Ismerene

I have read many dystopian novels, the genre is one of my favorites. Oftentimes, the world created is without threat or consequence; I do not feel nor believe the full oppression of the regime in the novel, or the rules that are in place seem abritrary or ridiculous.

Over and over, when I scour for new dystopia to read, The Handmaid's Tale cropped up every time. It is truly a shame I didn't immediately dig into this book when it was initially purchased for me.

We are first introduced to Offred, a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, a woman who is old enough to remember a better time before. Through the entire story, we are spoken to as if we are there with Offred, hearing her story. This definitely served to bring me with her into this horrible world, and to feel alongside the small triumphs, her panic, and her heartbreak. We slowly learn about Offred's past, the nusances of her position, and the world she now is forced to carve an existence from.

I can only describe the manner of writing as ‘flowy'; it creates spectacular imagery that isn't a stretch nor a burden to read:

A Tennyson garden, heavy with scent, languid; the return of the word swoon.Light pours down upon it from the sun, true, but also heat rises, from the flowers themselves, you can feel it: like holding your hand an inch from an arm, a shoulder. It breathes, in the warmth, breathing itself in. To walk through it in these days, of peonies, of pinks and carnations, makes my head swim.

There are zero infodumps, a trait I do unfortunately see in dystopian novels. We are only shown was is needed, and are slowly revealed pieces of Offred's story; her past, her “training”, her current situation, her hopes. It weaves itself together into a wonderful ending, with an addendium that enhances the conclusion.

If I had to pin down one thing that I felt was a negative, it would be Offred's lack of personality; It felt as if she was merely a vessel that we stepped into to see the world from her eyes. If this was intentional, it was masterfully done.

Five stars, and an insistence that if you enjoy well-written dystopia or even a fantastic story, place The Handmaid's Tale at the top of your list.

Short and Sweet: Voices from Chernobyl is a poignant novel that utilizes a unique storytelling structure to convey the heartbreaking reality of the explosion???s aftermath. An absolute must-read for any interested in the human element of this tragedy.It is??? difficult to review [b:Voices from Chernobyl 357486 Voices from Chernobyl The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster Svetlana Alexievich https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316637138s/357486.jpg 1103107]. Almost as difficult as reading it was. At first, when you open the novel, you are greeted with the raw... read more

I just finished this [b:Deadlocked 13371322 Deadlocked A.R. Wise http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327904258s/13371322.jpg 18600703] and wow! It definitely delivered! This installation did not drag like the others could (book four?) and I was very pleased with the way Charlaine handled the story.I especially enjoyed:Eric and Sookie's (basically) failed relationship. It felt like pulling a splinter from a wound. I knew this was going to occur, as [a:Charlaine Harris 17061 Charlaine Harris http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1307925926p2/17061.jpg] herself stated that Sookie would not end up with a vampire (nor become one) due to her desire to create and raise a family. I felt like this was repeatedly foreshadowed, with Tara's birth of her twins, and the conversation between Bill and Sookie in the vehicle.Eric was seriously an asshole in this book!The emphasis on non-supe characters. I got so sick of “this Fae, that Were, them Vamps”. I got to see some evolution with the ordinary folks of Bon Temps, and that was a refreshing change.Speaking of Fae, I'm glad that particular storyline had both a point and an ending. I'll be honest in saying I got so sick of it! This was a wonderful read, definitely one of the better written novels in this series. I can't wait for the final installment in 2013!

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was, as many other reviews have stated, down-to-Earth and felt conversational. During some moments, however, I was almost afraid to turn the page! That is evidence of damn good writing. The reason I docked it to four stars (I wish we could give half star ratings!) was the extreme amount of Catholicism. Obviously, the title gives that aspect away, but I found it to be a bit tedious. However, I know that the faith aspect of [b:Holy Ghosts 8857743 Holy Ghosts Gary Jansen http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1281670122s/8857743.jpg 13732968] will appeal to those who carry those values.

Every time I sit down to write a review, Goodreads asks at the top: What did you think?

I think this book's middle and ending pissed me off, that's what I think Goodreads.

Away begins shortly where The Line left off. Rachel has Crossed and, with Pathik by her side, they face a whole new set of challenges.

The writing was still mediocre. To be fair, when the action picked up, the writing improved. But my beef isn't with the writing. MY ISSUE IS WITH THE CHOICES SOME OF THE CHARACTERS MADE.

Spoilers below for the ending of Away.



