hilaryistired's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I will admit that I am going into this review with a bit of hesitance. With what has been going on in the USA (and the world, to be honest) lately, there's a fine line between commenting on a book and commenting politically, and as someone who is neither Muslim or American, I would prefer to stay away from the latter. So for purpose of this review, I won't be commenting on the racial and religious aspects of the book, because it is not as though I can give an accurate interpretation or own voices opinion on any side of the matter.
Citizen Kill is a fast paced, action packed adventure of a book that takes you through some of the craziest political drama I've seen in a book to date. It dives into a modern, relevant issue that we're hearing about in the news constantly today and plays off of that, taking you inside the CIA, the American government, and the more general population to see where all this chaos is going. It's one of those books that you'll fly through, if only because you're curious who is going to make it out alive in the end.
I should also throw out there that if this is how the CIA in America actually is, I am terrified, despite not being American. Holy macaroni, what a mess.
The Good Points of Citizen Kill:
The pacing is perfect for this sort of novel. You'll fly through this book no problem, because every time you turn around, something else is exploding, literally or figuratively. It's one of those books that almost feels too short, if only because you flew through it so fast.
The characters are developed well for this type of book. We never get great character development in thrillers, but this one gives you enough that you feel like you actually know the characters enough to feel at least a little invested in their well being. Early on, I worried that there wouldn't be enough character development to actually keep track of who was who in the story, but this was definitely not an issue later on.
I enjoyed the writing in this book. It was that perfect balance of being good enough that you don't get caught up in the writing, but not so much that you get overly focused on the way the words were put together or how fancy it sounds. Which is perfect for this type of book, because it's not in the way of you getting the story.
The Downsides of Citizen Kill:
The title. It's kind of cheesy, and I'm not sure whether it was an intentional play on 'Citizen Kane' or not, but as the book is not based on the film (to my knowledge, anyway. It didn't seem similar if it was), it just made for a strange reference.
It was predictable. Don't get me wrong, the twists and turns were fun and exciting to read, but it was pretty easy to see what was coming and where things were going. It didn't really bring anything new to the table.
Can we please stop with the instalove now? In this particular book, I get that it was a traumatic event that bonded the two lovebirds in the story, but really? One date and they're so in love, which just served to make me sick to my stomach.
All in all, Citizen Kill was a fun, fast paced read. I can definitely see it being a hit for people who are usually into FBI/CIA sorts of stories, and it is nice to read something that is in line with what's going on in the world these days. If you enjoy political thrillers, books with assassins, and fast paced adventures, you'll likely enjoy Citizen Kill.
I will admit that I am going into this review with a bit of hesitance. With what has been going on in the USA (and the world, to be honest) lately, there's a fine line between commenting on a book and commenting politically, and as someone who is neither Muslim or American, I would prefer to stay away from the latter. So for purpose of this review, I won't be commenting on the racial and religious aspects of the book, because it is not as though I can give an accurate interpretation or own voices opinion on any side of the matter.
Citizen Kill is a fast paced, action packed adventure of a book that takes you through some of the craziest political drama I've seen in a book to date. It dives into a modern, relevant issue that we're hearing about in the news constantly today and plays off of that, taking you inside the CIA, the American government, and the more general population to see where all this chaos is going. It's one of those books that you'll fly through, if only because you're curious who is going to make it out alive in the end.
I should also throw out there that if this is how the CIA in America actually is, I am terrified, despite not being American. Holy macaroni, what a mess.
The Good Points of Citizen Kill:
The pacing is perfect for this sort of novel. You'll fly through this book no problem, because every time you turn around, something else is exploding, literally or figuratively. It's one of those books that almost feels too short, if only because you flew through it so fast.
The characters are developed well for this type of book. We never get great character development in thrillers, but this one gives you enough that you feel like you actually know the characters enough to feel at least a little invested in their well being. Early on, I worried that there wouldn't be enough character development to actually keep track of who was who in the story, but this was definitely not an issue later on.
I enjoyed the writing in this book. It was that perfect balance of being good enough that you don't get caught up in the writing, but not so much that you get overly focused on the way the words were put together or how fancy it sounds. Which is perfect for this type of book, because it's not in the way of you getting the story.
