I learnt everything I dont need to know about diamonds.
Such a disappointment; I've been a faithful follower of LR since inception; this latest offeriI learnt everything I dont need to know about diamonds.
Such a disappointment; I've been a faithful follower of LR since inception; this latest offering was incomprehensible. I don't know WHY do I keep on reading this series when its obviously not working anymore! Not the finest JD. It suggests to me, we've got the characters, now let's think of a plot. I have noticed that the last few books in the series have had less story and more background information. I like to wear diamonds, not know all the ins and out of where they come from. Very little story - it could have been done in three chapters. Had to virtually speed read it to find the bits of story in it.
Absolutely no depth to the background of the players, Amelia and "rookie" in particular; how a consultant commands such authority with external police services is laughable.
Perhaps LR has had his time and should retire gracefully with Amelia and Thom to a secluded beach; no more for me thank you, but great memories of The Empty Chair. Also, why on earth does Ackroyd have to have a "husband"; this scenario adds absolutely nothing to the plot....more
I've read all of Deaver's books and usually can't put them down until the last page. I love the characters: Lincoln, Amelia, Tom and the other New YorI've read all of Deaver's books and usually can't put them down until the last page. I love the characters: Lincoln, Amelia, Tom and the other New York police. The Italian police do not have same synergy.
This does not feel as if it was written by the same author. It was hard to get into and at times confusing. It's less of a plot twist, and more like a different book altogether with so many unlikely coincidences that I just became irritated with the whole scenario. Having invested time reading the greater part of the book, I finished it, but with increasing impatience ...more
I don’t know why it took so long to get to any sort of climatic point. 3/4 of the book are unnecessary long winded descriptions of her drinking and p I don’t know why it took so long to get to any sort of climatic point. 3/4 of the book are unnecessary long winded descriptions of her drinking and popping pills. The end was predictable I skipped about 15 pages. If you’ve watched any one-star horror movie, the final scene here was same. The writing itself was very good but the story just didn’t move along, characters didn’t make you care.
It's a sad commentary on the state of contemporary fiction when a book this bad is not only a best seller, but an acclaimed one. It starts off well, but quickly becomes boring, and its two "shocking revelations" are obvious from the beginning. ...more
There were couple good things in this novel; it was fast-paced which is always good and slightly unpredicable at times.
The writing was mediocre, almoThere were couple good things in this novel; it was fast-paced which is always good and slightly unpredicable at times.
The writing was mediocre, almost bad. I found myself becoming frustrated with the "third person" style narrative. It had a strange third-person narrator that jumped around perspectives, "Anne thought Marco had done it. Marco was worried Anne now suspected him. The detective watched the couple, sensing the tension between them."
When the narration is something the reader repeatedly thinks about, it's probably not a good thing.
There was not one likeable character, not one. It's hard to get excited about a book when you really don't care what happens to the characters. As for the plot, it wasn't anything new or special....more
Some of his earlier books were sheer genius but now it just feels like he could plug a few details into a computer and let it write the book for him. Some of his earlier books were sheer genius but now it just feels like he could plug a few details into a computer and let it write the book for him. The 'algorithm' is over-used and worn out. I can honestly say there wasn't a twist or turn that I hadn't seen coming a long time before it was revealed. The most annoying thing for me was the constant reference to past opponents/books. It's either a blatant attempt at selling those books or a lack of imagination in moving forward with his tales. The last 10% ( including a segment of his next book) are just plain unecesarry and a further attempt to prolong his past baddies.
Compared to most thriller writers, Deaver still chucks out a good book but I want something that surprises me at least a few times. Presumably if you've read at least some of the previous Lincoln Rhyme mysteries and already know Rhyme is a brilliant criminalist locked into a body of a quadriplegic, with almost nothing intact but his brilliant mind. Yet for this one, he's just plain old... normal. He makes a lot of mistakes, he doesnt figure out the plot, his sidekicks are the one doing all the work! I don't think that Lincoln actually figured anything worth his title out. This was a step up from the Kill Room, definitely on the way back to classic Rhyme. I enjoyed it until the rather disappointing ending, although there were too many failed attempts at introducing tension only to have the crisis miraculously resolved in the next chapter not becuase Lincoln figured it out, but rather because of some random luck.
The writing is uninspired and both the plot and many of the characters are improbable. There is also a huge element of predictability here. As soon as the person who later turned out to be the killer was introduced, I figured it had to be him.
