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deearr 's review for:
Fire Damage
by Kate Medina
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.
There are good and not-as-good elements of “Fire Damage,” although I mostly enjoyed Kate Medina’s book. Here’s why:
The author weaves a good story, blending different subplots throughout and keeping the pace steady with short chapters. Ms. Medina’s writing is so smooth that her action and dialogue proceed naturally and readers easily connect with the story without being jarred back to reality every other page. In fact, it was her talent that kept me reading in spite of the items I felt hindered the book.
The initial chapter seemed choppy and a bit forced. I realize authors feel they need to have an exciting first chapter, but good, competent writing (which Ms. Medina has in abundance) will keep readers around long enough to unfold the basic plot elements.
I also don’t understand why the great majority of mystery and thriller writers saddle the main character with an issue like OCD, PTSD, or whatever flavor seems to be popular. A good character has flaws, yes, but doesn’t have to be drowning in them. I am not saying Ms. Medina didn’t handle her character well (she did), but the psychiatrist/officer/detective with psychiatric issues has become a cliché. At least the main character, Jessie, wasn’t alone, as others in the book either should be participating in psychiatric sessions or had recently seen someone.
The twists at the end were a bit flat, and I thought the final danger was “self-inflicted,” similar to what happens when watching a horror movie. We all know the heroine shouldn’t enter the haunted house and should go straight to the police but she enters the house anyway. Yes, I know that there has to be a confrontation at the end, but I thought it could have been arranged differently.
Bottom line: Ms. Medina successfully fleshes out many of her characters, and the plot is good. The author has exceptional writing talents and artfully keeps you entertained even during the slow or dry parts of the book. In the hands of other writers, this may have been a three-star effort. Ms. Medina’s talent bumps it to four.
There are good and not-as-good elements of “Fire Damage,” although I mostly enjoyed Kate Medina’s book. Here’s why:
The author weaves a good story, blending different subplots throughout and keeping the pace steady with short chapters. Ms. Medina’s writing is so smooth that her action and dialogue proceed naturally and readers easily connect with the story without being jarred back to reality every other page. In fact, it was her talent that kept me reading in spite of the items I felt hindered the book.
The initial chapter seemed choppy and a bit forced. I realize authors feel they need to have an exciting first chapter, but good, competent writing (which Ms. Medina has in abundance) will keep readers around long enough to unfold the basic plot elements.
I also don’t understand why the great majority of mystery and thriller writers saddle the main character with an issue like OCD, PTSD, or whatever flavor seems to be popular. A good character has flaws, yes, but doesn’t have to be drowning in them. I am not saying Ms. Medina didn’t handle her character well (she did), but the psychiatrist/officer/detective with psychiatric issues has become a cliché. At least the main character, Jessie, wasn’t alone, as others in the book either should be participating in psychiatric sessions or had recently seen someone.
The twists at the end were a bit flat, and I thought the final danger was “self-inflicted,” similar to what happens when watching a horror movie. We all know the heroine shouldn’t enter the haunted house and should go straight to the police but she enters the house anyway. Yes, I know that there has to be a confrontation at the end, but I thought it could have been arranged differently.
Bottom line: Ms. Medina successfully fleshes out many of her characters, and the plot is good. The author has exceptional writing talents and artfully keeps you entertained even during the slow or dry parts of the book. In the hands of other writers, this may have been a three-star effort. Ms. Medina’s talent bumps it to four.