Scan barcode
A review by justinkhchen
Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard
4.0
4 stars
A silly, Nolan-esque fun time, Run Time is yet another thriller this year that's not overly concerned with realism and nuanced commentary, instead simply letting its gimmick and campiness takes center stage — and I'm 100% here for the ride! (The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager being the other release this year with a similar tone)
Catherine Ryan Howard has found a way to really '3D chess' Run Time's real life vs. fiction (and vs. fiction, again) premise, and I'm glad the novel is aware of its wacky, outlandish complexity, and occasionally pokes fun of itself through character asides and meta moments alluding to writing, film making, and the thriller genre. To make many of its scenarios work, the book relies heavily on typical thriller tropes (unreliable female narrator alert!); readers who take this book as a 'serious' thriller, expecting clever twists and credible characters, might be rolling their eyes at some of it plot turns and reveals, but I personally find the overall low stake and glaring implausibilities appropriate with its B-movie vibe, and some of its closing moments are quite clever and unexpectedly insightful, concluding the book on a high note.
Overall, Run Time is a definite step up from my last experience with this author (which was The Nothing Man, while it also had the multimedia storytelling structure, the sombre, nonfiction tone has left me cold), and a quick read despite the whopping 500+ page count (the writing is skimming friendly). Check it out if you're looking for something atmospheric, and a little ridiculous.
A silly, Nolan-esque fun time, Run Time is yet another thriller this year that's not overly concerned with realism and nuanced commentary, instead simply letting its gimmick and campiness takes center stage — and I'm 100% here for the ride! (The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager being the other release this year with a similar tone)
Catherine Ryan Howard has found a way to really '3D chess' Run Time's real life vs. fiction (and vs. fiction, again) premise, and I'm glad the novel is aware of its wacky, outlandish complexity, and occasionally pokes fun of itself through character asides and meta moments alluding to writing, film making, and the thriller genre. To make many of its scenarios work, the book relies heavily on typical thriller tropes (unreliable female narrator alert!); readers who take this book as a 'serious' thriller, expecting clever twists and credible characters, might be rolling their eyes at some of it plot turns and reveals, but I personally find the overall low stake and glaring implausibilities appropriate with its B-movie vibe, and some of its closing moments are quite clever and unexpectedly insightful, concluding the book on a high note.
Overall, Run Time is a definite step up from my last experience with this author (which was The Nothing Man, while it also had the multimedia storytelling structure, the sombre, nonfiction tone has left me cold), and a quick read despite the whopping 500+ page count (the writing is skimming friendly). Check it out if you're looking for something atmospheric, and a little ridiculous.