v_nessa's review against another edition
1.0
This could have been great. I was really looking forward to it so I went ahead and bought it on my ereader. Disappointing is not a strong enough word. I feel like I'm missing something since I was the only one who didn't give it at least two stars. *Sigh* Oh well.
The writing was ok, there was nothing special about it. I sort of liked her characters, the hippie parents and the dogs were the best part. I did not really like the main character, though I felt she should have been liked, because who hasn't been in a position of serving annoying customers that you want to kill?
The actual execution of the book was clunky. There was too much repetition about her 'porn star' husband and wanting to open her clients jugular vein with her shears, though I realize that is what it's about. The story needed more flow. It felt like it would have gone better if it had been diary entries, or there was less jumping around. I got so annoyed when reading it that I was skimming paragraphs and then pages at a time to see if it got any better, it didn't, it just gave me a headache.
Also mediocre writing can be forgiven, if the plot or the characters make up for it. I didn't feel this was the case in this book otherwise it would have gotten another star. I didn't like any of the characters that much and I feel the plot could have been much more interesting.
I can't finish this book because it doesn't compel me. I feel like the back cover blurb was misleading. Skye does want to kill people but she doesn't look for ways to get away with it and if she does it came far too late in the book for me to care.
I'll probably go back and try to finish it later, but right now I have other books I'd rather read and I know will not disappoint.
The writing was ok, there was nothing special about it. I sort of liked her characters, the hippie parents and the dogs were the best part. I did not really like the main character, though I felt she should have been liked, because who hasn't been in a position of serving annoying customers that you want to kill?
The actual execution of the book was clunky. There was too much repetition about her 'porn star' husband and wanting to open her clients jugular vein with her shears, though I realize that is what it's about. The story needed more flow. It felt like it would have gone better if it had been diary entries, or there was less jumping around. I got so annoyed when reading it that I was skimming paragraphs and then pages at a time to see if it got any better, it didn't, it just gave me a headache.
Also mediocre writing can be forgiven, if the plot or the characters make up for it. I didn't feel this was the case in this book otherwise it would have gotten another star. I didn't like any of the characters that much and I feel the plot could have been much more interesting.
I can't finish this book because it doesn't compel me. I feel like the back cover blurb was misleading. Skye does want to kill people but she doesn't look for ways to get away with it and if she does it came far too late in the book for me to care.
I'll probably go back and try to finish it later, but right now I have other books I'd rather read and I know will not disappoint.
janetted's review against another edition
3.0
From the very beginning of The Cutting Edge, Darcia Helle does a great job of making Skye a very real, likeable character. I could relate to her on many levels: frustration at work, feelings she had about her family and her all around attitude about life. I enjoyed reading about a strong female character whose troubles do not stem from her relationship with her husband but from other realistic sources. Our heroine is juggling not only her job and family, but a tense relationship with her husband's ex and daughter.
Throughout the book, Helle keeps you in suspense while revealing tidbits of information that piece together the details of the story. There's a serial killer on the loose, and the path of danger is creeping closer and closer to home. As the story unravels, clues about the killer's identity are given, but she keeps you guessing until it's finally revealed. I found this both thought provoking and engaging.
I appreciate the humor found in this book, especially with its darker subject matter. There's really no way to avoid that in a book about a serial killer, and Helle strikes a nice balance to keep you from dwelling on more gruesome content. I particularly loved the recurring references to Skye's initials: LSD.
While I enjoyed this book very much, it is not my favorite book by this author. I've read several of her other novels, and this one was a little disappointing in comparison. Due to the nature of Skye's job, the cast of characters is huge, and I found it a little redundant that the same identifying information was given each time someone entered the salon. I would have preferred clues to help you remember each person rather than overt statements. This was a personal preference and really didn't detract from the story.
Overall it's a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys suspense/mystery novels.
Throughout the book, Helle keeps you in suspense while revealing tidbits of information that piece together the details of the story. There's a serial killer on the loose, and the path of danger is creeping closer and closer to home. As the story unravels, clues about the killer's identity are given, but she keeps you guessing until it's finally revealed. I found this both thought provoking and engaging.
I appreciate the humor found in this book, especially with its darker subject matter. There's really no way to avoid that in a book about a serial killer, and Helle strikes a nice balance to keep you from dwelling on more gruesome content. I particularly loved the recurring references to Skye's initials: LSD.
While I enjoyed this book very much, it is not my favorite book by this author. I've read several of her other novels, and this one was a little disappointing in comparison. Due to the nature of Skye's job, the cast of characters is huge, and I found it a little redundant that the same identifying information was given each time someone entered the salon. I would have preferred clues to help you remember each person rather than overt statements. This was a personal preference and really didn't detract from the story.
Overall it's a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys suspense/mystery novels.
sarahconnor89757's review against another edition
4.0
Chick-lit horror.
