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**Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.**
I have long wanted to read a novel by Isabel Allende but never got around to it until reading Ripper. Ripper was an interesting novel to start with because it is Mrs. Allende's first foray into crime fiction and appears to be a departure from her prior work. Ripper is a game played online by a group of teenagers led by Amanda with the assistance of her grandfather, Blake. After Amanda's godmother, a well-known astrologer, makes a prediction that there will be a bloodbath in the San Francisco area where Amanda and her family live, Amanda and the other Ripper players begin to investigate crimes in the Bay area, which ultimately affect those close to Amanda.
Not being a crime fiction fan I was somewhat skeptical about how I would like Ripper. I was very pleasantly surprised. The story Mrs. Allende tells in Ripper is engrossing and suspenseful to the point that I was unable to put it down once I was halfway through. She spends a significant amount of time describing even seemingly minor characters, which adds a richness to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about everyone involved in the story and cared about the characters.
The ending of Ripper was gripping and heart-wrenching, and Mrs. Allende did a wonderful job of humanizing the villain to such an extent that while what the person did was terrible, it is difficult not to sympathize with the person. She did a great job of drawing this reader in and toying with my emotions.
Overall, I thought this book was engaging, well-written, and populated by interesting, three-dimensional characters. I highly recommend this book.
I have long wanted to read a novel by Isabel Allende but never got around to it until reading Ripper. Ripper was an interesting novel to start with because it is Mrs. Allende's first foray into crime fiction and appears to be a departure from her prior work. Ripper is a game played online by a group of teenagers led by Amanda with the assistance of her grandfather, Blake. After Amanda's godmother, a well-known astrologer, makes a prediction that there will be a bloodbath in the San Francisco area where Amanda and her family live, Amanda and the other Ripper players begin to investigate crimes in the Bay area, which ultimately affect those close to Amanda.
Not being a crime fiction fan I was somewhat skeptical about how I would like Ripper. I was very pleasantly surprised. The story Mrs. Allende tells in Ripper is engrossing and suspenseful to the point that I was unable to put it down once I was halfway through. She spends a significant amount of time describing even seemingly minor characters, which adds a richness to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about everyone involved in the story and cared about the characters.
The ending of Ripper was gripping and heart-wrenching, and Mrs. Allende did a wonderful job of humanizing the villain to such an extent that while what the person did was terrible, it is difficult not to sympathize with the person. She did a great job of drawing this reader in and toying with my emotions.
Overall, I thought this book was engaging, well-written, and populated by interesting, three-dimensional characters. I highly recommend this book.