Furthermore, the killer's actions are not consistent with what we later learn about him. He has two tats on him that someone with whom he has had sex for a year somehow has never noticed. He has a job that doesn't at all fit with his supposed religion and ideology. Supposedly, he is a hard core white supremacist, yet he only kills random white people. He beats his GF for using an obscene word, although the spiritual leader of his group very casually uses this same word. And instead of reading Rhyme's own book about CSI, he reads another and much less detailed book written by someone else, to learn about Rhyme's methods. Most weird of all, perhaps, is that he actually HAS the girl of his dreams as his GF, yet chooses to mess up all of that with some crazy terrorist plan.
Deaver really disappoints. What is happening to my favorite Crime author? Had I not read the Coffin Dancer or any other book in the Lincol Rhyme serieDeaver really disappoints. What is happening to my favorite Crime author? Had I not read the Coffin Dancer or any other book in the Lincol Rhyme series and this was my first Deaver book I would never read any thing else for him. The plot is B-O-R-I-N-G.
It wanders all over the place with too many sub-plots and hard to believe meanderings. I guess when writers are successful their editors are afraid to tell them honestly when they have a piece of crap, and people will buy it anyway.
Maybe I've read too many Rhyme novels (13!!) but I could identify pretty much all of the subtle clues left early on that would become crucial later. There was no classic Deaver "wow" moment when what I thought was going on got completely turned upside down in a way that explained everything.
Deaver's customary twists are what makes his efforts so usually enjoyable, but even they fall flat, and the ending was as disappointing and anti-climactic as I can ever remember in one of his novels. Indeed, I enjoyed his previous Katherine Dance novel more than this, and I never thought I would say that.
Rhyme and Sachs were once a great crime busting duo, but this was tired and overly long, and it is time, I'm afraid, to put them into retirement - permanently. ...more
There’s a lot going on and it moves quickly, so it took a little concentration to read. Trying to keep up with the many plot elements and mounting queThere’s a lot going on and it moves quickly, so it took a little concentration to read. Trying to keep up with the many plot elements and mounting questions is all part of what drags you into the story and keeps you there.
The end isn’t as satisfying as some mysteries and it leaves a lot of dangling threads, but the big questions do get answered. This book didn’t twist and turn the way a good thriller book should, instead it’s more of steadily building sense of mystery and mounting questions that you’re continuously untangling.
And while I liked An Anonymous Girl overall, but I thought the end wasn’t much of a surprise. There was still the question of how exactly the situation would get resolved, but there wasn’t the big dramatic “THIS CHARACTER WAS DEAD ALL ALONG�-type twists that a lot of recent hits have had.
Dr. Shields. That woman is one messed up woman. I wasn't sure if she was genius or evil. I am still not so sure. Her character definitely would give any person nightmares if she existed in real life.
A lot of the questions asked of the main character were very thought-provoking and really made you wonder how you would’ve answered. I guess there is no right or wrong answer in those sort of situations and you can’t really predict how you would react until you experience that dilemma. ...more
I enjoyed the book overall. Yes, it's very romance driven, which can only make me assume that the moral of the series is finding meaning in loving othI enjoyed the book overall. Yes, it's very romance driven, which can only make me assume that the moral of the series is finding meaning in loving others. But then we get to the chapter on Finn, a 300-pound kid. It started out very interesting, but as I kept reading I realized the plot wasn't going anywhere. A's experience as each person was cool from their perspective, especially because A was able to accept and appreciate such a diverse group of individuals (except for one guy who A fat shamed when in his body- not cool).
Throughout the book Levithan does an outstanding job at describing each person A (the main character) inhabits, giving each character a story (which is maybe the only thing I liked about the book), a humane level of respect, the benefit of the doubt even.
Everyone, except Finn.
With Finn, the author immediately tosses us into a world of self-loathing based entirely on A's assumption that being obese is the reason for self-loathing. Instead of looking at obesity as a symptom of deeper issues both mental and physical, A, cannot see beyond Finn's body to assess how it all happened - leaving us to once again, assume that all fat people got there through their own choices and nothing else. At one point A even equates Finn's emotions to a burp and describes that he/she COULD look deeper into Finn and find there some level of humanity. But he/she never tried. Instead, A couldn't get out of Finn's body soon enough - leaving Finn with no vote of confidence, and not even the decency of telling us his story.
If Levithan had done the same for the gay, trans, black, Asian etc. stories in his book, there would have been an uproar of condemnation. But it's still okay to pick on the fat kid - and I am disappointed that a character who has no body of his/her own, is still passing judgment on the body of another who did not ask to be inhabited, and certainly did not ask to be inhabited and judged.
