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infinitechris's review against another edition
4.0
A solid detective story -- by the time I was twenty pages in, I didn't want to stop reading. I look forward to the next one, and hope that the story of Pete Fernandez continues for many more volumes.
humangoogle's review against another edition
5.0
Disclaimer: I have known author Alex Segura for years. We grew up in the same neighborhoods, the very ones referenced in this novel. Our high school was the same as the protagonist. We worked alongside for years at the same college paper. So you may perceive this review to be biased. And so it may be, though I try to offer as balanced a criticism as I can. I did buy my own copy. So there IS that.
Review: "Silent City" is the first novel by author Alex Segura and for a debut novel, it is a successful one. That's actually unfair. It is successful, regardless of it being a debut novel. It simply works.
The novel begins with the apartment assault on journalist Kathy Bentley. It is quick and jarring and leaves the reader full of questions. The biggest one starting in chapter one when we meet the protagonist, Pete Fernandez, a down-on-his-luck journalist covering sports, and wonder how he could ever get involved. But get involved he does, of course. Kathy’s father, another journalist that may as well be Pete forty years and forty beers later, asks Pete to look into his daughter’s disappearance. So Pete slowly transforms into a novice gumshoe, trying to piece together just what happened to her and why.
If you’re asking why one reporter would ask another reporter to look for a third missing reporter, when there are, after all, people for that, fear not. There is an answer that makes sense. And that’s how Segura’s novel works. Events that seem illogical and forced, an author trying to fit his character into a mystery plot, all have internal reasoning. How does Kathy’s attack connect to Pete’s high school friend, to drug smuggling, to his own father’s past, to the shady history of several other characters, to a enigmatic serial killer called The Silent Death that may not even exist? Information is gradually revealed and, by the novel’s end, all the questions are answered quite satisfactory. This is quite an accomplishment because at times it seems like Segura is juggling too many plates and there is no way he can keep it up for the duration of the novel. But by the final page, the plot’s through line is clear; every piece connects to another in a way that is believable. Segura doesn't make any of the mistakes you’d expect from a first-time novelist: obvious clues and red herrings, plot points that go nowhere, macguffins, or gaping plot holes. If something is there, it’s there for a reason and he will get you to the “why” inevitably.
At the same time, the novel manages to stretch its legs and explore the world of the story. Something should be said for the character of “Miami” as a city. Too often, pop culture depicts Miami as a world of glitz, glamour, neon, drugs, dance clubs and bikinis made out of dental floss. Segura’s novel never touches this Miami, which I’m sad to admit does exist. Instead, he focuses on the other side of Miami, everything west of the beach. Hollywood’s Miami is too bright to ever be dark; even the darkness has a shiny, new gleam on it. Segura’s Miami is a cluster of extended neighborhoods, a generic urban city sprawl, a place with divey bars, upstart local business and Denny’s. The only spice is that of Hispanic-ness and Segura smartly integrates without being cloying. Characters are Hispanic because Miami is a Hispanic city. Pete just happens to be Cuban by descent. A restaurant is called Casa Pepe because in Miami, why wouldn't it be?
On occasion, Segura uses musical references as a trick to identify a character's personality or mood. Pete feels this way because he hears this song. Kathy mentions this song, which means she’s this kind of person. I cannot fault Segura for this device, as it is very clearly a part of his voice. Segura's language is music. Alas, mine is not and without a good grasp on the songs’ true meanings, such moments, forgive me, fall on deaf ears.
I hate novels where the author describes a fight as though it were the blocking for a movie, so immersed in detail that I have no idea what is happening. That’s thankfully not the case here. What action-ish se tpieces there are are never overly written and well described enough to not leave the reader scratching his head. And they’re believable. Pete isn't an unstoppable force, a John McClane with a yellow notepad in his pocket. He’s a guy in over his head and suffers for his choices. A lot.
Now that I’m on Pete, lets explore him. We spend a lot of time with Pete, being the protagonist and all, and he’s an interesting guy. I don’t know if I’d be friends with him, but I could see why he others might. Too often, Pete feels less like a protagonist and more like an antagonist to the plot itself. The story wants to move forward and Pete does everything in his power to resist forward momentum. I understand this is part of his arc as a character, but it is very frustrating for a reader to watch a character choose to drink instead of to do. Eventually the turn-around does occur, but the feeling is as much a “yes!” as it is a “finally!” I enjoyed him enough to be much more interested in where he goes as a character next.
