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A review by beth_books_123
Private: Oz by James Patterson
3.0
Around the world in 80 books: Australia.
An average addition (3*) to this amazing series.
Okay, James Patterson here’s the thing, I love the Private series. I have to make that confession before I criticise this book. Jack Morgan is my ultimate beau, honestly, if he was real I think I would melt. Compare this to the protagonist of Craig Gisto, I can’t help it but compare Craig to Jack and the comparisons will never match. I have known Jack Morgan for six books and fell in love with his history, his present and just everything about him. (So excited for Private L.A.)
Craig Gisto has the thing every protagonist needs: a sob story. I have only just realised that but it has happened in all of the offices: Private L.A., Berlin, London and now Australia. His story is sad (don’t get me wrong- I don’t have a cold heart) but I don’t know… I don’t understand why I didn’t get the full pang of sympathy that I usually get for the protagonist. Maybe the story was undeveloped into only one of Patterson’s tiny chapters. Don’t even get me started on the chapter length, it still annoys me for the size of the chapters but I have learnt to accept it, I think.
So, anyway, I loved the intertwining stories because my mind rarely likes to stay on the one story UNLESS it is just amazingly absorbing, e.g. Sherlock Holmes. James Patterson keeps me entertained with the variety of stories and there is always the main focus (not really up to scratch) and the side stories (quite impressive).
Maybe that’s why I didn’t enjoy this book as much because the main plot was weak. Julie O’Connor was an average case of traumatic childhood experiences (Freud!) and maybe because I study this all the time that I didn’t find this book as good as usual. I’ll explain what I mean. Take Private Berlin (5), one of my favourite in the series and definitely a need-to-read again. It had me off the scent for ages with a couple dozen of red herrings. It’s okay Mr Patterson (and insert other writer here); I like to be fooled. Also, I didn’t find out the reason for the murders in Private Berlin and sometimes yes I am interested but if it is a traumatic childhood experience then I am not particularly entertained. Anyway, with Julie O’Connor when I realised her true reason for committing the crimes, I felt empathic. I understood where she was coming from and that was a surprise connection because I wasn’t expecting that all.
The side stories one was great, another was average and the final was strange. Great: Micky Stevens with Johnny boy. Average was the Chinese guy- I can’t remember his name. Hao? Strange was Pam Hewes and her husband. Very expectant, a strange and rushed ending that did not please the reader.
An average addition but I definitely cannot wait for Private L.A! Bring it on, Jack!
An average addition (3*) to this amazing series.
Okay, James Patterson here’s the thing, I love the Private series. I have to make that confession before I criticise this book. Jack Morgan is my ultimate beau, honestly, if he was real I think I would melt. Compare this to the protagonist of Craig Gisto, I can’t help it but compare Craig to Jack and the comparisons will never match. I have known Jack Morgan for six books and fell in love with his history, his present and just everything about him. (So excited for Private L.A.)
Craig Gisto has the thing every protagonist needs: a sob story. I have only just realised that but it has happened in all of the offices: Private L.A., Berlin, London and now Australia. His story is sad (don’t get me wrong- I don’t have a cold heart) but I don’t know… I don’t understand why I didn’t get the full pang of sympathy that I usually get for the protagonist. Maybe the story was undeveloped into only one of Patterson’s tiny chapters. Don’t even get me started on the chapter length, it still annoys me for the size of the chapters but I have learnt to accept it, I think.
So, anyway, I loved the intertwining stories because my mind rarely likes to stay on the one story UNLESS it is just amazingly absorbing, e.g. Sherlock Holmes. James Patterson keeps me entertained with the variety of stories and there is always the main focus (not really up to scratch) and the side stories (quite impressive).
Maybe that’s why I didn’t enjoy this book as much because the main plot was weak. Julie O’Connor was an average case of traumatic childhood experiences (Freud!) and maybe because I study this all the time that I didn’t find this book as good as usual. I’ll explain what I mean. Take Private Berlin (5), one of my favourite in the series and definitely a need-to-read again. It had me off the scent for ages with a couple dozen of red herrings. It’s okay Mr Patterson (and insert other writer here); I like to be fooled. Also, I didn’t find out the reason for the murders in Private Berlin and sometimes yes I am interested but if it is a traumatic childhood experience then I am not particularly entertained. Anyway, with Julie O’Connor when I realised her true reason for committing the crimes, I felt empathic. I understood where she was coming from and that was a surprise connection because I wasn’t expecting that all.
The side stories one was great, another was average and the final was strange. Great: Micky Stevens with Johnny boy. Average was the Chinese guy- I can’t remember his name. Hao? Strange was Pam Hewes and her husband. Very expectant, a strange and rushed ending that did not please the reader.
An average addition but I definitely cannot wait for Private L.A! Bring it on, Jack!