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toofondofbooks's review
4.0
really enjoyed this novel; it’s very different from crime novels that I’ve read before and so it was refreshing. This is a book about a young man who is in court charged with murder. The entire book is set in the courtroom and is told entirely from the defendant’s perspective. I had an ARC of this to read but I ended up buying the audio book and it works so brilliantly on audio as it made me feel like I was right there in the courtroom listening along with the jury to this man’s story. I listened to the whole book in one sitting as I just wanted to know how he ended up here. The ending is one that will divide readers but I loved it! I recommend this one.
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
aimeeec's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kaisersozee's review against another edition
5.0
I really like this book, "A daring concept executed to perfection' LEE CHILD, explains exactly why!!
katykelly's review
4.0
Monologue-style narrative: do you believe him?
My favourite film is Twelve Angry Men, a film set in a sweltering jury room with 12 jurors ascertaining the guilt (or otherwise) of a young defendant, overcoming prejudices along the way, sifting through one piece of evidence at a time.
I would guess that it is also one of Imran Mahmood's favourite films also, as lines and scenes seem to be taken and placed in this new context. I liked this, from a hot American prejudiced 1950s white jury room to a 21st-century multi-racial still-prejudiced courtroom.
The unnamed defendant uses the span of the novel for his closing speech, directed at the judge and jury. He declares he is innocent of the murder with which has has been accused, and goes through the prosecution evidence piece by piece.
He weaves a long story, involving friends, a girlfriend, family, gangs - it did feel as though we weren't coming closer to the scenes in which the 'murder' was going to take place, taking routes of context and convolution.
And of course, it's a monologue - apart from one short speech by the prosecutor near the end - which means we have a potentially unreliable narrator, always an interesting device. Do you believe him? Is he a Keyser Soze or a genuine innocent
I found the story itself quite entertaining to follow, though dark (involving prostitution, drugs, violence), and did want to know how the story panned out.
The conclusion is a slight disappointment as the author doesn't give us the closure I certainly wanted, but it's a nicely spun tale with a different spin on narration that I thought worked well, on the whole. The narrator talks to his 'listeners' and reminds us of where he is, he feels like a fully-formed character.
One for young adult readers or older, quite a quick read.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance review copy.
My favourite film is Twelve Angry Men, a film set in a sweltering jury room with 12 jurors ascertaining the guilt (or otherwise) of a young defendant, overcoming prejudices along the way, sifting through one piece of evidence at a time.
I would guess that it is also one of Imran Mahmood's favourite films also, as lines and scenes seem to be taken and placed in this new context. I liked this, from a hot American prejudiced 1950s white jury room to a 21st-century multi-racial still-prejudiced courtroom.
The unnamed defendant uses the span of the novel for his closing speech, directed at the judge and jury. He declares he is innocent of the murder with which has has been accused, and goes through the prosecution evidence piece by piece.
He weaves a long story, involving friends, a girlfriend, family, gangs - it did feel as though we weren't coming closer to the scenes in which the 'murder' was going to take place, taking routes of context and convolution.
And of course, it's a monologue - apart from one short speech by the prosecutor near the end - which means we have a potentially unreliable narrator, always an interesting device. Do you believe him? Is he a Keyser Soze or a genuine innocent
I found the story itself quite entertaining to follow, though dark (involving prostitution, drugs, violence), and did want to know how the story panned out.
The conclusion is a slight disappointment as the author doesn't give us the closure I certainly wanted, but it's a nicely spun tale with a different spin on narration that I thought worked well, on the whole. The narrator talks to his 'listeners' and reminds us of where he is, he feels like a fully-formed character.
One for young adult readers or older, quite a quick read.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance review copy.
agsztyl's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
mitsyleigh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
iambranchingout's review
4.0
I really enjoyed the audio of this book. The courtroom drama is narrated by the accused, a young Londoner charged with murder, and having the story read by an authentic accent full of dialect (innit) really brought it to life. Plenty of twists and turns as well.