There is more depth to the novel than just a simple little puzzle to be decoded, which is in part one of the strengths of the novel. Sure, there’s a mystery about a woman disappeared, but Pete Fernandez himself is caught in his own mystery long before Kathy ever enters the picture. He is a lost soul in a time where he is increasingly discovering his obsolescence in every sense. All the signs of his earlier days are painful reminders of what is no more. His career as a journalist has become more and more of a joke as the media world itself evolves away from needing him (and he likewise slowly moves away from it). His soured relationship with his ex-fiance is made only worse by his inability to accept that it is over. He hates himself for still having feelings and hates himself for ruining things with her. With the death of his father, even his youth has died. Can he continue to be a child in a world without a father to fall back on? Lord knows Pete tries to ignore the baton of maturity that keeps getting waved in his face. Segura definitely has something to say about fathers and father figures in this novel, but to go much further takes this review into the realm of contemporary criticism. But then again, how often do you get that out of a paperback mystery?
All deconstruction aside, "Silent City" isn't a novel about alcoholism or futility or the ennui of a lost youth or anything like that. It's a crime mystery, inspired by the pulpy pages of the noirs past, with a damsel in distress who turns out to be, thankfully, a lot more than just that, shady foes crawling out of the city's underground, a thrilling chase, plenty of gun play, and a handful of surprise double-crosses, both by characters and the author. When I look at it that way, I suppose its only right that Pete be allowed a drink or two at a bar. As a character type, he’s earned it.
In the end, for whatever you perceive in this review to be a criticism, know that ultimately, when said and done, “Silent City” clicks. No one weakness is so strong as to weaken any of its strengths. Once I started reading, I was sucked in and continued turning pages to let Segura surprise me again and again.
Review: "Silent City" is the first novel by author Alex Segura and for a debut novel, it is a successful one. That's actually unfair. It is successful, regardless of it being a debut novel. It simply works.
The novel begins with the apartment assault on journalist Kathy Bentley. It is quick and jarring and leaves the reader full of questions. The biggest one starting in chapter one when we meet the protagonist, Pete Fernandez, a down-on-his-luck journalist covering sports, and wonder how he could ever get involved. But get involved he does, of course. Kathy’s father, another journalist that may as well be Pete forty years and forty beers later, asks Pete to look into his daughter’s disappearance. So Pete slowly transforms into a novice gumshoe, trying to piece together just what happened to her and why.
If you’re asking why one reporter would ask another reporter to look for a third missing reporter, when there are, after all, people for that, fear not. There is an answer that makes sense. And that’s how Segura’s novel works. Events that seem illogical and forced, an author trying to fit his character into a mystery plot, all have internal reasoning. How does Kathy’s attack connect to Pete’s high school friend, to drug smuggling, to his own father’s past, to the shady history of several other characters, to a enigmatic serial killer called The Silent Death that may not even exist? Information is gradually revealed and, by the novel’s end, all the questions are answered quite satisfactory. This is quite an accomplishment because at times it seems like Segura is juggling too many plates and there is no way he can keep it up for the duration of the novel. But by the final page, the plot’s through line is clear; every piece connects to another in a way that is believable. Segura doesn't make any of the mistakes you’d expect from a first-time novelist: obvious clues and red herrings, plot points that go nowhere, macguffins, or gaping plot holes. If something is there, it’s there for a reason and he will get you to the “why” inevitably.
At the same time, the novel manages to stretch its legs and explore the world of the story. Something should be said for the character of “Miami” as a city. Too often, pop culture depicts Miami as a world of glitz, glamour, neon, drugs, dance clubs and bikinis made out of dental floss. Segura’s novel never touches this Miami, which I’m sad to admit does exist. Instead, he focuses on the other side of Miami, everything west of the beach. Hollywood’s Miami is too bright to ever be dark; even the darkness has a shiny, new gleam on it. Segura’s Miami is a cluster of extended neighborhoods, a generic urban city sprawl, a place with divey bars, upstart local business and Denny’s. The only spice is that of Hispanic-ness and Segura smartly integrates without being cloying. Characters are Hispanic because Miami is a Hispanic city. Pete just happens to be Cuban by descent. A restaurant is called Casa Pepe because in Miami, why wouldn't it be?
On occasion, Segura uses musical references as a trick to identify a character's personality or mood. Pete feels this way because he hears this song. Kathy mentions this song, which means she’s this kind of person. I cannot fault Segura for this device, as it is very clearly a part of his voice. Segura's language is music. Alas, mine is not and without a good grasp on the songs’ true meanings, such moments, forgive me, fall on deaf ears.
