Scan barcode
scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
5.0
I legit cant express how much I loved this book.
I cared about the whole crazy ass family, except the mother because I feel she cared more about taking herself out of any situation while the father, yes he was abusive but he put his children first in his own depraved way. Thats why I loved the father Ivan in a way, he went too far but his love for his sons was as clear as day. They are the most fucked up parents I have ever read about though
When the father grabs the sword and holds it over thier three year old son after his wife threatens to leave with half of everything and the mother stands there, cool as anything and is casually like you wont do it you were the one who ran downstairs barefoot when you saw that knife-you were afraid of losing one of our sons, you wont do it because I know you love him and then she walks off while he is still standing over thier son with a fucking sword before he collaspes and cries. They are some crazy ass motherfuckers.
Leo, he was such a good son and brother, I love how he always stood up to the fact that he would never force anyone aganist thier will to do something, how making sure his brothers were okay was tne most important thing. Aw Vincent, as a three year old he was hilarious I swear and as a eighteen year old as back then he was still so precious. And Felix, the middle son, always wanting to do the right thing. Even Jasper, who just wanted to belong, who would jump off a mountain if Leo asked him too. The brother bond was one of the strongest I have ever read about, and my favourite thing about it. Never snitch, stay together and always have each others backs.
Also loved the parallels that went on. Like the detective and his childhood situation being so similar to the robbers he is hunting down. The older brother willimg to do anything for thier younger. Then the detective hell bent on nothing but those he is hunting with his boss, the family man who strives for the balance between work and life. Their talk on christmas eve was so amusing.
The best novel about a criminal family ever written, an utter thrill with emotional punches, and an electric charged pace all the way to the final page.
I cared about the whole crazy ass family, except the mother because I feel she cared more about taking herself out of any situation while the father, yes he was abusive but he put his children first in his own depraved way. Thats why I loved the father Ivan in a way, he went too far but his love for his sons was as clear as day. They are the most fucked up parents I have ever read about though
Spoiler
When the father grabs the sword and holds it over thier three year old son after his wife threatens to leave with half of everything and the mother stands there, cool as anything and is casually like you wont do it you were the one who ran downstairs barefoot when you saw that knife-you were afraid of losing one of our sons, you wont do it because I know you love him and then she walks off while he is still standing over thier son with a fucking sword before he collaspes and cries. They are some crazy ass motherfuckers.
Leo, he was such a good son and brother, I love how he always stood up to the fact that he would never force anyone aganist thier will to do something, how making sure his brothers were okay was tne most important thing. Aw Vincent, as a three year old he was hilarious I swear and as a eighteen year old as back then he was still so precious. And Felix, the middle son, always wanting to do the right thing. Even Jasper, who just wanted to belong, who would jump off a mountain if Leo asked him too. The brother bond was one of the strongest I have ever read about, and my favourite thing about it. Never snitch, stay together and always have each others backs.
Also loved the parallels that went on. Like the detective and his childhood situation being so similar to the robbers he is hunting down. The older brother willimg to do anything for thier younger. Then the detective hell bent on nothing but those he is hunting with his boss, the family man who strives for the balance between work and life. Their talk on christmas eve was so amusing.
Spoiler
John is like I can finally catch them and his boss is like do you know how to make a christmas mumma and starts explaining how to while John is like its them, everything fits. Both of them talking over each other on the most opposing thing. So funnyThe best novel about a criminal family ever written, an utter thrill with emotional punches, and an electric charged pace all the way to the final page.
livingawayfromreality's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
annefaith's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
rcgrimes's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pagesforages's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
maureensbooks89's review against another edition
5.0
Normally I don’t read books like ‘The Father’. I read crime books, mysteries and detectives but a based-on-a-true-event crime novel, written through the eyes of the ‘criminals’ is definitely a first for me. But this book just sounded so good, and the cover looked amazing, I decided it was time to try out a book like this.
Although this book is very different than my normal reads, I was hooked to the pages from the moment I started reading. The authors definitely have a special way of writing and I was completely intrigued by it. This book alters between the past and the present, and it alters between the point of view of all the main characters. That sounds like a confusing part, but for this book it really worked perfectly.
On the front of my review copy of ‘The Father’, it says: “How does a child become a criminal? How does a father lose a son?”. And throughout this book, we get the answers to these questions.
We get to read parts of the bank robbers, Leo, Felix and Vincent’s youth, which really made me feel for them. And yes I know they are supposed to be the ‘bad’ guys, but they were also really human to me. Greedy and out of control.. Yes, but they didn’t sound like these truly terribly and angry people. Throughout everything they were brothers at first. Brothers who had a terrible example as a father and who taught them violence.