Indigo's death. INDIGO'S DEATH. This character's choice chapped my ass more than anything else in this whole book. He had ample opportunity to get Pathik OUT and return them both safely. He had an opportunity to scare the other guards to get them out.
But he did not.
He chose, instead, to make in my opinion an unnecessary sacrifice all in the name of not harming another.
Indigo had just reunited with the woman he loved and had just brought his whole family together. And in one completely unnecessary ‘sacrifice', that was brought grinding to a halt.
I understand that a large portion of this book is dedicated to teaching the morality of harming no one, but goddammit. Goddammit.
I am angry that he made that choice.. I am angry that Mrs. Moore is now without her partner, Pathik is without a grandfather, and Magram is without a father, simply because Indigo valued the lives of three ruthless and corrupt strangers more than his family.

That's how I see it.

Now, I cannot say with any certainty what I would have done in his situation. Its very easy to talk a big talk.
But, I felt screwed over. I felt like my happy ending was ripped from my hands by a stupid, martyr-esque decision that could have been avoided.

In retrospect, the mere fact that Away invokes this type of emotion in me says something about my love for these characters despite the issue with writing.


I rated Away higher than The Line purely because of my reaction to Indigo's choices. The writing issue was, unfortunately, still glaringly present, but if a book evokes anger out of me like this, then it must be doing something right.

Alas, another one bites the dust.

I strongly dislike DNFing this at the low percentage I did (6%, 23 pages in) but the hook just wasn't there. The opening was fantastic (placed us right in the middle of a murder) but everything afterward was exposition - I don't quite care about the unique area of study the main character is working with, except for how it directly relates to the story. After I turned a new chapter and found we were being placed with more exposition (something about the natural order of nature, or how the systems work, I don't quite recall) I closed the book and moved on.

What an incredible read.

Short & Sweet: This is a fantastic horror novel that, despite a very slow, wordy start, delivers the tale in such a way that it hooked me (heh) to finish in one sitting. The less you know going into this novel, the better.

I have to applaud John Langan - well, applaud for a few reasons, but primarily was the method in which this story was written. It consists of three major parts: the current, the past, and then back to the current. Interwoven through this is a story told through alternating characters, but it???s done in such a way that feels seamless, effortless, easy to follow and smooth enough to keep you enthralled. I normally repel against this type of story structure, but somehow it works really well here.

Also to applaud is Langan???s style of writing. It???s stark, straight to the point which makes the terror all that more terrifying, but also weaves in detail where it???s important; I could clearly see the setting, the color of the water, feel the terror of that which gazes back from the darkness. It is equal parts clear, heavy hitting, and yet intricately woven with intense imagery.

I understand the novel won an award, and I feel it to be well-won. If you can get past the first part - again, this novel starts very, very slow, and doesn???t pick up until a little bit ways in, but the setup is absolutely worth it - you will be greeted with a cosmic horror that, while the echos of Lovecraft can be heard on it???s pages, also weave a unique story of it???s own.

All my reviews can be found at The Tiny Reader's Reference! Come on over and say hello!Short & Sweet: [b:FantasticLand 28695606 FantasticLand Mike Bockoven https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459328318l/28695606.SX50.jpg 48893366] is a horror novel that requires no paranormal element to be terrifying; it is a story of how a single spark can ignite an inferno of uncontrolled evil within the perfect conditions. This will stick with you long after you???ve closed the book.Hoo boy, where do I start.First and foremost ??? [b:FantasticLand 28695606 FantasticLand Mike Bockoven https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459328318l/28695606.SX50.jpg 48893366] is authentic. That???s what made this novel work so damn well, and it requires no suspension of disbelief. From the very first page, Mike Brockoven pulls you in without permission, and expertly weaves each person???s view into an overarching storyline that will answer some questions, but give rise to others. The interview-type storytelling works phenomenally for this, and elevates an otherwise basic horror story to a chilling level.Each interview is singular, and told only once in a rough chronological order of events. Previously interviewed characters make a reappearance in other???s recollection. You wait with baited breath, knowing with every turn of the page that things are going to get much, much worse ??? and just like that, we are tipped over the cliff of no return, and shit gets real, fast.The shock of all this continues, wave after wave, until I had to walk away from the sheer intensity of this book. The horror of it is both instant and slow, and the imagery creeps into the recesses of your mind after you???ve put the book down. It will make you second guess your neighbor, your friend, your boss. Truly, its what isn???t spoken about that makes your mind run wild:Then you???d go to the next location and it would be out-and-out looting and every man for himself. No, I don???t want to talk about the three nursing homes that made the news. Not at all.We never do find out about those three nursing homes. But do we really need to know? Do we even want to?The violence is not glossed over, but told plainly and vividly in the personality of each interviewee ??? and each one has a particular, but subtle, voice. This is not a slaughterhouse, but the narration of young men and women cornered and pressed into a fight or flight situation. It is an accumulation of very stupid, but very human, decisions.Speaking of decisions ??? they all were legitimate. Often, I would get frustrated and ask, Why aren???t you swimming? Why aren???t you hiding here? Why isn???t anyone going there? and you find out in subsequent interviews that yes, those routes were tried, with disastrous results.The ???tribes??? are almost comical when viewed with an outside lens, like pristine Disney characters parading through a creepy haunted house. But then tidbits like this will dot across the page:???When Carlos stumbled back into the park, The Pirates got him.and the smile dies on your lips as you steadily begin to realize the horror of what that means.The only drawback to [b:FantasticLand 28695606 FantasticLand Mike Bockoven https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459328318l/28695606.SX50.jpg 48893366] is Mike Brockoven???s attempts to illustrate the consequences of social media addiction, and it falls absolutely flat in that regard. It seems almost awkward at times; pitted against the stark violence and fear, and chalking it up to lack of WiFi and digital entertainment. I would implore that this is more a narration on the human need for leadership in a time of trial, no matter how morally sound or twisted the leader may be ??? and how things can go poorly very quick in a literal life or death situation, when the hope of outside assistance has died away and fear becomes the primary driving force.At the end of the day, even after you close [b:FantasticLand 28695606 FantasticLand Mike Bockoven https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459328318l/28695606.SX50.jpg 48893366] and return to the real world, it will creep up on you; flashes of memory when cooking, or cleaning, or talking with a neighbor who lives far too close. This is one I won???t forget any time soon, and worthy of every single star awarded.

