Scan barcode
A review by mandalor3960
Out on the Cutting Edge by Lawrence Block
2.0
There isn't as much investigation in this novel as Block's previous books. I think the buildup allows for that great ending in this story but the novel lacked a lot of substance compared to his previous books.
Rating Update 4/6/19- 3 stars to 2 stars. I remember being bored with reading this book. The ending was great but everything else leading up to it was not.
Rating Update 27 May 2019
Two stars to one star. I can almost guarantee I was bored while reading this book.
Rating Update 4 June 2019
With the adoption of my new rating system, a two star rating is befitting. The ending is what raises the novel to a two star rating, despite the lack of "substance" cited in the original review.
September 5, 2019
Update
To expand on the rating update from June 4, 2019, citing that the ending lifted the rating to two stars, the ending features the death of an AA member and Scudder's realization that the woman who he's been conversing with, who owns the apartments, kills the inhabitants for some gain. He then catches her by recording her. It's dark and gruesome at the end, which is why I will allow a two star-rating, although I am lent to the idea of reducing it to one star because, as all books in the mystery genre, the book takes almost the entirety to reveal the three star-rated endings, not to say that all mystery books end with a three star-rated ending.
September 14, 2019
Rating Update
I have lowered the rating of this book from two stars to one star on the premise of this section in the update from September 5, 2019: "It's dark and gruesome at the end, which is why I will allow a two star-rating, although I am lent to the idea of reducing it to one star because, as all books in the mystery genre, the book takes almost the entirety to reveal the three star-rated endings, not to say that all mystery books end with a three star-rated ending". Also, in my "Matthew Scudder List" document, I have one book rated above this book, and four ranked below it, each with a one star-rating. There is no reason that this should be a lone two star-rated book.
December 29, 2019
Rating Update
One star to two star-rating. I have raised the rating because I believe at this point in reading mystery books, I do not believe I was tired of the genre, seeing that I read mystery books (specifically Matt Scudder books) for a prolonged period of time after this book. I did not mind long buildups and found them to be OK. My previous lowering of the rating was likely because of my current dislike for mystery books. I even seem to be fine with this buildup in the original review: "I think the buildup allows for that great ending in this story".
I believe the ending placed this book above In the Midst of Death and A Stab in the Dark, books I have just changed their rating to two stars for the same reason. It is logical to raise the rating of this book to two stars.
Rating Update 4/6/19- 3 stars to 2 stars. I remember being bored with reading this book. The ending was great but everything else leading up to it was not.
Two stars to one star. I can almost guarantee I was bored while reading this book.
Rating Update 4 June 2019
With the adoption of my new rating system, a two star rating is befitting. The ending is what raises the novel to a two star rating, despite the lack of "substance" cited in the original review.
September 5, 2019
Update
To expand on the rating update from June 4, 2019, citing that the ending lifted the rating to two stars, the ending features the death of an AA member and Scudder's realization that the woman who he's been conversing with, who owns the apartments, kills the inhabitants for some gain. He then catches her by recording her. It's dark and gruesome at the end, which is why I will allow a two star-rating, although I am lent to the idea of reducing it to one star because, as all books in the mystery genre, the book takes almost the entirety to reveal the three star-rated endings, not to say that all mystery books end with a three star-rated ending.
September 14, 2019
Rating Update
I have lowered the rating of this book from two stars to one star on the premise of this section in the update from September 5, 2019: "It's dark and gruesome at the end, which is why I will allow a two star-rating, although I am lent to the idea of reducing it to one star because, as all books in the mystery genre, the book takes almost the entirety to reveal the three star-rated endings, not to say that all mystery books end with a three star-rated ending". Also, in my "Matthew Scudder List" document, I have one book rated above this book, and four ranked below it, each with a one star-rating. There is no reason that this should be a lone two star-rated book.
December 29, 2019
Rating Update
One star to two star-rating. I have raised the rating because I believe at this point in reading mystery books, I do not believe I was tired of the genre, seeing that I read mystery books (specifically Matt Scudder books) for a prolonged period of time after this book. I did not mind long buildups and found them to be OK. My previous lowering of the rating was likely because of my current dislike for mystery books. I even seem to be fine with this buildup in the original review: "I think the buildup allows for that great ending in this story".
I believe the ending placed this book above In the Midst of Death and A Stab in the Dark, books I have just changed their rating to two stars for the same reason. It is logical to raise the rating of this book to two stars.