I hate novels where the author describes a fight as though it were the blocking for a movie, so immersed in detail that I have no idea what is happening. That’s thankfully not the case here. What action-ish se tpieces there are are never overly written and well described enough to not leave the reader scratching his head. And they’re believable. Pete isn't an unstoppable force, a John McClane with a yellow notepad in his pocket. He’s a guy in over his head and suffers for his choices. A lot.
Now that I’m on Pete, lets explore him. We spend a lot of time with Pete, being the protagonist and all, and he’s an interesting guy. I don’t know if I’d be friends with him, but I could see why he others might. Too often, Pete feels less like a protagonist and more like an antagonist to the plot itself. The story wants to move forward and Pete does everything in his power to resist forward momentum. I understand this is part of his arc as a character, but it is very frustrating for a reader to watch a character choose to drink instead of to do. Eventually the turn-around does occur, but the feeling is as much a “yes!” as it is a “finally!” I enjoyed him enough to be much more interested in where he goes as a character next.
There is more depth to the novel than just a simple little puzzle to be decoded, which is in part one of the strengths of the novel. Sure, there’s a mystery about a woman disappeared, but Pete Fernandez himself is caught in his own mystery long before Kathy ever enters the picture. He is a lost soul in a time where he is increasingly discovering his obsolescence in every sense. All the signs of his earlier days are painful reminders of what is no more. His career as a journalist has become more and more of a joke as the media world itself evolves away from needing him (and he likewise slowly moves away from it). His soured relationship with his ex-fiance is made only worse by his inability to accept that it is over. He hates himself for still having feelings and hates himself for ruining things with her. With the death of his father, even his youth has died. Can he continue to be a child in a world without a father to fall back on? Lord knows Pete tries to ignore the baton of maturity that keeps getting waved in his face. Segura definitely has something to say about fathers and father figures in this novel, but to go much further takes this review into the realm of contemporary criticism. But then again, how often do you get that out of a paperback mystery?
All deconstruction aside, "Silent City" isn't a novel about alcoholism or futility or the ennui of a lost youth or anything like that. It's a crime mystery, inspired by the pulpy pages of the noirs past, with a damsel in distress who turns out to be, thankfully, a lot more than just that, shady foes crawling out of the city's underground, a thrilling chase, plenty of gun play, and a handful of surprise double-crosses, both by characters and the author. When I look at it that way, I suppose its only right that Pete be allowed a drink or two at a bar. As a character type, he’s earned it.
In the end, for whatever you perceive in this review to be a criticism, know that ultimately, when said and done, “Silent City” clicks. No one weakness is so strong as to weaken any of its strengths. Once I started reading, I was sucked in and continued turning pages to let Segura surprise me again and again.
sciammi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I guess because I am quite new to the genr, I was quite impressed. It is a fast paced read with a very messed up main character who causes terrible consequences due to his lack of thinking. I enjoyed the book enough that I got the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoy crime fiction that effectively doubles as a tour guide. I’ve never been to Miami before so part of Silent City's allure for me was to learn more about the city. Charles Willeford does it somewhat effectively but he’s looking at it through the ethnographic lens of an old, racist white guy.
Alex Segura gives me that and more. I appreciate writers who talk about their urban environments as if they actually dwell there. No “this is a good/bad neighborhood” kind of nonsense, but espousing a familiarity with the terrain itself. The bars and roads and neighborhoods he mentions feel lived in and not stocked with Stereotypical Miami Characters. It gave the book an earthy feel.
And it needs it because this is a first novel and I’m being generous with my first novel curve. Segura’s Pete Fernandez is somewhat interesting but I’ve kind of had my fill with the alcoholic “detective” who keeps having bad things happen to him like he’s Job. And of course, despite more bad things happening to him, he has to do This One Thing because he brought this mess on himself so he has to clean it up, aided by coincidences.
It’s very familiar and yet, Segura gives enough life into his lead that I’m willing to look past the fact that most of the characters are plot devices. He effectively lays the foundation for what promises to be an interesting series. I’d probably check out more books in this at some point to see how he grew as a writer. This is a good enough start and I’m hoping for more.
Alex Segura gives me that and more. I appreciate writers who talk about their urban environments as if they actually dwell there. No “this is a good/bad neighborhood” kind of nonsense, but espousing a familiarity with the terrain itself. The bars and roads and neighborhoods he mentions feel lived in and not stocked with Stereotypical Miami Characters. It gave the book an earthy feel.
