Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Lost Man

The Bright family farms a vast tract of land in remote western Queensland, a territory that you need to know well and to respect in order to survive. Middle brother Cameron is found dead of exposure in the Outback, having seemingly inexplicably wandered away from his well-stocked car. Tragic accident or the result of something more sinister? Jane Harper does a good job of crafting a sense of place—I could really feel the oppressive heat and the big skies of the Australian landscape. The Lost Man is more family drama than thriller, however. Things unfold slowly and whodunnit is easy to guess. The book could still have worked well as a character study if the characters other than the POV one, Nathan, had been better drawn (and if the kids had been at all convincing as children). Readable, but not a page turner.

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hannah_likes_to_read's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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pisces1_1318's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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original_jen's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious sad fast-paced

Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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skeptic_hecate's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book is haunting. The main character is complex and fully fleshed out, the setting is amazing, both beautiful and frightening, and the story is gripping. I found myself getting into the story more and more with each chapter.

This book details the sadness and toll of isolation in a bautifully sad way. I found myself feeling deeply moved by the main character, even though he was not perfect. He was not without faults, but the punishmet he received far exceeds his crime. Human isolation is a main theme on this book, and it is devastating, the smallest gesture of human affection for someone starved of it for a decade is so filled with joy and dispair at the same time. The family relationships were put in a very intimate and realistic way. And there is a sense of foreboding, up until the last revelation.

The final twist was surprising, although mostly for me because it became second to Nathan's feelings and thoughts. I couldn't help but to feel a kindness towards him. At the end, even peripheral characters have more layers and complexity than what I initially thought. I definitely recommend this book and will eagerly read more from the author.

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_vita_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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