I have no stake in this series at all, I simply found it on Libby because my favourite guy, Jacques Roy, is the narrator of the audiobook and where heI have no stake in this series at all, I simply found it on Libby because my favourite guy, Jacques Roy, is the narrator of the audiobook and where he goes, I follow.
The initial crime, the murder of an exonerated convict, turns into several more crimes and finding the true culprit twists and turns until it is, at last, finally resolved. The solution is somewhat tepid, it's not bad per se, but it was never truly exciting. However it did feel very realistic, which I appreciate and do, in most circumstances and certainly in this one, prefer over cheap thrills. And while it may not have been high on mystery, it was well plotted and allowed itself to be slow when it needed to be slow, something I like in a novel. I had an inkling who the culprit might be, but I was engaged enough to keep listening till the end nonetheless.
This is also the 19th in a series, and it felt a little like it was written for people who would simply enjoy seeing these characters together and not pay too much attention to the plot itself. I never felt cut off from understanding the characters or their relationships, despite 18 books of backstory. Lescroart does a deft job at making this an easy read for both returning and new readers, something I found genuinely impressive.
And I quite genuinely liked the primary characters. They never acted in stupid ways, which I absolutely loved, they had good, measured conversations about the law and the justice system, and each presented their own view of the world. I imagine Lescroart's attention to detail when it comes to solving crimes and prosecuting (or defending) criminals mixed with his ability to write sympathetic and likable characters that have actual opinions on things is what makes him a popular writer - and deservedly so, at least so far.
I doubt this is his finest work, but it was certainly good enough that I'll probably return to the series, perhaps even start from the beginning. It seems a nice comfort-food sort of read. ...more
The greatest crime this book commits is not the clichés, the sexism, the glorification of cops or the supremely unlikable characters. It's that, despiThe greatest crime this book commits is not the clichés, the sexism, the glorification of cops or the supremely unlikable characters. It's that, despite all this, it's boring as hell.
Truly just a very tedious and longwinded affair. It ramps up somewhat in the second half (if you manage to make it that far, the first half is very dull), and the action is not bad, but it never had me on the edge of my seat. Mostly because the characters are flat and often obnoxious stereotypes. Brilliant Cop with a Sad Past. Beautiful Ex-Wife with a Flourishing Career (she's seriously described as "a fit woman who embraced her feminine features", whatever the hell that means). Cop Side Characters Who Mostly Do Sexist Banter. Evil Criminal Addicted to Drugs. Authority Figures Who Won't Listen to Reason.
Well, I picked up a book called Megalodon: Bloodbath, so I'm obviously not opposed to those things. It's just that Cole clearly doesn't himself think these characters suck ass. They're not parodies, although that would have worked better. They're stereotypes presented as people, but you never root for anyone, because you cannot bring yourself to care. There's nothing to care about. If it had been non-stop shark action no one would have noticed, but it's not. We spend so much fucking theme with these fucking ghosts of real characters before anything exciting happens.
They don't even know there's a shark for 40% of the book, and our time is instead filled mainly with "getting to know" our main characters (you'll wish you knew less as time goes on), and reading about random people's random lives just before they get vaguely eaten. And there's a dumb B-plot with some criminals that are portrayed as just Pure Evil, and yet we have to spend page after page seeing them do Bad Criminal Things and be Bad People Worthy of Death. Give me more shark!!
The real problem is that this book tries to be a serious book rooted in realism, but first of all, it's a book about a giant shark eating people, so what the hell are you doing that for, and second of all, Cole clearly is not a competent enough writer to sell it, and he's not incompetent enough to make this accidentally hilarious.
I never had any desire to read another page and yet I kept going. Fortunately (spoiler alert!), they manage to defeat the shark by making it eat 9 kilos of cocaine, so you know, that was something at least. Even if that was just after Brilliant Cop and Beautiful Ex-Wife got back together. Christ. ...more
I'm unsure whether to rate this book. Rating things is the whole premise of it, but it also starts with explaining how inadequate star-ratings really I'm unsure whether to rate this book. Rating things is the whole premise of it, but it also starts with explaining how inadequate star-ratings really are. They give us nothing of any real value, which is exemplified in a pretty humorous way by Green writing poignant essays about something and then rating that thing at the end. That rating just doesn't really seem adequate to what came before it.
So I won't rate this, but I will tell you that it is a compelling, sentimental, delightful, joyous and heartbreaking read. I had few expectations of it, but found myself deeply moved and inspired. Inspired to start creating more, inspired to pay more attention, inspired to indulge myself and my feelings, inspired to look for joy and meaning, all the while knowing it will pass.
It manages to be honest and vulnerable in a way that feels genuine. It never felt like someone trying to convince me or preach a way of life to me. It felt like someone trying, desperately and genuinely, to explain - to me and to himself - all the reasons to keep going.
If you're in a tough spot, if you find the world overwhelming and depressing, if the darkness seems immense and the light too frail - I recommend you this.
I listened to the audiobook read by Green, which I also recommend (although you risk crying at work, which I don't recommend.)...more