The Downsides of Citizen Kill:
The title. It's kind of cheesy, and I'm not sure whether it was an intentional play on 'Citizen Kane' or not, but as the book is not based on the film (to my knowledge, anyway. It didn't seem similar if it was), it just made for a strange reference.
It was predictable. Don't get me wrong, the twists and turns were fun and exciting to read, but it was pretty easy to see what was coming and where things were going. It didn't really bring anything new to the table.
Can we please stop with the instalove now? In this particular book, I get that it was a traumatic event that bonded the two lovebirds in the story, but really? One date and they're so in love, which just served to make me sick to my stomach.
All in all, Citizen Kill was a fun, fast paced read. I can definitely see it being a hit for people who are usually into FBI/CIA sorts of stories, and it is nice to read something that is in line with what's going on in the world these days. If you enjoy political thrillers, books with assassins, and fast paced adventures, you'll likely enjoy Citizen Kill.
barnsey's review against another edition
3.0
A terrorist explosion on inauguration day horrifically injures and kills a multitude of American citizens, including the new President's 12 year-old-son. This tragedy becomes the catalyst for grieving President Savannah Reed and her administration to declare an end to terrorism on American soil. She gives the go-ahead for a secret operation to exterminate American citizens who are believed guilty of radicalising Muslims. CIA agent Justin Raines, currently on 'enforced leave' pending the outcome of an investigation of a botched operation in Dubai, is offered the job of assassin. He falls in love with target Zahra al Sharif and faces a race against time to prove her innocence and prevent her execution.
Considering the current worldwide political climate, this book is right on-topic. Never a day passes without an act of terrorism somewhere in the world. Citizen Kill offers up an horrific solution - assassinate the converters of the converted. Eliminate the need for a fair trial. Although this is a work of fiction, the characters are American citizens and I can imagine this scenario becoming reality. It's very worrying indeed.
The book is competently written and, taking into account the author's status as a former award-winning journalist, I wouldn't expect anything less. However, a couple of points didn't sit right with me. Firstly, the attempted rape of Zahra, coupled with Justin's timely intervention, seemed too contrived. Also, I don't believe any woman would welcome a sexual encounter so soon after such a traumatic experience; not even with the person who rescued you. Secondly, I was completely bewildered by the suggestion of a 'rest and relaxation' canoe trip whilst being hunted by trained killers. Really? I'd be a dribbling mess, tearing my hair out at the roots and too terrified to step outdoors. Canoeing would be last on my bucket list.
That being said, Citizen Kill is a good, topical read. The pacing is exactly right and the author eloquently tells the story. All loose ends are neatly tied up and the reader is left feeling satisfied.
My thanks to author Stephen Clark for providing me with a copy of this book.
http://barnseybooks.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/citizen-kill-by-stephen-clark.html#more
Considering the current worldwide political climate, this book is right on-topic. Never a day passes without an act of terrorism somewhere in the world. Citizen Kill offers up an horrific solution - assassinate the converters of the converted. Eliminate the need for a fair trial. Although this is a work of fiction, the characters are American citizens and I can imagine this scenario becoming reality. It's very worrying indeed.
The book is competently written and, taking into account the author's status as a former award-winning journalist, I wouldn't expect anything less. However, a couple of points didn't sit right with me. Firstly, the attempted rape of Zahra, coupled with Justin's timely intervention, seemed too contrived. Also, I don't believe any woman would welcome a sexual encounter so soon after such a traumatic experience; not even with the person who rescued you. Secondly, I was completely bewildered by the suggestion of a 'rest and relaxation' canoe trip whilst being hunted by trained killers. Really? I'd be a dribbling mess, tearing my hair out at the roots and too terrified to step outdoors. Canoeing would be last on my bucket list.
That being said, Citizen Kill is a good, topical read. The pacing is exactly right and the author eloquently tells the story. All loose ends are neatly tied up and the reader is left feeling satisfied.
My thanks to author Stephen Clark for providing me with a copy of this book.
http://barnseybooks.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/citizen-kill-by-stephen-clark.html#more
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