heather_j_fitt's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
andreamontoro's review against another edition
4.0
First audiobook in the books. A good pulpy novel to get through a road trip.
worm77's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
jrrrck's review against another edition
4.0
Criminal fighting man/father figure + small, precocious and smart girl adventures. Gritty and fun, but sometimes a bit ridiculous and eye-rolling worthy. Nice and quick audiobook.
joeswam's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tyrshand's review against another edition
5.0
Brutal, gritty, and impossible to put down, but with a surprising amount of heart.
Harper did an excellent job of characterization and melded action and emotion seamlessly. And that bear! Who knew that a teddy bear could be integral to an adult novel about gangs and murder? But Harper did it and it fits perfectly, without being gimmicky in the slightest. That bear and Polly truly steal the show, as we watch her grow and see her relationship with her father deepen. You know, while she learns to fight dirty, do chokeholds, and fire guns. Nate is equally interesting, learning to care about her and the strange ways his life prepared him for that.
Harper did an excellent job of characterization and melded action and emotion seamlessly. And that bear! Who knew that a teddy bear could be integral to an adult novel about gangs and murder? But Harper did it and it fits perfectly, without being gimmicky in the slightest. That bear and Polly truly steal the show, as we watch her grow and see her relationship with her father deepen. You know, while she learns to fight dirty, do chokeholds, and fire guns. Nate is equally interesting, learning to care about her and the strange ways his life prepared him for that.
shelflife's review against another edition
4.0
“Park got the loop of wire around the sheriffs head. He yanked both hands so the loop tightened in Housers neck. Blood squirted hot against his skin. Houser poured all over him. He squealed and splashed. Park made noises too. He shared the mans death with him. He watched the soul flutter out of the man. He saw his last breath like a white puff of smoke. He heard the ghost fly by. When it was done he left the body for the desert to take.”
Jordan Harper can even make death sound beautiful. This is such a strange, violent, thrilling, fast paced story that had a haunting, etherial quality to it.
A man fresh out of prison finds his estranged 11 year old daughter to protect her from death and go on a violent spree car ride to save her life and both are transformed.
Highly recommend!
Jordan Harper can even make death sound beautiful. This is such a strange, violent, thrilling, fast paced story that had a haunting, etherial quality to it.
A man fresh out of prison finds his estranged 11 year old daughter to protect her from death and go on a violent spree car ride to save her life and both are transformed.
Highly recommend!
jfranco77's review against another edition
5.0
Well, that was a hell of a book. Polly McClusky is an 11-year old girl who has a tough time fitting in at school. Her dad Nate has been in prison for armed robbery. When Nate shows up unexpectedly at her school, driving a stolen car, Polly isn't sure what to do. She knows she should be scared, but she goes with him anyway.
It turns out that Nate isn't really a "bad" guy. Growing up, his brother Nick taught him to be a stickup man. It's all he's ever known. When Nate got sent to prison, he kept his head down and his nose clean, but he still managed to make powerful enemies just before being released. Now Nate is marked for death by the Aryan Steel gang, and worse, so are Polly and her mom.
Nate and Polly go on the run, trying to make their escape. But Nate has a plan, and it doesn't involve running. He wants to take the fight to the dirty white boys and get them to lift the "green light" on Polly.
Nate takes Polly on adventures no 11-year old should go on. He trains her to fight. Her wild side comes out and she wants to fight even more aggressively than her dad. It's clear that Nate would do anything to save Polly, including sacrificing himself. It's equally clear that Polly doesn't want to let him do it.
This book has a ton of heart and a ton of action. "Dad trains 11-year old girl to be ruthless killer" doesn't sound like the plot of a great book, but it's way more complicated than that, and it works.
It turns out that Nate isn't really a "bad" guy. Growing up, his brother Nick taught him to be a stickup man. It's all he's ever known. When Nate got sent to prison, he kept his head down and his nose clean, but he still managed to make powerful enemies just before being released. Now Nate is marked for death by the Aryan Steel gang, and worse, so are Polly and her mom.
Nate and Polly go on the run, trying to make their escape. But Nate has a plan, and it doesn't involve running. He wants to take the fight to the dirty white boys and get them to lift the "green light" on Polly.
Nate takes Polly on adventures no 11-year old should go on. He trains her to fight. Her wild side comes out and she wants to fight even more aggressively than her dad. It's clear that Nate would do anything to save Polly, including sacrificing himself. It's equally clear that Polly doesn't want to let him do it.
This book has a ton of heart and a ton of action. "Dad trains 11-year old girl to be ruthless killer" doesn't sound like the plot of a great book, but it's way more complicated than that, and it works.