All my reviews can be found at The Tiny Reader's Reference! Come on over and say hello!Short & Sweet: Despite a compelling premise, [b:The Woman in Cabin 10 28187230 The Woman in Cabin 10 Ruth Ware http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465878007s/28187230.jpg 48209164] falls short with lackluster stakes and a frustrating, immature protagonist. Combined with a lethargic start, bulky middle, and linear plot, it makes for a dull novel with a lukewarm conclusion.I absolutely love stories with high, almost paranormal mysteries, and [b:The Woman in Cabin 10 28187230 The Woman in Cabin 10 Ruth Ware http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465878007s/28187230.jpg 48209164] checked all those boxes, and more, with its premise. A murder on a highest class cruise, rubbing shoulders with some of the most powerful people in the world, trying to maintain normalcy while skimming the alibis of every person. A disappearance out of thin air. Such promise!However, based on other reviews, it seems as if you???ll fall into one of two camps ??? you???ll absolutely love this novel, or you???ll hate it. Unfortunately, I am in the latter. The novel opens to our protagonist, Lo Blacklock, a journalist for the travel magazine Velocity. She wakes up with a start, and looks out her bedroom doorway to see a burglar in her flat. Her and the burglar have a staredown, he slams the door ??? not touching Lo at all, but the door hits her too-close face ??? and locks her in. She manages to get out, calls the police, rekeys her flat, and spends the night somewhere else. Quite a violating experience, to be sure, and a hell of an opening. The first problem is then introduced: the privilege of listening to her wax on about this experience in a myriad of ways, jamming it into nearly every single moment, both where appropriate and not. Lo even dares compare her robbery to what she suspects the murdered woman felt. I quote:???I know what it???s like,??? I said, as he opened the door, ???Don???t you see? I know what she must have felt like, when someone came for her in the middle of the night.???Comparing a robbery, in which the robber not only leaves you alone, but locks you in a room to flee, to a full-blown suspected murder, left me with an entitled and immature vibe that pulled me directly out of the story to roll my eyes.Similarly, the kickoff (found at a late 85 pages in) starts as Lo wakes from a deep and drunken slumber. She futzes around in her room until she hears the sound of a splash.I held my breath, straining to hear.And then there was a splash.Not a small splash.No, this was a big splash.The kind of splash made by a body hitting water.Why jump to the conclusion that it???s a body?She jumps to her own veranda to see ???a smear of something dark and oily??? on the safety glass. Because we are both simultaneously on a high class yacht and in the stone age, she runs to call security and not take a picture or video. As a result, the smear is gone when she returns.Within the same vein, Lo tends to have illogical reactions to situations. It seems to cross the line from adult frustration to childlike anger control. In one notable example: she brings her concerns to the head of security Johann Nilsson, (literally, ???I think I???ve witnessed a murder!???) who takes her seriously by exhausting all possible options, given they???re in a ship in the middle of the flippin??? North Sea, and the crime scene is completely pristine. He listens to her account, hears her description of the missing woman, and proceeds to take Lo to meet every single person who fits the description on the ship, from Richard Bullmer, owner and billionaire, all the way down to the lowliest server. Quite literally. This takes up ten pages, where we travel down to the living quarters, and get to listen to Lo shake her head and Johann patiently guide her from one employee to the next.When Johann suggests that maybe ??? just maybe ??? her level of intoxication that night, combined with other factors, may have caused a hallucination or some type of suggestion, she flips the hell out in a reaction that truly had me taken aback. Slams the door, screaming, borderline panic attack, then throws herself dramatically on the bed to ???sob her heart out???. Later on, she claims that Johann ???hadn???t taken her seriously???. This dramatic and frankly audacious cognitive dissonance caused all sympathy I had for Lo to dissipate. The second problem is that really, not much else happens, aside from the first ten pages and last thirty pages. Everything in between is filled with Lo either having a borderline panic attack, falling asleep, nauseous, drinking, musing on who was a murderer, or talking to the staff.I believe my main problem with this novel, overall, were the lack of stakes and believability. Not for one moment did Lo genuinely sit down and say to herself, ???Yes, I was extremely intoxicated and half-asleep, this looks bad on the outside.??? She repeatedly, and stubbornly to the point of ridiculousness, doubles down, exaggerates the situation, and makes poor choices afterward, all the way up to the conclusion. This review, and myself, sounds very callous toward those who suffer from anxiety. I would like to assure you, dear reader, that I am not ??? I subscribe to a similar medication regime as Lo does. However, it was very difficult for me to sympathize and root for Lo when she was screaming at Johann for making a reasonable conclusion based on her inebriation and sleep deprivation that night. A frustrating one? Yes. A wrong one? Absolutely. But not an illogical one. The reveal, and conclusion, were satisfying to a degree. When [a:Ruth Ware 9013543 Ruth Ware http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1434533707p2/9013543.jpg] writes action, it kept me turning the page to find out what happens next, written at an even and clipped pace. The very end closed the book on a positive note, and while it was great, I felt the answers I received were not necessarily worth the effort of slogging through the delayed beginning and bloated middle. If Ware had sprinkled a few subplots, reeled Lo back a couple notches, and rose the stakes much higher ??? perhaps Lo had indeed seen a murder, rather than allude or suspect one ??? [b:The Woman in Cabin 10 28187230 The Woman in Cabin 10 Ruth Ware http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465878007s/28187230.jpg 48209164] would jump by leaps and bounds. Otherwise, I would pass on this one.

