to the story but a central part of it. It’s really hard to fathom such a place and what it’d feel like to experience it in real life, but Harper does an amazing job of making you feel the heat sinking into your skin and leaving you parched with her vivid descriptions.
The characters in this were similarly complex and I once again found myself scrutinizing all the characters and looking for signs of guilt. Nathan’s character was really interesting. He comes off as this brusque and cold man that everyone seems to dislike and steer clear of. He did a nasty thing in the past that affected his life for the last 10 odd years, and basically kept him in isolation in the middle of nowhere. You can’t help but feel sorry for him but also admire his strength for being able to survive what would’ve probably driven many others insane. Despite maybe not being the most understanding or charming of blokes, I really enjoyed the complexity of his character and his growth throughout the novel. I thought he was a great MC to follow as he tried to figure out what really happened to his brother Cam, as he worked through his childhood of abuse at the hands of his father, and as he tried to mend the relationships in his life. Harper has such a talent of making the characters come to life, even for the characters who aren’t actually alive, like Cam and the father.
The reveals leading up to the big finale also managed to surprise me. They weren’t big shocking scenes, but like much of the story, they were slow burn reveals that I really didn’t see coming. All my theories were so off the mark—maybe I really do suck at figuring these stories out, but I’m kinda glad because it just makes it more jaw dropping when it finally clicks! It shocked me but when I looked back, also gave me a deep understanding of the characters and their actions leading up to the death. All the elements fell into place and the story merged together perfectly. The final scene at the end left me feeling happy and hopeful about second chances and a fresh start for the Bright family.
Oh, I could really just go on and on about this book and Jane Harper’s writing. I’ve been so sucked into the Australian Outback and the lives of these families and I feel like I never want to leave. You can bet I’m picking up Force of Nature really soon—I just wish she had more books so I could keep reading them!
CW: physical and sexual abuse.
I mean, I don’t know what to say. Jane Harper has blown me away again with this story. It’s just as atmospheric as her debut novel, The Dry, and it’s simply a brilliant character driven mystery that covers complex family relationships and abuse. The air was not only thick with the oppressive heat of the outback, but with mystery and secrets that everyone kept close to their chest. There was an eerie element to this story that kept the hairs on the back of my neck raised at all times, and the writing kept pulling me along trying to figure out just what happened. I was also pleasantly surprised when I realized she tied in some of the characters and a scene from The Dry! Very cleverly done.
Once again, Jane Harper’s writing was so compelling and she seamlessly weaved the stark nature of the outback into the narrative, making it not just an important element to the story but a central part of it. It’s really hard to fathom such a place and what it’d feel like to experience it in real life, but Harper does an amazing job of making you feel the heat sinking into your skin and leaving you parched with her vivid descriptions.
The characters in this were similarly complex and I once again found myself scrutinizing all the characters and looking for signs of guilt. Nathan’s character was really interesting. He comes off as this brusque and cold man that everyone seems to dislike and steer clear of. He did a nasty thing in the past that affected his life for the last 10 odd years, and basically kept him in isolation in the middle of nowhere. You can’t help but feel sorry for him but also admire his strength for being able to survive what would’ve probably driven many others insane. Despite maybe not being the most understanding or charming of blokes, I really enjoyed the complexity of his character and his growth throughout the novel. I thought he was a great MC to follow as he tried to figure out what really happened to his brother Cam, as he worked through his childhood of abuse at the hands of his father, and as he tried to mend the relationships in his life. Harper has such a talent of making the characters come to life, even for the characters who aren’t actually alive, like Cam and the father.
The reveals leading up to the big finale also managed to surprise me. They weren’t big shocking scenes, but like much of the story, they were slow burn reveals that I really didn’t see coming. All my theories were so off the mark—maybe I really do suck at figuring these stories out, but I’m kinda glad because it just makes it more jaw dropping when it finally clicks! It shocked me but when I looked back, also gave me a deep understanding of the characters and their actions leading up to the death. All the elements fell into place and the story merged together perfectly. The final scene at the end left me feeling happy and hopeful about second chances and a fresh start for the Bright family.
Oh, I could really just go on and on about this book and Jane Harper’s writing. I’ve been so sucked into the Australian Outback and the lives of these families and I feel like I never want to leave. You can bet I’m picking up Force of Nature really soon—I just wish she had more books so I could keep reading them!