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A review by mrsbooknerd
Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks
1.0
‘Black Rabbit Summer’ had all the right ingredients to make a smashing cake novel. Add a reunion of old friends who have long gone their own ways, a dash of alcohol and drugs, a pinch of murder and a swirl of odd disappearances… it all sounds like the recipe for a perfect crime/thriller.
So what the heck happened?!
The plot was torturously slow and lacked any real tension. There was one key event at the fair, and after that it became a monotonous series of Pete sneaking out, getting into trouble, coming home and restarting the cycle. We weren’t really involved in the police procedural; we weren’t really involved with the killer’s story. All we had was Pete. Pete the moron.
Pete who was told on multiple occasions that he should keep out of the investigation and stay at home. Pete who was passionate about finding his friend – guilty conscience – but constantly lied to anyone who could have offered him help. Pete who constantly put himself into dangerous situations without any thought of consequences. I mean, the kid was an absolute moron. Were we supposed to like him?
Not that any of the other characters were all that likable. Paul, Eric, Nic and Wes were all awful. They were so suspicious from start to finish that I don’t know how Pete could remain so ignorant of their involvement with each other, and the murder. There was absolutely no subtlety at all. They reeked of suspicion.
I can’t even remember the name of the reality star. She was such a small part of the story at the start, that I don’t know how she came to have a more satisfying ending than Raymond. No one cared what happened to her because all we cared about - through Pete – was Raymond. So much energy and time went into worrying about Raymond and then the book just ends. It was all so pointless. It wasn’t clever, it wasn’t mysterious and it wasn’t a cliff-hanger. It was ridiculous.
So, our recipe has blended a slow plot with unlikable characters and a dash of unsatisfactory ending, but what would really add some depth of flavour to this book…? I know! How about… I literally don’t even know what this was about or why it was incorporated into a standard crime novel. I can’t even begin to guess. Again, it was pointless.
Pointless, pointless, pointless.
So what the heck happened?!
The plot was torturously slow and lacked any real tension. There was one key event at the fair, and after that it became a monotonous series of Pete sneaking out, getting into trouble, coming home and restarting the cycle. We weren’t really involved in the police procedural; we weren’t really involved with the killer’s story. All we had was Pete. Pete the moron.
Pete who was told on multiple occasions that he should keep out of the investigation and stay at home. Pete who was passionate about finding his friend – guilty conscience – but constantly lied to anyone who could have offered him help. Pete who constantly put himself into dangerous situations without any thought of consequences. I mean, the kid was an absolute moron. Were we supposed to like him?
Not that any of the other characters were all that likable. Paul, Eric, Nic and Wes were all awful. They were so suspicious from start to finish that I don’t know how Pete could remain so ignorant of their involvement with each other, and the murder. There was absolutely no subtlety at all. They reeked of suspicion.
Spoiler
Wes and Eric must have been the least subtle story, but Pete seemed surprised to have it revealed. Really, Pete. Really?I can’t even remember the name of the reality star. She was such a small part of the story at the start, that I don’t know how she came to have a more satisfying ending than Raymond. No one cared what happened to her because all we cared about - through Pete – was Raymond. So much energy and time went into worrying about Raymond and then the book just ends. It was all so pointless. It wasn’t clever, it wasn’t mysterious and it wasn’t a cliff-hanger. It was ridiculous.
So, our recipe has blended a slow plot with unlikable characters and a dash of unsatisfactory ending, but what would really add some depth of flavour to this book…? I know! How about…
Spoiler
A black rabbit that talks to people through their thoughts?! And how about, when the real rabbit is slaughtered and its head is cut off and impaled on a fence post for absolutely no reason, a ceramic rabbit takes over talking to people?! Genius.Pointless, pointless, pointless.