literarywallflower's review
2.0
I was not impressed by this book. I didn’t really know what it was about when I bought it on sale, but I have to disagree with what others have said. I did not find it spellbinding or entertaining… I thought it was slow and confusing.
The story jumped around back and forth, basically if you don’t read it in one sitting you won’t really get it or remember what was significant. I guess I just didn’t really like his writing style. I thought how things were worded were strange, also I guess I just would rather a story be told chronologically instead of going from Monday to Wednesday to Tuesday….. it was just not for me.
Also I don’t really feel like he got the concept of switching point of views. Sometimes it would say the city, others it would be a specific character, sometimes a group of characters, and other times a date. That in itself was confusing. I just wasn’t sure what that was all about.
I would definitely say this novel is a cross between The Lovely Bones and To Kill a Mockingbird. I don’t think this book deserves any awards and I think there are better books about kidnapped kids, but I am proud of myself for pushing through and finishing it.
Definitely not a recommendation, but if you get stuck having to read it; well it’s doable.
The story jumped around back and forth, basically if you don’t read it in one sitting you won’t really get it or remember what was significant. I guess I just didn’t really like his writing style. I thought how things were worded were strange, also I guess I just would rather a story be told chronologically instead of going from Monday to Wednesday to Tuesday….. it was just not for me.
Also I don’t really feel like he got the concept of switching point of views. Sometimes it would say the city, others it would be a specific character, sometimes a group of characters, and other times a date. That in itself was confusing. I just wasn’t sure what that was all about.
I would definitely say this novel is a cross between The Lovely Bones and To Kill a Mockingbird. I don’t think this book deserves any awards and I think there are better books about kidnapped kids, but I am proud of myself for pushing through and finishing it.
Definitely not a recommendation, but if you get stuck having to read it; well it’s doable.
randybo5's review
4.0
A very disturbing topic about a missing 9-year old girl, but very lyrically written. I think it's an excellent story of a man's hidden life-what he appears to the outside world versus what he's really like.
tobyyy's review
4.0
Some beautiful language in this book. Overall, it’s a stark and honest portrayal of people — namely, Henry Dees, Clare, and Raymond Royal Wright — the type of people that many would label as “pathetic” or “losers.” Yet they are examined gently, yet honestly. Their desires and regrets are also put under the magnifying glass as their interactions with Junior and his daughter Katie come to a head in a hot, muggy July in the 1970s.
This book did not fully blow me away but it did strike a chord in me, and I can see why it was a Pulitzer prize finalist.
Unread shelf project 2020: book 24.
Work from home 2020: book 23.
This book did not fully blow me away but it did strike a chord in me, and I can see why it was a Pulitzer prize finalist.
Unread shelf project 2020: book 24.
Work from home 2020: book 23.
booktalkwithkarla's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“There comes a time when you have to believe in the goodness of people.”
Katie Mackey leaves her home on her bike one early evening to return library books. She doesn’t come home. This is a very complicated book about humans with complicated stories. The truth about Katie is revealed slowly throughly the points of view of multiple people, none very likable.
Lee Martin writes well and had it been any other topic I would have liked the book more. Martin created tension and suspense, evoking many emotions. He writes so well that I felt the power and sadness (and anger) in my whole body making it a horrible reading experience. Probably the point.
I needed to know truth so I kept turning pages, hating every minute. Reader know thy self when considering reading this book. I need redemption and hope in my stories and unfortunately this fictional account mirrors reality too closely.
lizzywaffles's review
2.0
This book was marketed with a "if you liked The Secret History, you'll like The Bright Forever" concept.
Well, I LOVED Donna Tartt's The Secret History, but since the comparison was already in my head, all I could think reading Bright Forever was how much better Secret History was in comparison.
The Bright Forever is fine, but that's it. It did well for what it was trying to do--though repetition as a literary device was overdone a quite a lot--but I couldn't give it a high rating because I've read a similar book that was so much better and that kept me from liking this one.
Well, I LOVED Donna Tartt's The Secret History, but since the comparison was already in my head, all I could think reading Bright Forever was how much better Secret History was in comparison.
The Bright Forever is fine, but that's it. It did well for what it was trying to do--though repetition as a literary device was overdone a quite a lot--but I couldn't give it a high rating because I've read a similar book that was so much better and that kept me from liking this one.
tomaind's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this story about a young girl who goes missing. The story kept me interested and I was surprised at the outcome of the story.
alexblackreads's review
3.0
This is a book that I struggle to review. I don't think it was bad, by any means. It captures a series of characters and unreliable narrators really well. You never know who to trust, but I still found it easy to follow the events of the story. It's a hard line to walk and was well done here.
But at the same time, this is one of the most forgettable books I've read in a long time. I struggled to keep myself from skimming it while reading and had to continuously go back over passages that I hadn't read thoroughly. I just wanted to get through it more than I cared about the actual story.
I'm writing this review five minutes after finishing the book because I worry in another ten or twenty I'd forget about it completely. I still worry I've waited too long because I can't think of anything to write here.
I wouldn't tell anyone to avoid this book, but I can't say I'd recommend it either. I wanted to really enjoy the story because I love missing persons cases that fall closer to literary fiction than thriller, but this one just didn't do much for me.
But at the same time, this is one of the most forgettable books I've read in a long time. I struggled to keep myself from skimming it while reading and had to continuously go back over passages that I hadn't read thoroughly. I just wanted to get through it more than I cared about the actual story.
I'm writing this review five minutes after finishing the book because I worry in another ten or twenty I'd forget about it completely. I still worry I've waited too long because I can't think of anything to write here.
I wouldn't tell anyone to avoid this book, but I can't say I'd recommend it either. I wanted to really enjoy the story because I love missing persons cases that fall closer to literary fiction than thriller, but this one just didn't do much for me.
mimireads320's review
4.0
I found myself wanting the book to hurry up and get to the ending...I seemed to be impatient to let it all unravel- so it took me awhile to get through because I kept putting it down; however, I did think it was a well written novel. There were many lines in the story that I found myself thinking that it was good writing and that it was honest. I liked the intricate parts that were woven into the story about the different characters.
nicki_j's review
1.0
I am shocked that this book has received so many good reviews. Unredeemable characters on one hand and characters whose actions make no rational sense on the other. Seems to be capitalizing on a scandalous subject matter rather than writing about it with real sensitivity or unique perspective.