Reviews

Sospetto by Percival Everett

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barbarabarbara's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

zoolmcg's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

This was not like any of the other Everetts I’ve read, save for maybe his short stories. I wasn’t used to his narration in the third person, but it grew on me more and more. His writing here is so deep that if you miss even a single sentence, you won’t be up to date with the story. It’s vivid and yet hold the reader at a distance, as if to say, Don’t assume you know the whole story.

And on that note, I’ve never encountered a narrator who is simultaneously biased and unreliable as well as omniscient. We are told everything, including facts about people’s feelings and their honesty while speaking, and yet it’s still all from Ogden’s perspective. l

The three cases that this novel covers show the gradual deterioration of Ogden’s capabilities in his job and the moral code that his job carries. At one point he outright says that it’s just a job to him, nothing more.

He seems honourable and intelligent in the first case, and is betrayed when his good deeds are taken advantage of. In the second, he is double crossed again, and the repercussions lead to even more deaths. In the third and final, his actions become more impulsive, less based on gaining information, more out of desperation to pin a blame.

Ogden Walker seems to go through his life doing what he can to preserve himself and those close to him (namely his colleague Fragua, and mother Eva), but when he stars to fail in this, his belief in himself also begins to fail.

I find it interesting that this was Everett’s follow up to Poitier, which by compromise hold a much lighter and comedic tone. This one is dark and distant, leading much of the action up to interpretation, when Poitier hinged itself on its film references and wit. I enjoyed this a lot, even though it’s so different to my favourite of his works, because the plot of each section still manages to ramp up so well. After the first one, A Difficult Likeness, being so nail biting by its climax, I found the beginning of My American Cousin to be lacklustre. But, as the plot quickly whisked me away again, I was quickly back into it. By the time I was at Sticks, I saw this structure as evidence of Ogden’s personality resets, and the aforementioned deterioration.

I loved this a lot, and definitely recommend it to Everett fans and newcomers. He’s yet to have a miss in my opinion, and I’ve so far relished all of his contributions to literature.

callikat's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

jwtaljaard's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

4.75

courtneycox693's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

lauralowrita's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

katy_bee's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

After the first page or so I was expecting to love this but it just never quite came together for me. It's really three short stories, linked by the same central protagonist but each one felt as if it wasn't completely resolved. Whilst there were moments of tension and wanting to find out what would happen, they left me wanting overall.

The last story twists at the end- I thought it might pick up and resolve all of the unanswered questions and make sense of everything in a new light but it didn't really do that for me. If I reread it, I might see things differently and appreciate it in a new way- but I don't feel invested enough to do that

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