Reviews

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

ka8g's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Such a good book.  I was sad when it ended!  Being set in Russia was so very interesting in and of itself.  What an intense thriller….I will definitely be reading books 2 & 3.

davechua's review against another edition

4.0

An engrossing read, particularly the insight into Stalinist Russia, with its twisted view on crime and the iron grip of paranoia that surrounds all its citizens.

sosannamadden's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

aradne's review against another edition

2.0

So, this book has a lot of potential, and in theory I would really like this book... But the description of torture quickly started to get to me, and then only a chapter later a MGB doctor was in the apartment of a married couple, and as the wife was getting the doctor a drink, he was methodically objectifying her, and I just didn't want to know or hear it.

So I put the book down.

kreppen's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kieranhealy's review against another edition

4.0

A solid murder mystery. The potential for concept to exceed execution is high with murder mysteries, but this one takes an incredibly interesting idea and runs with it. While it does have some of the typical characters (dashing leading man, unwavering psychopath villain, beautiful femme fatale, etc), the story focuses more on trying to solve a series of murders in a country that claims such a thing as a serial killer doesn't exist, is Western propaganda and if you claim it DOES you are a spy. Stalinist Russia is a terrifying place, and Smith does a fantastic job of utilizing the aura of fear, paranoia and oppression to inform and obstruct his characters. How does one solve a serial killer when doing so gets your parents sent to a Gulag and your wife accused as a spy? Maybe she IS a spy? Seamlessly weaving between the main characters heads, Smith creates a VERY fast read. My only complaint is that some of the story line is a LITTLE too convenient and some things wrap up a little too tidy. But for the most part I spent the entire book thinking "How the hell is Leo going to get out of this? Or even if he doesn't, can he even stop the killer?" That's a good way to read a mystery.

ripsquishy19's review against another edition

5.0

i loved this book.
it kept me engaged & was a great page-turner. i loved the post-Stalin Soviet Russia setting & the characters. & even though it deals with a disturbing topic, i appreciated that the author didn't dwell too much on the graphic/gruesome bits. oh & the twists were OUTSTANDING, because i didn't se any of it coming. well done!

uncorazonliterario's review against another edition

4.0

LAS CHICAS DE LOS LIBROS
3.75 estrellas

Este thriller me mantuvo intrigada desde las primeras páginas, las cuales fueron muy impactantes para mí debido a la crudeza de la situación de extrema precariedad planteada; y a pesar de que a lo largo del libro me topé con algo de maltrato animal (a lo cual soy muy poco tolerable), situaciones dolorosas, lamentables, tristes y trágicas, no podía parar de leer, ya que la historia cada vez me intrigaba y me envolvía más y más. Me gustó que, al menos desde mi punto de vista, no es del todo posible predecir lo que va a suceder, y eso me motivaba a querer seguir leyendo para poder ir descubriéndolo.

En general se me hizo una historia interesante y muy original, y me agradó que el autor no haya utilizado recursos o descripciones con la finalidad de causar morbo, sino solamente haciendo uso de lo necesario para que se entendiera la historia y para crear tensión, lo cual le agradezco enormemente; ya que, a mi parecer, el uso innecesario y excesivo de sangre, violencia y sexualidad que suele estar muy presente en la mayoría de los thrillers modernos, es debido a que en realidad la historia o historias principales no son muy buenas o no están del todo justificadas y buscan compensar (vender) de alguna manera. Sin embargo, y a pesar de esto que les acabo de comentar, no por eso significa que el libro no esté "fuerte" ya que yo sí considero que es una historia muy dura y muy cruda, por las situaciones, el ambiente y los eventos que van sucediendo.

Durante 3/4 partes del libro tenía en mi mente la calificación de 4 estrellas; pero la verdad es que el final me decepcionó un poco, ya que me pareció que se resolvió rápido y de una forma un poco ilógica, sobre todo por tan bien que el autor había estado conectando todo en la historia. Pude notar algunos huecos en la parte final y eso me hizo decidir al final bajarle un poco la calificación.

schwarzbarsch's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Typical of most crime fiction stories the writer  fabricates  story lines to fit the plot.   Consequently, to me at least, this book not real life, which is why I prefer true crime and factual historical accounts of crime mysteries.  I did enjoy  learning about how Stalin and Russian government operates and oppresses its people.   

greytroop's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0