hypotheticalotter's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
jmarryott23's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.5
3.5 stars…I read this because it was the inspiration for Kurosawa’s High and Low. The film is highly regarded but still underrated and one of my favorites from Kurosawa (that is saying something). It was also likely an inspiration for Joon-Ho’s Parasite (also excellent). So what did I think of the book? It was good but Kurosawa improves on the story in numerous ways. The setup is surprisingly similar between adaptions, but the film eventually veers off and expresses it’s separate themes in a stronger way.
The book is much more of a police procedural through and through with a theme of individual greed. The book shows the perspective of the kidnappers (which is interesting) and the kidnapping is not resolved until the very end. The movie ponders much larger questions of social status, the morality of man, and corporate greed, among others. Crucially, the kidnapping part of the story is concluded much earlier in the movie, and while it turns into a detective story to find the kidnappers, it still explores the main character and the decisions he faced and made.
Spoilers: I thought the detectives tracking the kidnappers down was much more interesting in the movie. In the book they don’t really follow any leads and basically stumble upon the kid. Also, the main character is adamant that he won’t pay the ransom. He loses his family over it and never changes his mind. But they still catch the kidnapper and his family crawls back to him anyway. If someone ever asks you to name just one movie adaption that is better than the book, this could be Exhibit A in your rebuttal. The book is worth reading but won’t blow you away.
The book is much more of a police procedural through and through with a theme of individual greed. The book shows the perspective of the kidnappers (which is interesting) and the kidnapping is not resolved until the very end. The movie ponders much larger questions of social status, the morality of man, and corporate greed, among others. Crucially, the kidnapping part of the story is concluded much earlier in the movie, and while it turns into a detective story to find the kidnappers, it still explores the main character and the decisions he faced and made.
Spoilers: I thought the detectives tracking the kidnappers down was much more interesting in the movie. In the book they don’t really follow any leads and basically stumble upon the kid. Also, the main character is adamant that he won’t pay the ransom. He loses his family over it and never changes his mind. But they still catch the kidnapper and his family crawls back to him anyway. If someone ever asks you to name just one movie adaption that is better than the book, this could be Exhibit A in your rebuttal. The book is worth reading but won’t blow you away.
tarana's review against another edition
3.0
The audiobook is great read by either reader. This is a good story about a kidnapping. I'd give it a 3.5 (not quite enough to round it up to 4). McBain (pen name for Evan Hunter) uses a lot of repetition to show someone dithering. People do that in real life, but it's annoying to read/listen to.
lou1sb's review against another edition
4.0
The continuing adventures of my aim to read every book written in 1959.
dgrachel's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This was definitely one of my least favorites. The writing is just as good here as in previous novels, but the plot and characters were not ones I enjoyed. It's peopled with the sleaziest, nastiest characters who make my skin crawl. I found the ending unsatisfying and the characterization of women is still...problematic, to say the least.
whatmeworry's review against another edition
4.0
Another great tale of the 87th from McBain. This time the mystery isn't who, but how. To be fair it's not too much of a head scratcher, but McBain throws in some memorable characters and enough commentary on the human condition that I was kept riveted.
guiltyfeat's review
3.0
Nice kidnapping procedural with focus on the kidnappers and the victims more than the police work done to catch them. 10 books into the series and it really feels like McBain is laying the groundwork for every TV series and movie that has had anything to do with crime ever. I understand that Kurosawa used this book as the basis for one of his films and there's no doubt that Ron Howard's movie Ransom also lifted elements from this book. Good stuff, although I could have done with a bit more Carella in this one.
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