And it needs it because this is a first novel and I’m being generous with my first novel curve. Segura’s Pete Fernandez is somewhat interesting but I’ve kind of had my fill with the alcoholic “detective” who keeps having bad things happen to him like he’s Job. And of course, despite more bad things happening to him, he has to do This One Thing because he brought this mess on himself so he has to clean it up, aided by coincidences.
It’s very familiar and yet, Segura gives enough life into his lead that I’m willing to look past the fact that most of the characters are plot devices. He effectively lays the foundation for what promises to be an interesting series. I’d probably check out more books in this at some point to see how he grew as a writer. This is a good enough start and I’m hoping for more.
breazy_reader_724's review against another edition
3.0
I am not sure how I felt abut this book now that I am finished. Living near Miami, I was looking forward to some fiction set locally, and the author did a good job of painting local touches to root the story int he area. However, the characters were pretty flat, including the downward-spiraling protagonist Pete Fernandez. Several people close to him died during the story, and there was little resonance around those deaths. The protagonist moves inexplicably forward through the story, and his level of good fortune is eyebrow-raising to say the least. I never felt I had much insight into Pete, which is hard to imagine given he's in every "scene" of the story. Nonetheless, the plot moved quickly and was entertaining and interesting enough. I would be willing to read the next book in the series to see if some of the shortcomings of the first book could be cleaned up.
kaylana's review against another edition
4.0
Great new mystery series with Pete Fernandez. I loved the whole atmosphere of Miami. I truly felt hot and sticky like Miami while reading this.
hdbblog's review
2.0
I've been known to devour my fair share of mystery/thriller books as a reader. I love being caught up in a whirlwind of bad-ass characters, clues laid out like breadcrumbs, and awesome actions scenes. It thrills me when I think I know what's going to happen next, and then a twist throws me completely off kilter. All of these things are what make a book in this genre so enjoyable to read. Sadly, Silent City failed to deliver on the majority of them.
The opening scene of Silent City held so much promise. It had me in its clutches, and then things slowed nearly to a halt. I was treated to pages upon pages about Pete's past, his work, and the few friends he had left. Pete Fernandez is not an easy character to like. While I understood that his life was falling apart around him, I never felt the least bit of sympathy for him. See, Pete is an alcoholic. It is never specifically mentioned, but he spends the good majority of the book in a bar or sleeping it off at home. I'll admit that he did have rather great taste in music. In fact, that's the one thing Pete and I agreed on.
I just kept hoping for the pace to pick up, for that manic feeling of need to set in. You know the one. Where you can't stop flipping the pages? Sadly, it never happened. I had no clues to grasp on to, and only Pete's mediocre attempts at sleuthing to lead me along. Even when things finally clicked into place, and I finally saw where the story was going, it felt slow. Pete's story never fully invested me.
I missed the excitement. I missed honestly caring about the characters who were on the pages. You have no idea how much it hurt me when (and yes, mild spoiler) one of them died and I didn't even bat an eyelash. Still, the plot line was at least solid enough to keep me reading to the end. The twist at the end wasn't too shabby either. Thus the two star rating. Like I mentioned before, so much potential but the delivery wasn't for me.
The opening scene of Silent City held so much promise. It had me in its clutches, and then things slowed nearly to a halt. I was treated to pages upon pages about Pete's past, his work, and the few friends he had left. Pete Fernandez is not an easy character to like. While I understood that his life was falling apart around him, I never felt the least bit of sympathy for him. See, Pete is an alcoholic. It is never specifically mentioned, but he spends the good majority of the book in a bar or sleeping it off at home. I'll admit that he did have rather great taste in music. In fact, that's the one thing Pete and I agreed on.
I just kept hoping for the pace to pick up, for that manic feeling of need to set in. You know the one. Where you can't stop flipping the pages? Sadly, it never happened. I had no clues to grasp on to, and only Pete's mediocre attempts at sleuthing to lead me along. Even when things finally clicked into place, and I finally saw where the story was going, it felt slow. Pete's story never fully invested me.
I missed the excitement. I missed honestly caring about the characters who were on the pages. You have no idea how much it hurt me when (and yes, mild spoiler) one of them died and I didn't even bat an eyelash. Still, the plot line was at least solid enough to keep me reading to the end. The twist at the end wasn't too shabby either. Thus the two star rating. Like I mentioned before, so much potential but the delivery wasn't for me.
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