A review by lfro2013
Die Trying by Lee Child

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I'll be honest, I didn't like this one as much as the first one. There were just some parts that didn't make very much sense to me. Obviously there's suspension of disbelief with a Jack Reacher book, But I mean things that just didn't seem in character for the characters. 
For example, the three people kidnapping Reacher and Holly are just three guys, somewhat trained, with guns. It just seems a bit ridiculous to me that, at no point during his three-day captivity, did reach your ever figure out a way to get them out. Especially considering two times he easily got himself out of his restraints. I know they try and make it seem like the dog in the house means he couldn't do anything, but I don't understand why they couldn't hotwire a car. The book was written long enough ago that you were still able to hotwire cars at the time, so I don't know why he never decided to do that. Also there's the bit when he's got their numbers down to two, he's got the chain on his wrist which could be a weapon, and yet he does nothing to take down the two guys. He also makes no effort to get out of the truck while they're in it. Overall, it seemed like an inconsistent reduction of Reachers capabilities just to get us to the point where they're all trapped in the compound. Obviously I understand why that's good for the narrative, but it just seems inconsistent. Also, it seems inconsistent that the big baddie Borken would just be walking around in the open on his compound when he knows Reacher is lurking somewhere in the forest with a rifle.

Generally speaking, it was pretty good and interesting, but not as compelling as the ones that have a smaller scope to me. For example, the Midnight Line, that one I liked partially because the stakes weren't so high.
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