pygmymetal's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. The idea was interesting, the execution was a disappointment.
abigailmcghee17's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
blueinkandpaperstars's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nucleareaction's review against another edition
1.0
My god, what a waste of money. Fuck you, Barnes & Noble for selling me on this tripe.
ashereadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I think this was well written. Caldwell had a good sense of who his characters are and does well in explaining alllll the backstory that accompanies them. However getting about 300 pages in to FINALLY get to the plot? If I wasn't almost done I would have given up.
It's good but plan to be disappointed if you are looking for something that will focus more on what the book summarizes instead of just getting to know the main character.
It's good but plan to be disappointed if you are looking for something that will focus more on what the book summarizes instead of just getting to know the main character.
lynnmywin's review against another edition
4.0
if you are looking for a sensational book or another dan brown, this isn't it. I think of it more as a pleasant fiction piece, with a little mystery but a story more focused on the people and relationships involved in the 'mystery.' not all the characters are well-developed, however I do think that the author does a good job of portraying a modern coming of age narrative, in the backdrop of the 'mystery.'
katewutz's review against another edition
3.0
The best book I've read in a really long time -- like the review on the back says, it really is like Umberto Eco and Dan Brown (with a teeny bit of F. Scott Fitzgerald) wrote a book together. Sometimes I felt like the exposition was a little excessive, but this is a first novel, no one is perfect, and probably the exposition really was needed and I just didn't have the attention span required. Anyway, excellent book!
itsdaytime's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Rule of Four was quick with a joke or funny story, especially at the beginning, which eases the reader into an absorbing mystery surrounding the elusive Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, where the novel has just as many twists and tricks as the ancient text it revolves around.
The Rule of Four focuses on the importance of a work-life balance, and explores how it is possible to both have good relationships with those around you and having big passions and hobbies. The novel also has focus of letting go and grief, which played very well into the plot.
Overall, I really enjoyed the Rule of Four.
A couple of problems I had with the book was that it was quite slow paced, and just failed the Bechdel test.
The Rule of Four focuses on the importance of a work-life balance, and explores how it is possible to both have good relationships with those around you and having big passions and hobbies. The novel also has focus of letting go and grief, which played very well into the plot.
Overall, I really enjoyed the Rule of Four.
A couple of problems I had with the book was that it was quite slow paced, and just failed the Bechdel test.
henrik_w's review against another edition
1.0
This really didn't appeal to me. I didn't care for any of main characters, and the whole book failed to deliver on the "the next Da Vinci Code" hype. The most interesting part was the various riddles and codes in the Hypnerotomachia book, but it was not enough. I have really enjoyed The Da Vinci Code and many other similar books, but this book did not excite me at all. It was recommended to me, otherwise I doubt I would have finished it.