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A review by deepfriedcynic
The Minders by John Marrs
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
John Marrs has made me realize something about my taste in thrillers. After quite enjoying Passengers last year, I picked up The One and pre-ordered this book because I was sure I would like them just as much. Now, having DNFd The One halfway through and finished this one only by sheer force of will, I’ve had to look a little closer, and I think I’ve discovered the difference: scale.
The big difference between Passengers and the other two is that the vast majority of the plot takes place during the same day; while the book has the same multitude of POVs as The One and The Minders, and each character has their own particular drama, the story never has the opportunity to stray too far from the fact that each of them is in imminent danger. I think this consistent feeling of urgency is both something I personally need to be invested in a thriller novel, and something severely lacking here.
Not only did I spend most of my time reading this book bored and wondering what the point of literally anything that was happening was, by the 75% mark I was so annoyed by every single character that I didn’t care if any of them survived. It felt more like five separate and equally uninteresting plots than five parts of any kind of cohesive whole. It seems harsh to say I only finished this book because I paid full price for it, but unfortunately it’s also true.
The big difference between Passengers and the other two is that the vast majority of the plot takes place during the same day; while the book has the same multitude of POVs as The One and The Minders, and each character has their own particular drama, the story never has the opportunity to stray too far from the fact that each of them is in imminent danger. I think this consistent feeling of urgency is both something I personally need to be invested in a thriller novel, and something severely lacking here.
Not only did I spend most of my time reading this book bored and wondering what the point of literally anything that was happening was, by the 75% mark I was so annoyed by every single character that I didn’t care if any of them survived. It felt more like five separate and equally uninteresting plots than five parts of any kind of cohesive whole. It seems harsh to say I only finished this book because I paid full price for it, but unfortunately it’s also true.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, and Grief