Helle writes with a really fun, natrual style that makes the book a quick read that appeals to the chick-lit appetites, but the story is smart and violent enough for someone who is actually literate.
Great escapist novel for the woman who'd like to murder everyone.
Helle writes with a really fun, natrual style that makes the book a quick read that appeals to the chick-lit appetites, but the story is smart and violent enough for someone who is actually literate.
Great escapist novel for the woman who'd like to murder everyone.
endlessreader's review against another edition
4.0
So, we've all fantasized about killing people. Now before you go off thinking "She's nuts. I would never hurt anyone". I wouldn't either. We're only talking about fantasizing. Now before you go off and think "I would never think about hurting someone", let me save us both the time by saying that we've all had the thought of "I'd just like to strangle that person" or "I really just want to stab that pen in her eye". Even, "God, if she doesn't put a sock in it, I'm going to do it for her." All actions which would inevitably lead to death. So, yeah, we all think about it. However, the protagonist of The Cutting Edge thinks about it a little bit way too much in very much gory detail.
The Cutting Edge just sounds like a terribly disturbing book, right? And it is. However, it's also extremely hilarious and endlessly entertaining. I guess this is because I could sort of see where Skye was coming from. Her clients were just a complete and total nightmare. You'd think that they would be cautious of being complete and total pricks considering that the person doing their hair is also wielding sharp objects, but nope, they continue being really terrible people. Due to this, Skye goes on wondering how much a person would bleed if she shoves the sharp part of the scissors in their jugular or how quickly a person would die if she shoves a blow-dryer in their mouth with it blaring on high... So, she was more than a little disturbing. But I'd be lying (or at least withholding crucial information) if I didn't say that Skye was just extremely amusing, murderous thoughts and all.
Not only is Skye dealing with annoying clients that make her harbour murderous thoughts, she also has to deal with her husband's evil spawn aka her stepdaughter and said evil spawn's mother. Add an actual serial killer who is on the loose and murdering women whom he feels wield a little too much power over men and enjoy manipulating them, and you basically have a book that's not only downright hilarious, but also immensely creepy. It makes you think twice about the people who are living next door to you, or shopping at the same grocery store you go to, or hanging out at the same coffee shop, etc., etc. However, I did have to subtract a star for the very predictable whodunit aspect of the serial killer. I figured out who it was going to be the minute that whole idea appeared and I never guess (right anyway).
Anyway, I have to say that I really loved The Cutting Edge. It was dark and creepy, yet fun and amusing, but most importantly, captivating. I also loved Skye, her parents, her dogs, and her porn-star look-alike husband (their relationship was all sorts of awesome). I also agree with one reviewer who said that the last sentence of the story was amazing. I agree; it rocked! Seriously, who would've thought that a story involving a woman who frequently has murderous fantasies would be heartwarming? I really see myself picking this back up in the near future when I need a laugh (that's right, I said it). So, The Cutting Edge is highly recommended.
The Cutting Edge just sounds like a terribly disturbing book, right? And it is. However, it's also extremely hilarious and endlessly entertaining. I guess this is because I could sort of see where Skye was coming from. Her clients were just a complete and total nightmare. You'd think that they would be cautious of being complete and total pricks considering that the person doing their hair is also wielding sharp objects, but nope, they continue being really terrible people. Due to this, Skye goes on wondering how much a person would bleed if she shoves the sharp part of the scissors in their jugular or how quickly a person would die if she shoves a blow-dryer in their mouth with it blaring on high... So, she was more than a little disturbing. But I'd be lying (or at least withholding crucial information) if I didn't say that Skye was just extremely amusing, murderous thoughts and all.
Not only is Skye dealing with annoying clients that make her harbour murderous thoughts, she also has to deal with her husband's evil spawn aka her stepdaughter and said evil spawn's mother. Add an actual serial killer who is on the loose and murdering women whom he feels wield a little too much power over men and enjoy manipulating them, and you basically have a book that's not only downright hilarious, but also immensely creepy. It makes you think twice about the people who are living next door to you, or shopping at the same grocery store you go to, or hanging out at the same coffee shop, etc., etc. However, I did have to subtract a star for the very predictable whodunit aspect of the serial killer. I figured out who it was going to be the minute that whole idea appeared and I never guess (right anyway).
Anyway, I have to say that I really loved The Cutting Edge. It was dark and creepy, yet fun and amusing, but most importantly, captivating. I also loved Skye, her parents, her dogs, and her porn-star look-alike husband (their relationship was all sorts of awesome). I also agree with one reviewer who said that the last sentence of the story was amazing. I agree; it rocked! Seriously, who would've thought that a story involving a woman who frequently has murderous fantasies would be heartwarming? I really see myself picking this back up in the near future when I need a laugh (that's right, I said it). So, The Cutting Edge is highly recommended.
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