samlohrke's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dimlymad's review against another edition
3.0
The ending is disappointing and lacks the fierceness of the rest of the story. While the plot manages to hold the readers' attention, the ending is just boring. It feels as if it was swapped by a poorly written telenovela or soap opera.
abby_leigh's review against another edition
4.0
Slow beginning. If you can make it half way through it picks up. The romance story line was definitely cheesy.
viktoriya's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked the premise of the book. The whole idea was good, but I can't say the same for the execution. First half of the book was really gripping, but then it went downhill. This is one of those books where you have a feeling that the "good guy" wins and the "bad guys" looses. I kept reading because I wanted to find out just how bad the "bad guys" get it, but no because I couldn't put this book down.
laurenabeth's review against another edition
3.0
I had been meaning to read some Ken Follett after my mom read and effusively praised Pillars of the Earth. I honestly don't know how I hadn't read any of his work considering it's right up my alley. I picked up Whiteout from my used bookstore for ~$4 (and the original receipt for $27 from Barnes & Noble was still in the book jacket LOL).
Quick synopsis: In snowy Scotland on Christmas Eve, a family gathers in their father's home to celebrate the holiday. Meanwhile, just a few miles away, a deadly virus goes missing from a secured lab known as the Kremlin.
Whiteout definitely gave me Dan Brown vibes, especially if you crossed one of his books with that show Succession (lots of wealth and ungrateful children). The protagonist, Toni - a dedicated police officer-turned security specialist - races against the clock to contain the virus before it's unleashed on an innocent public. At the same time, she's babysitting the founder of the company, a kind older man with professional and personal drama coming out the woodwork.
I loved Toni, and I actually loved the entire messy Oxenford family. I can't say I understood the purpose of Toni's mom, the puppy, or the unrequited love from the reporter, but I digress. Despite having a large cast of characters, I enjoyed most of them and thought the suspense was well choreographed with so many actors on the stage. There was a fair amount of action, the narration was steady, and the story was compelling from cover to cover.
MINI TINY SPOILER: I only have two complaints:
(1) WHAT IS WITH THAT EPILOGUE?! If you're familiar with my reviews, you know I hate epilogues. There was zero need for that last chapter on the family vacation. It was too on the nose for a story that, until then, had been crafted with a bit more care.
(2) Look, I haven't read enough Ken Follett to know if this is typical of his writing, but I did find some of the descriptions of the female characters to be lazy and offensive. From the "ugly" Daisy, the overweight sister whose body is directly compared to her sister's, to Toni's mother harping on her daughters' doomed spinsterhood, I thought these characterizations could have been done away with. The frequency with which he describes Daisy as unattractive became tiresome about half way through the book. We get it - you think there are "pretty" women who are feminine, and there are "ugly" women who are brutish. What floored me most was Daisy having nice hands and what a SHOCK it was supposed to be. Really? Dainty hands is where we're at? I expect better from someone with such a praised body of work.
Quick synopsis: In snowy Scotland on Christmas Eve, a family gathers in their father's home to celebrate the holiday. Meanwhile, just a few miles away, a deadly virus goes missing from a secured lab known as the Kremlin.
Whiteout definitely gave me Dan Brown vibes, especially if you crossed one of his books with that show Succession (lots of wealth and ungrateful children). The protagonist, Toni - a dedicated police officer-turned security specialist - races against the clock to contain the virus before it's unleashed on an innocent public. At the same time, she's babysitting the founder of the company, a kind older man with professional and personal drama coming out the woodwork.
I loved Toni, and I actually loved the entire messy Oxenford family. I can't say I understood the purpose of Toni's mom, the puppy, or the unrequited love from the reporter, but I digress. Despite having a large cast of characters, I enjoyed most of them and thought the suspense was well choreographed with so many actors on the stage. There was a fair amount of action, the narration was steady, and the story was compelling from cover to cover.
MINI TINY SPOILER: I only have two complaints:
(1) WHAT IS WITH THAT EPILOGUE?! If you're familiar with my reviews, you know I hate epilogues. There was zero need for that last chapter on the family vacation. It was too on the nose for a story that, until then, had been crafted with a bit more care.
(2) Look, I haven't read enough Ken Follett to know if this is typical of his writing, but I did find some of the descriptions of the female characters to be lazy and offensive. From the "ugly" Daisy, the overweight sister whose body is directly compared to her sister's, to Toni's mother harping on her daughters' doomed spinsterhood, I thought these characterizations could have been done away with. The frequency with which he describes Daisy as unattractive became tiresome about half way through the book. We get it - you think there are "pretty" women who are feminine, and there are "ugly" women who are brutish. What floored me most was Daisy having nice hands and what a SHOCK it was supposed to be. Really? Dainty hands is where we're at? I expect better from someone with such a praised body of work.
catsflipped's review against another edition
5.0
With the story lasting only 3 days there's no time to waste, Follett leaps right in from page 1 and it's edge of seat from then on.
The story begins on Christmas Eve at a drug research facility who hold a deadly virus and hopefully a cure. You know immediately things are not going to go well for our hero but will she prevail during a blizzard that makes every step made so much harder and an ex husband who refuses to accept she knows what she is doing.
Great book, hard to put down.
The story begins on Christmas Eve at a drug research facility who hold a deadly virus and hopefully a cure. You know immediately things are not going to go well for our hero but will she prevail during a blizzard that makes every step made so much harder and an ex husband who refuses to accept she knows what she is doing.
Great book, hard to put down.
katymvt's review against another edition
5.0
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2018--a book with a weather element in the title.
this was a can't put down book. I just had to know what was going to happen. There were a couple of "really? Really?" moments, and I wasn't in love with some of the characaterizations, but the suspense made up for all of that.
this was a can't put down book. I just had to know what was going to happen. There were a couple of "really? Really?" moments, and I wasn't in love with some of the characaterizations, but the suspense made up for all of that.
chicageek's review against another edition
3.0
La historia es diferente de como me la esperaba, habiendo leído el resumen… pero eso no quiere decir que sea malo o no me haya gustado. Sí que es cierto que hay cosas que me chirrían un poco (como la relación entre Toni y Stanley, sin decir más para no hacer spoiler xD). Y además en general no me parece de la mejores de Follett. Pero a pesar de todo me ha parecido una novela entretenida, con buen ritmo y que se lee bien. Y que un libro consiga eso ya le da suficiente valor :)