A review by caitlinxmartin
The Lovers by John Connolly

5.0

I did something last night that I haven't done in a long time on a work night - stayed up until I finished my book even though I knew I would hate life in the morning on the way to work. In fact, I pretty much read this book all day once I took care of the unimportant stuff like pancakes, groceries, & procrastinating doing the laundry. This isn't a surprise, though. John Connolly's books are just that good.

This is the latest in his Charlie Parker series wherein Charlie learns some truths about his father's suicide & his own parentage. As always, Charlie is violence haunted & cursed, fumbling in the darkness for something that remains as unknown to himself as it is to his readers. This was a wonderful book with the tight plotting, great characterization, & beautiful writing that you expect from a Connolly book.

I especially appreciate how well he fleshes out even minor characters, like the Fulci brothers. Angel & Louis, his two closest friends, make a brief appearance here - I find I miss them terribly & hope they'll be back in the next book.

People frequently comment on the paranormal happenings in these books & I always have to pause & think about that ("Are there paranormal things in this book?"). The pause is because Connolly makes these happenings a normal part of life - the only person other than Neil Gaiman who manages that as well as he does. These are also among the only books that have given me nightmares as an adult (in company with Alan Moore's Watchmen - good company, indeed).

Connolly also happens to put words together beautifully. There are parts of Dark Hollow that are so achingly beautiful you want to cry from reading them.

If you haven't read these books, what are you waiting for? Get going!