A review by karenleagermain
The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read The Lioness during my summer cruise to Hawaii and I could not put it down. Set in 1964, the story follows an American actress and her entourage as she set off on a safari in Africa for her honeymoon. When the group is ambushed and several members are kidnapped their glamorous holiday turns into a nightmare. Several characters also twig that one of their own might be working with the kidnappers. 

The Lioness is an intense thriller with unexpected twists. Each character has an unpredictable reaction when their survival instinct kicks in and someone the seemingly weakest characters turn out to be the strongest. I loved this aspect of the story, as it was very unexpected and it also allows the reader to imagine how they might have fared in a similar situations. 

A solid thriller with excellent character development. 
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