puppy_eyes's review against another edition
2.0
The eerie, depressing atmosphere of this book is definitely spot on. I feel bad for the main character, Ronnie, we've all been there. But I have a strong affection for the police chief, Gordy. It has to be hard to be in a leader position, but it's admirable to watch a cop so dedicated on doing the right thing.
Small town drama, I know it well. But there was some questionable advice, like "you should keep up smoking, it'll entertain you."? The biggest trend I've noticed was peer pressure. Especially around that age of teenagers, where you'd do something that you know was stupid just because you wanted to fit in and was afraid of being cast out. It's a shame, really, how the consequences of that can turn into a landslide.
People hardly get recognized for doing their job well, you only get attention when you've done something wrong. More often than not, it's just bad luck, but it happens. I can picture this playing out like a movie, waiting to know when the bomb will drop, and I only truly started to feel so righteously angry close to the end, when everyone was just being so unfair. Then you start to wonder, I don't have kids, or a family, does that make me expendable?
This book depresses me, but in an incredible way. I read it through two nights, eager to see where it was all leading up to. I had a feeling, so whatever came next wouldn't be too surprising, but I certainly didn't expect that. And, I kind of don't like it? It almost seems to be done in a way to get the biggest reaction, but it didn't make a lot of sense... reasoning wise. Not to be a downer, but the next logical response And I know he tried, but that little break seemed unwarranted. was a victim of his father, too. Ronny was always caught up in himself, that he didn't see how someone else was suffering. Vanessa's distancing, or Matt's home life maybe? Even more shocking, in the end, ending, when it was revealed that Where the hell did that come from? He never seemed the type to suddenly do something like that, how would he even know where to get it? How do you do that from a jail cell, and how would someone not notice when putting someone into a jail cell? What?
So I thoroughly enjoyed reading up to the very, very last pages. Also, a quick nod, living here in Louisiana, I see you "LSU," and the cop named "Mancuso." Is that an easter egg to our police chief, Tony Mancuso? Yeah, I caught it! I could have done without some of the drawn-out flashback details, and it was a bit hard to follow who was talking sometimes when the dialogue kept jumping back and forth. But you get through it.
Small town drama, I know it well. But there was some questionable advice, like "you should keep up smoking, it'll entertain you."? The biggest trend I've noticed was peer pressure. Especially around that age of teenagers, where you'd do something that you know was stupid just because you wanted to fit in and was afraid of being cast out. It's a shame, really, how the consequences of that can turn into a landslide.
People hardly get recognized for doing their job well, you only get attention when you've done something wrong. More often than not, it's just bad luck, but it happens. I can picture this playing out like a movie, waiting to know when the bomb will drop, and I only truly started to feel so righteously angry close to the end, when everyone was just being so unfair. Then you start to wonder, I don't have kids, or a family, does that make me expendable?
This book depresses me, but in an incredible way. I read it through two nights, eager to see where it was all leading up to. I had a feeling, so whatever came next wouldn't be too surprising, but I certainly didn't expect that. And, I kind of don't like it? It almost seems to be done in a way to get the biggest reaction, but it didn't make a lot of sense... reasoning wise. Not to be a downer, but the next logical response
Spoiler
was for him to kill himself.Spoiler
SammySpoiler
Ronny was exchanging sexual favors for drugs, and ODed in his jail cell.So I thoroughly enjoyed reading up to the very, very last pages. Also, a quick nod, living here in Louisiana, I see you "LSU," and the cop named "Mancuso." Is that an easter egg to our police chief, Tony Mancuso? Yeah, I caught it! I could have done without some of the drawn-out flashback details, and it was a bit hard to follow who was talking sometimes when the dialogue kept jumping back and forth. But you get through it.
eleellis's review against another edition
4.0
This is an enjoyable, "small" crime fiction novel that I best describe as being a book where the good people try to do good things and the right things while those of lesser qualities try to prevent them from doing so mainly by being themselves.
The characters all know each other and for years. The story opens with an accidental death that takes on different meanings depending upon the perspectives of others and at times, for the use of different characters and their selfish motives.
The characters all know each other and for years. The story opens with an accidental death that takes on different meanings depending upon the perspectives of others and at times, for the use of different characters and their selfish motives.
christinak3's review against another edition
3.0
I thought it was good until the end. the ending upset me. still don't know how I feel about it. 2 1/2 stars
lah_reads's review against another edition
1.0
Glad I'm done with that one. What a waste! I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't. It's dry, the characters are 2 - dimensional, and the ending? A total waste. I do have to admit that it lures you in. It's boring, but I still wanted to know how it ended. It was a jumble of flash-backs that seemed to be out of order mixed with a plot that was more political drama than the psychological thriller it claimed to be. The opening wasn't bad, and the town council meeting scene near the end was infuriating enough to be a bit exciting, but there were a lot of inaccuracies in how the police work was done and it was over all an impossible plot with maybe two characters that were half way decent. Oh, and I almost forgot about that side plot, but it's okay, because the author did, too. I hate to be this negative, I really did want to like this book. I just couldn't, which is strange because it really did draw me in. I was compelled to find out how it ended, then disappointed when I did. I'm sorry to say that I won't be recommending this one to anyone.
(please note that this is a review of an advanced reader copy, and there is always the possibility that changes and improvements will be made to the final edition.)
(please note that this is a review of an advanced reader copy, and there is always the possibility that changes and improvements will be made to the final edition.)
tonya_with_an_o's review against another edition
2.0
I ended up really dissatisfied with this book. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Not worth the time it took me to read, for sure.
booksies_booksies's review against another edition
5.0
This book doesn't have the highest ratings, but I thought it was amazing. It is a terribly sad story, really got me in the feelers. I will definitely be reading Crazy Heart, one of the author's other books.
__eerbree__'s review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, this book was boring. Written like a screenplay, little character development except for maybe the police chief. I still don't know what the title means, even after finishing. Read it for a book club- not a fan.
I did like the idea of the story- small town, everybody knows everybody and their business.
I did like the idea of the story- small town, everybody knows everybody and their business.
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