larobertson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
afro8921's review against another edition
3.0
I wish Mr. Mosley would move the center in regards to his female characters.
alisa4books's review against another edition
4.0
Another solid outing featuring Leonid McGill, private eye trying to stay on the right side of the law and make up for past wrongs. This time things get a little closer to home and that has consequences for all the McGills. A little convoluted plot wise but enjoyable nonetheless.
scoodle42's review against another edition
5.0
No one can write a cast of criminals better than Walter Mosley. His trips into the depths of men are winding and twisty, but filled with self-awareness and strength. Leonid McGill is masterful in his fourth story, threading through the path of redemption and the call of crime with so much ease, his shoes tracked with the grime of his sins, his thirst for life to fill his ever ready to die soul tripping him up time and again. What a great adventure.
nonna7's review against another edition
5.0
The fourth Leonid McGill novel by Walter Mosley proves once again that Mosley is really one of our finest novelists. If you haven't read any of the Leonid McGill books in the past, it's not that difficult to dip into the series at #4. Leonid is a private detective with a "bent" past who is trying to make up for his past misdeeds. He has done some downright criminal things and is always being watched by the police, but always manages to elude them.
In an excellent NPR interview and discussion of the book, it is referred to as a "book of atonement." That's exactly what it is. McGill is feeling guilty for having helped set up a woman named Zella who shot (non-fatally) her boyfriend when she found him in bed with her best friend. A woman McGill has done some work for in the past asks him to plant some incriminating evidence in Zella's storage locker. As a result her sentence is a lot longer than it would have been, plus she is forced to give up her child. Now McGill is trying to help her through his attorney.
Of course there are ALWAYS complications, and this one's complications just keep multiplying. I love Mosley's language and this book is no exception. "Men were trying to kill me, but so what? I was reborn. A born-again agnostic risen from the ashes of faith." THIS kind of writing is why I LOVE Walter Mosley!
In an excellent NPR interview and discussion of the book, it is referred to as a "book of atonement." That's exactly what it is. McGill is feeling guilty for having helped set up a woman named Zella who shot (non-fatally) her boyfriend when she found him in bed with her best friend. A woman McGill has done some work for in the past asks him to plant some incriminating evidence in Zella's storage locker. As a result her sentence is a lot longer than it would have been, plus she is forced to give up her child. Now McGill is trying to help her through his attorney.
Of course there are ALWAYS complications, and this one's complications just keep multiplying. I love Mosley's language and this book is no exception. "Men were trying to kill me, but so what? I was reborn. A born-again agnostic risen from the ashes of faith." THIS kind of writing is why I LOVE Walter Mosley!
marystevens's review against another edition
1.0
Dialogue is too cryptic, hero is too cynical for his hopefulness to be believable, the plot is too awkward. I'm done with Mosley.
caseythecanadianlesbrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Finished this a while ago and forgot to record it!
For people who really like mysteries with a suspenseful vibe and gritty urban realism, I imagine this would at least be a 4 star or maybe a 5 star read. It's very very good at doing what it does, but it's just not really my thing. I guess I like escapist English countryside mysteries better (ha ha, from my sample size of two books). For me personally it's probably more of a 3 star, but I decided to give it 4 stars for the potential I think it has for readers who like this kind of stuff.
Super complex, tight, layered plot, both in terms of Leonid's PI cases and his personal life, which may have felt more complicated for me than it really was as I jumped into the fourth book featuring Leonid McGill (I'm guessing some secondary characters I was meeting for the first time had likely already been introduced in earlier volumes). Some very interesting takes on morality (everything is a grey area), family (non-traditional family structures), and racism and race (some really elegant writing near the end of the book on that from the African-American detective's [and author's] POV). Some really nice writing in parts as well, and a bit of philosophical musings. It was a lot of different things jumbled together that could have ended up disjointed, but somehow it all worked.
Again, this wasn't really my thing but I can see how fantastic and well-done an example of its genre it is. I would not hesitate to suggest this to readers looking for what it delivers!
For people who really like mysteries with a suspenseful vibe and gritty urban realism, I imagine this would at least be a 4 star or maybe a 5 star read. It's very very good at doing what it does, but it's just not really my thing. I guess I like escapist English countryside mysteries better (ha ha, from my sample size of two books). For me personally it's probably more of a 3 star, but I decided to give it 4 stars for the potential I think it has for readers who like this kind of stuff.
Super complex, tight, layered plot, both in terms of Leonid's PI cases and his personal life, which may have felt more complicated for me than it really was as I jumped into the fourth book featuring Leonid McGill (I'm guessing some secondary characters I was meeting for the first time had likely already been introduced in earlier volumes). Some very interesting takes on morality (everything is a grey area), family (non-traditional family structures), and racism and race (some really elegant writing near the end of the book on that from the African-American detective's [and author's] POV). Some really nice writing in parts as well, and a bit of philosophical musings. It was a lot of different things jumbled together that could have ended up disjointed, but somehow it all worked.
Again, this wasn't really my thing but I can see how fantastic and well-done an example of its genre it is. I would not hesitate to suggest this to readers looking for what it delivers!
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I continue to be pleasantly mystified by Walter Mosley's Leonid McGill series. These books are so odd, so transgressive considering what else is out there. He clearly has a gift for this kind of writing. The plot feels wispy in my mind; I finished it a week ago and barely remember it. But I recall certain scenes vividly and that's mostly because I'm fascinated with the character of Leonid himself. He's trying to repent from his past ways but not for any religious or guilt-based reasons. I think he's surprised he's still alive and is just going to do his thing to people who are more on the wrong side of the law this time until his fate is sealed. Hoping to finish the next one before the new one comes out next week.
curtispaulostler's review against another edition
5.0
Walter Mosely's characters are so rich and complex, and the mystery so compelling, I had to give this one five stars. The wonderful reading by narrator Mirron Willis only added to the enjoyment of the read.
I would not recommend this to everyone, simply because Leonid is a character with such an eclectic past and many personality flaws. But if you like your protagonists with some grit rubbed in, definitely try the series.
I would not recommend this to everyone, simply because Leonid is a character with such an eclectic past and many personality flaws. But if you like your protagonists with some grit rubbed in, definitely try the series.
nealalex's review against another edition
4.0
The 'I' of the title was framed by McGill for robbing an insurance company. To salve his conscience, he meets her out of jail to put her back on her feet. Which proves difficult since the real thieves don’t want anyone putting the pieces together. (Sadly, at time of writing, no sign of a fifth book in the series.)