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stellahadz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a really fun book, and I think it would make a great campy heist/crime movie à la Ocean's Eight. It's not a super-deep or philosophical read, but it does have a few nuggets of wisdom about women, aging, and power. A lot of the plot relies on convenient coincidences (one of them just *happens* to have purchased a house in England where they can hide out, and it just *happens* to be in the name of her late husband's holding company so it can't be traced back to them, and so on) , so everything is quickly and neatly resolved. This book is great if you're looking for a fun story with a satisfying ending, but you'll be disappointed if you go in expecting a thriller or a high-stakes whodunnit.
The only thing I wish were different is the narration - it switches between third-person and Billie's first-person, and it's not entirely clear why Billie is the one chosen to tell most of the story. I would've preferred to read all four women's perspectives. Aside from that, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a book that's genuinely fun.
The only thing I wish were different is the narration - it switches between third-person and Billie's first-person, and it's not entirely clear why Billie is the one chosen to tell most of the story. I would've preferred to read all four women's perspectives. Aside from that, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a book that's genuinely fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
shaipanda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So well done and definitely has gotten me more into mystery and assassin esque books cause this was greatttt
Kinda wish there had been an epilogue but due to the way it was written and formatted it doesn’t shock me that there wasn’t
Kinda wish there had been an epilogue but due to the way it was written and formatted it doesn’t shock me that there wasn’t
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
bringitona's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Stalking, and Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia, Vomit, Trafficking, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
juniorgoldengirl's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
ggcd1981's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Killers of a Certain Age de Deanna Raybourn me entreteve, pois, a história foi interessante. O livro é sobre quatro assassinas idosas, a protagonista Billie e suas companheiras Helen, Natalie e Mary Alice, se aposentando quando de repente a própria instituição, O “Museu”, que as mantinha envia um agente para mata-las no cruzeiro que marcaria o início de sua aposentadoria. A autora intercalou capítulos que mostravam as assassinas como jovem mulheres em 1979, iniciando seu treinamento e serviço com o museu e o projeto Sphinx, e capítulos no presente quando as quatro mulheres estão sendo perseguidas após sua aposentadoria. O museu é uma agência de assassinos que iniciou caçando nazistas e passou a caçar outros malfeitores que a justiça comum não alcança como, por exemplo, criminosos de guerra. Billie, Helen, Natalie e Mary Alice são Sphinxes, o primeiro grupo de assassinas mulheres do Museu. A narrativa segue Billie e suas companheiras tentando se manter vivas enquanto investigam as razões que levaram os diretores do museu a quererem suas mortes. Elas descobrem ao contatar Martin, um agente da inteligência do museu, que alguém submeteu um dossiê as acusando de corrupção, e que na verdade os diretores do museu estavam protegendo um membro verdadeiramente corrupto que estava encaminhando assassinatos por dinheiro para ser aprovados pela diretoria. As sphinxes então passam a assassinar os diretores do museu. O livro culmina com Billie sendo capturada intencionalmente, fazia parte do plano que as sphinxes arquitetaram, e é revelado ao leitor, que Vance, o último diretor descobriu o plano de Martin. Martin, segundo em comando do setor responsável por montar dossiês de vítimas a serem aprovadas para assassinato, estava montando dossiês por dinheiro e ao revelar as sphinxes informações sobre a diretoria ele planejava que as assassinas matassem a diretoria e ele, assim, assumisse a diretoria do Museu sozinho. Vance então decidiu levar Martin e Billie ao esconderijo das sphinxes e matar as assassinas e o traidor lá. Contudo as assassinas tinham um plano, após uma sequência de ação, Billie mata Vance e Helen, que até então no livro estava passando por uma crise em que congelava e não conseguia matar ninguém, atira na cabeça de Martin o matando enquanto este tentava usar Billie como refém para fugir. O livro termina com a reputação de Billie, Helen, Natalie e Mary Alice sendo restauradas no museu e os membros corruptos, pelo menos ao que se sabe, mortos. O livro fez um bom trabalho de diferenciar as quatro mulheres, elas realmente tinham personalidades e características únicas a cada uma: Billie que não sabia o que fazer da vida sem ser assassina e seu relacionamento amor e ódio com o sua antiga chama e único aliado real das sphinxes,Christopher Taverner; Helen, uma viúva depressiva com comportamentos beirando TOCs que perdeu a confiança como assassina; Natalie, uma mulher ainda com forte libido não adepta a monogamia; Mary Alice, casada e feliz, ansiosa por deixar a vida de assassina para traz e parar de mentir a sua esposa Akiko. A obra teve um passo rápido e boas cenas de ação. As revelações não foram realmente surpreendentes, mas isso não impediu o entretenimento. Acredito que ponto baixo foi que os personagens secundários foram um pouco superficiais, por exemplo Minka, amiga de Billie, Akiko, esposa de Mary Alice. Essas duas são aliadas das Sphinxes e as ajudam no plano final, mas pouco realmente sabemos sobre elas. O único personagem secundário mais aprofundado é Taverner a quem vemos nos flashbacks e descobrimos mais sobre sua vida pós-relacionamento com Billie. O livro é relevante por ter protagonistas idosas inteligentes e capazes que muitas vezes superam os preconceitos que seus antagonistas têm contra elas pela sua idade. Killers of a Certain Age não foi exatamente excelente, mas foi um bom entretenimento, interessante e relevante. Descobri que vai ser uma série e não sei se vou continuar, gostei do primeiro livro mas acho que ele funciona bem como standalone. Dou 4.5 estrelas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cancer, Gun violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement and Fire/Fire injury
chelbelle122's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
toriffic's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny
stephg95's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
itsnotalakeitsanocean's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Honestly one of the best things I've read in a long time. Is it maybe a bit predictable? Yes, but this book is proof that just because something can be predictable it doesn't mean it can't be fun.
I would have liked to have gotten to know the protagonists that weren't Billie more.Also I'm still confused as to why Helen missed that shot in New Orleans and I don't think it was explained? I could be wrong but it still bugs me slightly.
I would have liked to have gotten to know the protagonists that weren't Billie more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer and Pregnancy
isabelle_mary's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I had really high expectations for this book. I mean old ladies that use to be assassins had so much potential! I feel like the writer did not write the characters well for the age that they were. I often forgot they were 60 and thought they were 25-30. I feel like I would have enjoyed the book better if their age was reflected better. The overall storyline was good, but I felt could've been better. This book had sooo much potential, but personally feel like it was not executed well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail