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A review by cecile87
The Woods by Harlan Coben
3.0
This is my first Harlan Coben novel. It had all the right elements to keep me engaged. A likeable protagonist along with an interesting array of characters, an interesting number of women. That the lines of right and wrong, the ethical and unethical get blurred is clearly on display here. These days I so want accountability and justice here in the real world. But I guess that has never been the case. The history of the police industry uncovers how it was built to maintain white power after reconstruction, after all.
Anyway, I read this book to escape the issues of current politics, the pressures of COVID and quaratining, the misery of the incessant white-body assaults upon black bodies. Looks as though I can’t escape that. This story ended up not being as much an escape as I’d hoped. I did not avoid the never ending litany of white-bodies attacking black ones and trying to get away with it. This was not the main issue in the story, but it led to some of the woes of the protagonist.
The timely cultural details were overused: music titles in particular. I did like his chief investigator—a strong, very competent woman. Also, I’m not much into learning how much struggle men have around attractive women. Been done to death—not entertaining, especially when repeated over and again.
I may read another one of his books at some point.
Anyway, I read this book to escape the issues of current politics, the pressures of COVID and quaratining, the misery of the incessant white-body assaults upon black bodies. Looks as though I can’t escape that. This story ended up not being as much an escape as I’d hoped. I did not avoid the never ending litany of white-bodies attacking black ones and trying to get away with it. This was not the main issue in the story, but it led to some of the woes of the protagonist.
The timely cultural details were overused: music titles in particular. I did like his chief investigator—a strong, very competent woman. Also, I’m not much into learning how much struggle men have around attractive women. Been done to death—not entertaining, especially when repeated over and again.
I may read another one of his books at some point.