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missyp 's review for:
As Long as We Both Shall Live
by JoAnn Chaney
Can we start a movement to add 1/2 stars to Goodreads? IMO As Long As... was more than "it was okay" (2 stars), but I hesitated to say "I liked it" (3 stars). For me, 2.5 would be "I wanted to like it, but..." [fill in the blank]. In this case, I wanted to like As Long As..., but I was so frustrated by the lack of character development.
I found many of the characters potentially compelling, but I felt like I didn't know them at all. I could describe them, but I had no idea of who they really were ... actually, it felt like the author didn't know who they were. If anyone should know them, it's the author.
I wish I could describe this better, but I feel like an author is/should be an advocate for her characters. And being is an advocate is helping the reader understand the motivations of the character (even if they are bad motivations).
I think the plot twists and turns were interesting and surprising (and I love being surprised, hence the extra 1/2 star). I wonder if As Long As... could be a better movie than book. Sometimes a terrific actor can develop a backstory for her character and infuse her performance with that backstory.
So, read As Long As... for the twists and turns. They didn't disappoint.
(PS Did I miss the reason why one of the main characters -- a tough as nails, not always by the book, completely unlikable detective -- is named Ralph Loren? As in the ur-preppy fashion designer Ralph Lauren? It was kind of jarring, and I kept expecting some explanation in the story.)
I found many of the characters potentially compelling, but I felt like I didn't know them at all. I could describe them, but I had no idea of who they really were ... actually, it felt like the author didn't know who they were. If anyone should know them, it's the author.
I wish I could describe this better, but I feel like an author is/should be an advocate for her characters. And being is an advocate is helping the reader understand the motivations of the character (even if they are bad motivations).
I think the plot twists and turns were interesting and surprising (and I love being surprised, hence the extra 1/2 star). I wonder if As Long As... could be a better movie than book. Sometimes a terrific actor can develop a backstory for her character and infuse her performance with that backstory.
So, read As Long As... for the twists and turns. They didn't disappoint.
(PS Did I miss the reason why one of the main characters -- a tough as nails, not always by the book, completely unlikable detective -- is named Ralph Loren? As in the ur-preppy fashion designer Ralph Lauren? It was kind of jarring, and I kept expecting some explanation in the story.)