A review by isabellarobinson7
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
3.0
Rating: 3 stars
When I Am Pilgrim started, I seriously doubted that it would be any good. First of all, it was in first person, to which I vastly prefer third person, especially in a thriller. Second, Terry Hayes’ writing didn’t really impress me at all. It wasn’t particularly terrible in any way, but it certainly wasn’t anything special. And thirdly, the narrator on the audiobook I was listening to was talking seriously slow. I probably would have quit pretty early if I hadn't been able to increase the speed of the recording. Yet, despite all the red flags this book presented, I loved it!
I really enjoyed the narrative voice of Scott/Jude/Pilgrim/whatever and how it added to the whole feel of the story. I liked the angles it presented on working for the government, and the effects on a person's personal life.
The real highlight of I Am Pilgrim for me was the plot, the pacing and the action. The execution of the pacing was expertly done: it was slower in parts, but it never go so slow that it felt like it was dragging, and it sped up without feeling rushed. The timeline of the plot really benefited from this pacing, and lifted the quality of the rest of the novel.
That being said, the skeleton of the storyline was well planned out to begin with, so its quality was by no means completely reliant on its pacing. There was just the right amount of twists and turns to intrigue me, but not so much that it felt forced and unnatural. The premise was thrilling and worth being told, in all those hundreds of pages (or hours in terms of the audiobook). The bottom line being the plot didn't bore me (which is something I appreciate about any book; keeping me entertained for long periods of time is an epic feat in itself).
The action in I Am Pilgrim was exactly what I wanted. All too often I come across so-called "thriller" novels where the protagonist throws a few kicks and punches and calls it a day. That or the author needlessly puts characters in danger. The events Hayes created fell into this perfect place where they were not too out there so they were unbelievable to the reader, but were just different and abnormal enough that the reader stays entertained. The storyline of I Am Pilgrim is completely plausible, but not very likely.
All in all, I Am Pilgrim is a great book that deserves all the hype it receives. Highly recommend.
When I Am Pilgrim started, I seriously doubted that it would be any good. First of all, it was in first person, to which I vastly prefer third person, especially in a thriller. Second, Terry Hayes’ writing didn’t really impress me at all. It wasn’t particularly terrible in any way, but it certainly wasn’t anything special. And thirdly, the narrator on the audiobook I was listening to was talking seriously slow. I probably would have quit pretty early if I hadn't been able to increase the speed of the recording. Yet, despite all the red flags this book presented, I loved it!
I really enjoyed the narrative voice of Scott/Jude/Pilgrim/whatever and how it added to the whole feel of the story. I liked the angles it presented on working for the government, and the effects on a person's personal life.
The real highlight of I Am Pilgrim for me was the plot, the pacing and the action. The execution of the pacing was expertly done: it was slower in parts, but it never go so slow that it felt like it was dragging, and it sped up without feeling rushed. The timeline of the plot really benefited from this pacing, and lifted the quality of the rest of the novel.
That being said, the skeleton of the storyline was well planned out to begin with, so its quality was by no means completely reliant on its pacing. There was just the right amount of twists and turns to intrigue me, but not so much that it felt forced and unnatural. The premise was thrilling and worth being told, in all those hundreds of pages (or hours in terms of the audiobook). The bottom line being the plot didn't bore me (which is something I appreciate about any book; keeping me entertained for long periods of time is an epic feat in itself).
The action in I Am Pilgrim was exactly what I wanted. All too often I come across so-called "thriller" novels where the protagonist throws a few kicks and punches and calls it a day. That or the author needlessly puts characters in danger. The events Hayes created fell into this perfect place where they were not too out there so they were unbelievable to the reader, but were just different and abnormal enough that the reader stays entertained. The storyline of I Am Pilgrim is completely plausible, but not very likely.
All in all, I Am Pilgrim is a great book that deserves all the hype it receives. Highly recommend.