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A review by karlanoelle
Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
So, let's start off with what I enjoyed about this book. I was in the mood to read a fun thriller, and this was exactly that. I really liked the combination of history, an art heist, investigative journalism, and globe trotting. As someone who loves learning about history, the historical component of Nazi looted art and the Holocaust were woven through the book well. The audiobook narrator was particularly great voicing such a large cast of characters, and I liked hearing the distinct accents (although I can't speak to whether they're accurate).
For what I thought could've been done better, as delicious as a villain Margaux is, she was too one-dimensional to be a truly compelling villain. I think the best villains/antagonists are the ones that have enough redeeming qualities to make you question empathizing with them, and Margaux was just a straight psychopath. While we do get some insight into her childhood, and Barr attempted to humanize her by highlighting her love for her grandfather, the emotional impact just didn't quite land for me. This is actually a common thread with some of the other characters as well. We hear their backstories that I'm sure are meant to make them more interesting and dynamic, but I feel like maybe the pacing of when we meet these characters and the timing of when we learn about their trauma is off. I think this could be a result of my second point, which is that there are A LOT of characters in this book. They all play a role in moving the story forward, so they certainly serve a purpose. But, I think Barr sacrificed fleshing out the characters and character development to accommodate such a large cast.
Overall, this was a fun read for me! Some suspension of disbelief's required, but I had a good time with it, and sometimes that's all I'm really looking for.
For what I thought could've been done better, as delicious as a villain Margaux is, she was too one-dimensional to be a truly compelling villain. I think the best villains/antagonists are the ones that have enough redeeming qualities to make you question empathizing with them, and Margaux was just a straight psychopath. While we do get some insight into her childhood, and Barr attempted to humanize her by highlighting her love for her grandfather, the emotional impact just didn't quite land for me. This is actually a common thread with some of the other characters as well. We hear their backstories that I'm sure are meant to make them more interesting and dynamic, but I feel like maybe the pacing of when we meet these characters and the timing of when we learn about their trauma is off. I think this could be a result of my second point, which is that there are A LOT of characters in this book. They all play a role in moving the story forward, so they certainly serve a purpose. But, I think Barr sacrificed fleshing out the characters and character development to accommodate such a large cast.
Overall, this was a fun read for me! Some suspension of disbelief's required, but I had a good time with it, and sometimes that's all I'm really looking for.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault