kketelaar's review against another edition
3.0
I am torn as to how to rate this book. Parts of this book were a five for me, while other parts were a one - hence the three! Some sections were just too slow and bogged down in repetitive imagery. There were also some instances where her revelations about characters didn't ring true to her previously painted picture of them.
megan_prairierose's review against another edition
2.0
This book was clunky and dragged. I expected better.
usbsticky's review against another edition
2.0
2 stars = it was ok.
This book is written in some kind of weird 3rd person narrative that I've only come across once before. The story itself is quite entertaining and the characters richly done but the writing style really put me off. I found myself skipping parts of it where not a lot happened and only started concentrating on it again at the people parts. This is not an engrossing thriller, rather it's a low key caper. I thought about quitting the book a few times but persevered and was rewarded with a few interesting parts, then boring parts again. Overall, I thought it was ok. I would have liked it more if it was written more conventionally.
I received this as a free review copy.
This book is written in some kind of weird 3rd person narrative that I've only come across once before. The story itself is quite entertaining and the characters richly done but the writing style really put me off. I found myself skipping parts of it where not a lot happened and only started concentrating on it again at the people parts. This is not an engrossing thriller, rather it's a low key caper. I thought about quitting the book a few times but persevered and was rewarded with a few interesting parts, then boring parts again. Overall, I thought it was ok. I would have liked it more if it was written more conventionally.
I received this as a free review copy.
spiderfelt's review against another edition
3.0
Newfoundland doesn't often bring to mind stories of criminal activity or elaborate police pursuit. This is proof there is no single definition of #CanLit. Leave expectations behind as the jailbreak turns to manhunt and int'l drug smuggling.
lizruest's review
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kelseyat's review
4.0
I found that I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. There's no question that Lisa Moore is an amazing writer. Sometimes the beauty of the writing took me away from the story and made me lose the threads of what was actually going on.
bookishcanadian's review against another edition
2.0
I can't figure out how to rate this book. On one hand, I felt like I slogged through it. It felt like the most boring book about a prison break and drug smuggling ring ever. But on the other hand, I didn't get a chance to sit down and read it as I would with any other book because of other events occurring in life, and I had to finish it in time for my book club meeting. So did I not get into/enjoy it because of what's going on in my life, or because it wasn't a good book? Probably a little bit of both. There are some well-written parts, it's kind of artsy and stylistic, but I wanted it to be way more exciting than it was. And once it finally WAS exciting, the exciting plot points are skipped over for an epilogue-style summary.
I also didn't care about any of the characters. I found Slaney so boring. Hearn seems like he could be interesting, but he's also so stupid. Patterson was frustrating. These all could have been great characters but I just didn't get to know them the way I wanted to.
So what do I rate it as... I don't know. I probably would have enjoyed this more had I been able to sit down and relax and read a few chunks of it at a time, but I also don't feel like the book pulled me in as much as it should have. I guess that kind of explains it - a good book should have let me escape from life for a few hours or so, and this one didn't really have the pull I wanted.
I also didn't care about any of the characters. I found Slaney so boring. Hearn seems like he could be interesting, but he's also so stupid. Patterson was frustrating. These all could have been great characters but I just didn't get to know them the way I wanted to.
So what do I rate it as... I don't know. I probably would have enjoyed this more had I been able to sit down and relax and read a few chunks of it at a time, but I also don't feel like the book pulled me in as much as it should have. I guess that kind of explains it - a good book should have let me escape from life for a few hours or so, and this one didn't really have the pull I wanted.
whatyouegg's review
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a good book if you’re looking for thrilling criminal pursuit but you’d rather eat nails than read something as shallow as James Patterson. It’s about a young escaped convict trying to pull off a major drug heist, but it’s also about trust, the frailty of morality, and the illusion of freedom. Slaney meets a lot of people during his travels and each person is beautifully and intricately constructed. Each one is an example of what it can mean to be trapped. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book but I’m not giving it 4/5 stars because I just feel like something was missing, especially with Slaney’s character. The book is about him but I still feel like I know every other character far better than I know him.