1klew's review against another edition
2.0
Everything about this was too far-fectched for me to finish it..
janko27's review against another edition
5.0
This one gained a star just to balance out those one star reviews from folks who haven't even read the book. Lots of Easter eggs if you are a Louise Penny fan - they put a smile on my face every time. Girl power all the way through - loved it!
megancmahon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
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? No
2.75
Spoilers!
I'm not really a Hillary Clinton fan, but I AM a Louise Penny fan, so I thought I'd give this a try.
What I liked:
I'm not really a Hillary Clinton fan, but I AM a Louise Penny fan, so I thought I'd give this a try.
What I liked:
- Armand Gamache and the inclusion of the Three Pines crew! Some of them, anyway, and most importantly Henri. However the idea that Myrna is in love with someone who's been lying to her...she deserves better. And I don't remember hearing about this man in the latest Louise Penny, which was published after this! AND WHAT ABOUT BILLY WILLIAMS
- It was cool getting a look at what goes on in the US Secretary of State's life, especially since it comes from real-life experience
- I think the whole book was worth it just for Betsy's character. I adored her. It was so interesting to hear she was based on a real person!
- I always enjoy hints of love stories in my books, and Gil and Anahita's was lovely
- You can really tell that Clinton and Penny had a TON of fun writing this, and it was clearly an allegory for a lot of what Clinton experienced. President Dunn indeed.
What I didn't like
- It's possible I'm just not a political thriller type of person, because a lot of this book didn't really grab me. It's like there was so much tension that eventually it just rolled off my back, like the proverbial watery duck
- I wasn't a huge fan of the prose style - which was so odd as I LOVE Louise Penny's style normally. There were so many short, punchy sentences that were supposed to pack a dramatic punch that eventually the novelty wore off.
Like this.
And then like this.
And then a final, devastating sentence.
And another for good measure.
And then like this.
And then a final, devastating sentence.
And another for good measure.
- I felt like a lot of the characters didn't really get too developed. I was waiting to hear about Ellen's relationship with Gil's father and Katherine, who's a major character, or even Charles Boynton! But while some of the characters were awesome (again, Betsy) I thought a bunch of them needed more work
- I suppose I'm not American or patriotic, so a lot of people saying how much they "love their country" felt weird to me, though I suppose it is fitting for a political thriller set in the US
- The ending was WILD. "All of a sudden here's a new threat we haven't foreshadowed!!" Not my favourite. Although again, I suppose it's not unreasonable for a political thriller
Overall, while I love Louise Penny and am always excited to go back to Three Pines, this one wasn't my favourite. Though I did enjoy all the thinly-veiled allegories for real-world people and situations.
bcgg's review against another edition
1.0
No...just no. Please don't ever do another book with another politician Louise. I felt Three Pines was used.
fromsarahsbooknook's review against another edition
4.0
THIS BOOK IS WILD. And I love a good wild thriller. It’s twisty, tense, and a little convoluted. If you loved watching Scandal, Madame Secretary, or Homeland, I think you’ll enjoy this one. Unless you also enjoy sporting a MAGA hat on weekends… then you might not.
readingrenbo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bbboeken's review
3.0
***1/2
As far as pulp fiction goes, I really enjoyed reading this novel. It doesn't come across as having 'literary' ambitions, is full of Americanisms, adheres to the tropes and doesn't bore for one second. It's all about action and easy intrigue. It's full of double entendres if you choose to recognize them, against Trump and against alt-right so-called patriotism specifically.
Well worth the read if you're into this kind of literature --I know I am.
As far as pulp fiction goes, I really enjoyed reading this novel. It doesn't come across as having 'literary' ambitions, is full of Americanisms, adheres to the tropes and doesn't bore for one second. It's all about action and easy intrigue. It's full of double entendres if you choose to recognize them, against Trump and against alt-right so-called patriotism specifically.
Well worth the read if you're into this kind of literature --I know I am.
audreyjlisk's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars, each chapter made you want to read more.
sarah_kurtz's review against another edition
4.0
Pleasantly surprised by this one!
One of the local bookstores that I love hypes up Louise Penny, a lot! So, when I saw that this was written by she and Hillary Clinton, I knew I had to read it! I am so glad I did, it did not disappoint!
This is based around the life of the Secretary of State who is serving under a President that despises her, under a time of distress in the country, while worrying about her kids, and trying to create a sense of peace in the world.
Overall, I think the flow of the book was really well written. It came in strong right out of the gate and the momentum just kept moving. There were a few times where I found I couldn’t put it down, eagerly reading on to see what was going to happen next. There were obviously political aspects of the book, but I liked that it was written/explained in a way that was easy to understand, even if you’re not super political savvy.
From my understanding, there were some characters that overlap into other books that she’s written; which I enjoyed. I also like that characters within the book all intertwined into one another, like secret pasts!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a fast-paced, blood-pumping, heart-racing, story!
One of the local bookstores that I love hypes up Louise Penny, a lot! So, when I saw that this was written by she and Hillary Clinton, I knew I had to read it! I am so glad I did, it did not disappoint!
This is based around the life of the Secretary of State who is serving under a President that despises her, under a time of distress in the country, while worrying about her kids, and trying to create a sense of peace in the world.
Overall, I think the flow of the book was really well written. It came in strong right out of the gate and the momentum just kept moving. There were a few times where I found I couldn’t put it down, eagerly reading on to see what was going to happen next. There were obviously political aspects of the book, but I liked that it was written/explained in a way that was easy to understand, even if you’re not super political savvy.
From my understanding, there were some characters that overlap into other books that she’s written; which I enjoyed. I also like that characters within the book all intertwined into one another, like secret pasts!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a fast-paced, blood-pumping, heart-racing, story!
gsdfan's review against another edition
4.0
It was impossible not to smile at the wafer thin veils. They must have had a lot of fun writing this.