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A review by kamrynkoble
Livia Lone by Barry Eisler
5.0
Livia Lone by Barry Eisler is a tightly-plotted thriller featuring a protagonist that anyone can root for. It's hefty 4.2 rating on Goodreads makes perfect sense, and I've been laboring all day to think of a problem with this book.
Livia Lone, or Labee, is a victim of human trafficking. Sold by her parents from one of the hill tribes in Thailand, she and her sister Nason are packed into a truck with other children and sent away, to survive or not. After arriving in the United States speaking languages no one knows, sexually traumatized, and aching for her sister, she is slowly integrated into American culture. A sex crimes detective by the time she reaches adulthood, Livia's life is pushed forward by passionate motivators: to find her sister, and to seek vengeance against men who commit the heinous acts that led to her demise and Nason's disappearance.
I can't count the amount of times tears brimmed in my eyes reading this - first at the detailed horrors of human/sex trafficking, a topic I'm very familiar with and this novel was still horrifying, and strangely enough, with pride as Livia succeeds. She is one of the easiest protagonists to root for that I've ever come across in reading. She is particularly baffling in the way that she commits her own crimes and had her own twisted thought processes; however, as a reader, I was with her every step of the way. The book world is always seeking more strong female protagonists and Livia is just that. She's immensely strong physically, but the grit, dedication, and perseverance in her mind makes her a literary superhero.
Told in "then" and "now," segments, every era of the novel is tightly plotted in itself, and in the overarching story. Eisler is a master at writing compelling fiction that doesn't rely on dense prose and bogged-down vocabulary. This is the suspense and intrigue of Gone Girl, in a satisfying, concise victory.
Despite the literary merit of this thriller, it could be alarming to victims of physical or sexual assault of any kind. Eisler does not hold back on descriptions, but somehow, it assists in putting the reader in Lone's shoes for a uniquely personal experience despite what the reader has gone through in their own life. I encourage anyone to explore this book, despite the graphic gore. Livia Lone is a prime example of everything successful in a work of literature.
Livia Lone, or Labee, is a victim of human trafficking. Sold by her parents from one of the hill tribes in Thailand, she and her sister Nason are packed into a truck with other children and sent away, to survive or not. After arriving in the United States speaking languages no one knows, sexually traumatized, and aching for her sister, she is slowly integrated into American culture. A sex crimes detective by the time she reaches adulthood, Livia's life is pushed forward by passionate motivators: to find her sister, and to seek vengeance against men who commit the heinous acts that led to her demise and Nason's disappearance.
I can't count the amount of times tears brimmed in my eyes reading this - first at the detailed horrors of human/sex trafficking, a topic I'm very familiar with and this novel was still horrifying, and strangely enough, with pride as Livia succeeds. She is one of the easiest protagonists to root for that I've ever come across in reading. She is particularly baffling in the way that she commits her own crimes and had her own twisted thought processes; however, as a reader, I was with her every step of the way. The book world is always seeking more strong female protagonists and Livia is just that. She's immensely strong physically, but the grit, dedication, and perseverance in her mind makes her a literary superhero.
Told in "then" and "now," segments, every era of the novel is tightly plotted in itself, and in the overarching story. Eisler is a master at writing compelling fiction that doesn't rely on dense prose and bogged-down vocabulary. This is the suspense and intrigue of Gone Girl, in a satisfying, concise victory.
Despite the literary merit of this thriller, it could be alarming to victims of physical or sexual assault of any kind. Eisler does not hold back on descriptions, but somehow, it assists in putting the reader in Lone's shoes for a uniquely personal experience despite what the reader has gone through in their own life. I encourage anyone to explore this book, despite the graphic gore. Livia Lone is a prime example of everything successful in a work of literature.