It appears that to A (and Levithan) being fat is so far worse than being a creeper who jumps from body to body with no physical body of his/her own. It's amusing to me that A can argue his/her own value to Rhiannon, but not see Finn's value as a human being....more
My biggest problem with this book is the fact that the readers are told this story is centered around Lara dealing with the afTook me ages to finish!!
My biggest problem with this book is the fact that the readers are told this story is centered around Lara dealing with the aftermath of her private love letters being sent out to boys she's had feelings for in the past. But that is only in the beginning of the book, and the problem gets resolved fairly quickly. Which is fine, but I almost didn't even see a point of there being five letters/boys when only two of them actually matter. At least right now, since there is one boy we got no closure on at all. So we will see how they come into play in the next books.
The writing was okay, but not my favorite. ...more
Another reason to why I should google the book before reading it first.
What is going on in this book!? how come everyone is giving it 5 stars and am Another reason to why I should google the book before reading it first.
What is going on in this book!? how come everyone is giving it 5 stars and am just sitting here wondering if I had read the same book as everyone. I think it was categorized under a Cult Classic list on some website.
Unfortunately it just didn't work for me at all. I enjoyed the writing style but I really didn't like either of the main characters and I couldn't connect with them or even see why they connected with each other. There was no spark and I found them self-obsessed, obsessive and not really very nice characters. Maybe that was the point and that would have been fine if there had been any believable connection between them but for me there really wasn't and I found myself skimming through it toward the end....more
If I were to rate this book as a thriller/crime, then it wont go past 2 stars. I can't decide whether it is a coming of age story or a murder mystery If I were to rate this book as a thriller/crime, then it wont go past 2 stars. I can't decide whether it is a coming of age story or a murder mystery or romance! However, because I liked the characters and the fact that the book is a page turner, as well as the fact that Owens wrote of the pain of loss and betrayal, solitary life, and prejudices it got 4 stars from me (might change to 3 later).
Even though it tugged the emotions, the crime mystery meant the book was more entertaining than dramatic; it could be more accurately described as a page turner than a heart breaker. ...more
The first twenty pages were intriguing and edited well, after that it all goes downhill. It’s a weird story, no doubt about it. The premise sounded reThe first twenty pages were intriguing and edited well, after that it all goes downhill. It’s a weird story, no doubt about it. The premise sounded really good. A woman legally married to a man who has two other wives. She becomes curious & breaks the rules by looking up his newest wife. here were inconsistencies, a few red herrings, a lack of character development & no one came across as being anything more than a caricature. It was an unusual storyline & it could’ve been a really good thriller but it needs a lot of work & some characters you’d really want to know.
All in all, it was OKAY, I wouldn't read it again though....more
Okay I have to admit. I did not see that plot twist! which is usually sends me into hitting the 5 stars but the ending felt rushed and it just took awOkay I have to admit. I did not see that plot twist! which is usually sends me into hitting the 5 stars but the ending felt rushed and it just took away from the punch line being dramatic and surprising enough.
Many books are marketed as compelling page-turners. This one certainly is. Rather than investigating a crime, the novel investigates the mind of a criminal. And I have to say that the author did present few references and explantations to some controversial issues such as addiction in a interesting way. ...more
There was something unique about this book that had me hooked from start to end. I felt the band dynamic and all of their interactions were well deve There was something unique about this book that had me hooked from start to end. I felt the band dynamic and all of their interactions were well developed. It was effortless to get immersed in the pages. I also enjoyed how it also dealt with themes like trust and self-worth in subtle and thought-provoking ways.
Cliche as the book premise may be, but it worked out for me in the end....more
I was totally fine with the book and didn't think that there was anything special, until the last page where just this one sentence managed to seal thI was totally fine with the book and didn't think that there was anything special, until the last page where just this one sentence managed to seal the 300 pages together beautifully. this again shows how the book ends is crucial.
“كا� النبطي مبتغاي من المبتدأ، وحلمي الذي لم يكتمل الى المنتهى…مال� دوما مستسلمة لما يأتيني من خارجي، فيستلبني…أحج� انا حتى لا يحركني الهوى، وتقودني امنيتي الوحيدة؟”…وأخير� فهي تنطق بالجملة الأخيرة المعبرة (ص.381): � هل اغافلهم، وهم أصلا غافلون، فأعود اليه…لأبق� معه، ومعا نموت، ثم نولد من جديد�! ...more
Apparently am the only one who read the 3rd book without starting the first two. To be honest its not my type of read but I got stuck on a long flightApparently am the only one who read the 3rd book without starting the first two. To be honest its not my type of read but I got stuck on a long flight and it was the only available book. However, I appreciated the humor and insight into the culture. Great easy fun read!...more
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