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purple_takkies's review against another edition
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mysternightowl's review against another edition
4.0
I chose this book while partaking in the Public Library "Go Wild and Read" challenge. There is a new challenge every week which should take you out of you reading comfort zone. This week my challenge was to pick a novel set in Africa, South America, or one other place I can't remember. I chose Africa....and was not dissapointed. Deon Meyer is an absolute amazing story teller. His penchant for believable and thought out characters is second to none . This was number 3 in a series of books as Bennie Grissol, as the main character. Without going into detail, you easily fall into the part of Bennie. You live what he is living, you think how he thinks, and doubt when he has doubts. The fleshed out characters and a taught race against time makes this a book you won't be able to put down and will keep you guessing until the whirlwind ending. Superb thriller. Will make you hunt down some of Meyer's other books. You won't be dissapointed.
tharina's review against another edition
Deon Meyer stel nie sommer teleur nie. 7 Dae slaag daarin om die storielyn van Hanneke Sloet se moordenaar met Bennie Griesel se persoonlike dramas te weef en 'n boeiende storie te vertel. Definitief die lees werd vir enige aanhanger van die genre.
bob_muller's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first exposure to Deon Meyer, and I'll definitely read his other works. As a thriller or suspense novel, this one is superb. It ramps up the suspense on every page. A classic summer beach novel in that way. I like the characters a lot. I'm not a fan of perspective switching to the murderer in these kinds of novels, it always feels like the author is cheating, but it does serve the purpose in this novel--creating suspense. Unfortunately, by the end of the book, you begin to realize the author was in fact cheating--Meyer didn't want to introduce the antagonist as an actual character in the story, and so had to provide insight into that character through the creaky device of switching perspective. But he commits the classic mystery author cheat of hiding facts from the reader that the character knows. That's why you don't do it this way--you never go to the murderer's perspective unless that's the essence of the story (usually a serial murder novel, which I also hate). In this case, it's not. I was also disappointed in the ending because of the very surprise, almost deus ex machina revelations about the murder and the motive. Too few clues, too little history for the main characters. So although the suspense writing is excellent, I can't give it full marks. Very enjoyable, though.
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