the_lirerate_owl's review against another edition
1.0
A pointless plot filled with two-dimensional characters and clipped sentences that felt pulled from unfinished brainstorming notes.
I was definitely hoping for more substance from this author.
I was definitely hoping for more substance from this author.
kittic's review against another edition
1.0
I finished it, hence the one star but this book was incredibly disappointing. There was zero character development. This was to such an extent that characters literally blended into one. The storyline itself was even problematic as was the ending. I expected a lot more from such a lauded author
justdavid3113's review against another edition
2.0
A lot of reviews I read were direct comparing this to Harris' early works. A fair comparison, we expect certain things from our favourite authors. I haven't yet read any other Harris, so didn't have the same expectations as others. I kept an open mind.
This soon changed. I do not know what this book was for. I don't know why it was written. The blurb exaggerates the characters and their purpose. I just didn't get it.
Speaking of characters... Why so many? I could not keep up with who was who, what side they were on and who I should care about. The character of Cari herself was not fleshed out either. I wanted to know more and see her more, it just didn't happen.
This soon changed. I do not know what this book was for. I don't know why it was written. The blurb exaggerates the characters and their purpose. I just didn't get it.
Speaking of characters... Why so many? I could not keep up with who was who, what side they were on and who I should care about. The character of Cari herself was not fleshed out either. I wanted to know more and see her more, it just didn't happen.
monkeymouse113's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Minor: Drug use
jamesthomas79's review against another edition
1.0
What a terrible, terrible, awful book. It's so bad that I genuinely refuse to believe that Thomas Harris actually wrote this trash. This man has written the three best Psychological thrillers of all time, and then turns out this trash. No, I refuse to believe it's him. Between his last book and this gabage thirteen years past. Maybe he was broke and gave the synopsis to a deliquent nephew to repay a favour to his sister.
Even the worst kind of writers block couldn't turn a genius into a barely literate slasher fan.
This book fails on every level. The concept outlined in the book blurb is interesting, but as soon as you read page one that interest disapates like the stream from a hot turd.
I literarly threw the book in the bin once I had finished, hoping it could fulfill it's only true use - toilet paper for the homeless!
Even the worst kind of writers block couldn't turn a genius into a barely literate slasher fan.
This book fails on every level. The concept outlined in the book blurb is interesting, but as soon as you read page one that interest disapates like the stream from a hot turd.
I literarly threw the book in the bin once I had finished, hoping it could fulfill it's only true use - toilet paper for the homeless!
mike_brough's review against another edition
2.0
One of the few books I've ever given up on. After 100+ pages, I've put this clunker aside.
There's no sense of place, which is shocking in a novel set in such an atmospheric location. There's no sense of action or adventure. To compensate for those dearths, there are too many indistinguishable characters, none of whom I cared about and none of whom I felt like I should be rooting for.
This feels like the skeleton of a script for a caper film. It might well make a good movie, but it doesn't make good reading.
There's no sense of place, which is shocking in a novel set in such an atmospheric location. There's no sense of action or adventure. To compensate for those dearths, there are too many indistinguishable characters, none of whom I cared about and none of whom I felt like I should be rooting for.
This feels like the skeleton of a script for a caper film. It might well make a good movie, but it doesn't make good reading.
kmjmg's review
Awful. Totally not like the other Thomas Harris books. I'm not one not to finish a book but this was just really bad.
batforanna's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad..not a patch on silence of the lambs though.
roslink's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0