Reading about the robberies and about the detective wo was trying to catch them, it was really thrilling an nerve wrecking. On the one hand I was rooting for the detective to catch those robbers, but on the other hand I was rooting for Leo, Felix and Vincent. These authors definitely did a great job with making you think all kinds of things. In the end I almost didn’t know who I wanted to win.
From the moment I started reading this book, I just didn’t want to stop. I really wanted to know how this story would end. And I wasn’t satisfied until I reached the very end of the book and knew what happened.
‘The Father’ was definitely a great read. It was different, thrilling, confusing and definitely just very good.
Although this book is very different than my normal reads, I was hooked to the pages from the moment I started reading. The authors definitely have a special way of writing and I was completely intrigued by it. This book alters between the past and the present, and it alters between the point of view of all the main characters. That sounds like a confusing part, but for this book it really worked perfectly.
On the front of my review copy of ‘The Father’, it says: “How does a child become a criminal? How does a father lose a son?”. And throughout this book, we get the answers to these questions.
We get to read parts of the bank robbers, Leo, Felix and Vincent’s youth, which really made me feel for them. And yes I know they are supposed to be the ‘bad’ guys, but they were also really human to me. Greedy and out of control.. Yes, but they didn’t sound like these truly terribly and angry people. Throughout everything they were brothers at first. Brothers who had a terrible example as a father and who taught them violence.
Reading about the robberies and about the detective wo was trying to catch them, it was really thrilling an nerve wrecking. On the one hand I was rooting for the detective to catch those robbers, but on the other hand I was rooting for Leo, Felix and Vincent. These authors definitely did a great job with making you think all kinds of things. In the end I almost didn’t know who I wanted to win.
From the moment I started reading this book, I just didn’t want to stop. I really wanted to know how this story would end. And I wasn’t satisfied until I reached the very end of the book and knew what happened.
‘The Father’ was definitely a great read. It was different, thrilling, confusing and definitely just very good.
readunderthestars23's review
4.0
I was sent a copy of this by Hachette New Zealand for review. The Father is inspired by a true story, one I'd never heard of until now, but the story that came from it is disturbingly good.
I'd never heard of the Military League before this. I can't get over the fact that none of them had committed a crime before this. If half of what happened in this book is true, these men were incredibly smart and kind of crazy to even attempt what they did in the first place.
The way Leo, Felix and Vincent were raised, especially by their father, was isolating and abusive. What Ivan was able to get these boys to do to their own mother is disgusting and completely wrong. He teaches his kids that they're a clan, no one outside the five of them matters. He may not have psychically abused his sons, it's not the book anyway, but they were raised with violence in their home, with their father teaching them things young boys shouldn't know. It's no wonder they grew up to be who they were.
The planning that went into the robberies was intense. It was kind of scary. To think that two of them had started planning it years before too. The things Leo came up with, the escape routes and getaway cars, was really smart for someone who'd never done it before. I'd expect to see this kind of thing in a movie, not in a book inspired by true events. I don't know how much of the robberies actually happened but from the interview in the back of the book it sounded like they tried to keep them as close to what happened as possible.
I don't know how much of this is true and how much was put in to make a good story but from when I read it, it all makes for one crazily addictive book. I didn't want to put it down. I found myself wanting to read more even as I was busy with other things.
I highly recommend The Father. It's gripping, I couldn't think of anything else for days after I'd finished it. The whole time I was reading it I was wondering if they'd get caught, they seemed so smart, too smart. Sometimes when you're that clever, you get cocky and it all comes crashing down around you.
I'd never heard of the Military League before this. I can't get over the fact that none of them had committed a crime before this. If half of what happened in this book is true, these men were incredibly smart and kind of crazy to even attempt what they did in the first place.
The way Leo, Felix and Vincent were raised, especially by their father, was isolating and abusive. What Ivan was able to get these boys to do to their own mother is disgusting and completely wrong. He teaches his kids that they're a clan, no one outside the five of them matters. He may not have psychically abused his sons, it's not the book anyway, but they were raised with violence in their home, with their father teaching them things young boys shouldn't know. It's no wonder they grew up to be who they were.
The planning that went into the robberies was intense. It was kind of scary. To think that two of them had started planning it years before too. The things Leo came up with, the escape routes and getaway cars, was really smart for someone who'd never done it before. I'd expect to see this kind of thing in a movie, not in a book inspired by true events. I don't know how much of the robberies actually happened but from the interview in the back of the book it sounded like they tried to keep them as close to what happened as possible.
I don't know how much of this is true and how much was put in to make a good story but from when I read it, it all makes for one crazily addictive book. I didn't want to put it down. I found myself wanting to read more even as I was busy with other things.
I highly recommend The Father. It's gripping, I couldn't think of anything else for days after I'd finished it. The whole time I was reading it I was wondering if they'd get caught, they seemed so smart, too smart. Sometimes when you're that clever, you get cocky and it all comes crashing down around you.