All my reviews can be found at The Tiny Reader's Reference! Come on over and say hello!Short & Sweet: Disappearance at Devil???s Rock is a muted, slow burn, character-driven horror story with rich human detail and little plot. This is not a ghost story told by the fireside; it is the tale of a grieving mother, the innocent foolishness of young children, and experiences that can defy explanation. To summarize this novel simply: The devil is in the details. And truly, that is where Paul Tremblay shines, placing small details, both relevant and otherwise, weaving a tale that shines with atmosphere.When I opened the first page, I went in with lowered expectations; the rating on Goodreads didn???t impress me, and the polarity of the reviews is the only reason why I picked up this book ??? and boy, am I glad I did.Plot is put aside for [b:Disappearance at Devil's Rock 27064358 Disappearance at Devil's Rock Paul Tremblay https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1464530350l/27064358.SY75.jpg 47104908], and instead, is driven by the characters and their experiences. We learn much more about the backgrounds of every character, from main protagonists Elizabeth and Kate, all the way down to the one-time view of a police officer driving to scope out houses. Throughout these background dumps ??? a fact of this book that did get a bit frustrating ??? are sprinkled small tidbits that are overall irrelevant, but provide a richness to the story and give life to the human connections.Everything in this novel is a slow burn. There are no action scenes, no hold-your-breath with every page turn. It builds and builds, teasing a conclusion only to gently pry it away from your hands and replace it with another. And another, and another, until the conclusion delivers with a nail-biting, page turning swiftness, clearing the mist and bringing you out what felt like a fog of possibilities ??? only to deliver with one final twist, just when you concluded you knew how everything ended.I can see why others may have struggled with this novel, due to the lack of action, the strange dialogue tags that are often employed, and the chapter titles (of which I actually enjoyed). Truly, nearly half of the book is in the quite expansive summary, as shown above. But again, the beauty of this novel is not within plot, or story, or environment, but the very real human element that propels events forward. Nothing felt forced.I know this review is shorter than my others are, and honestly, it???s because there isn???t a lot plotwise here. Tommy goes missing, there is a search, truths about that night are slowly unveiled, and strange paranormal happenings occur ??? or do they? If you???re looking for an emotional, character-driven story with possibilities, definitely pick this one up.

It pains me to put down this novel, as the synopsis and opening has incredible promise. However, I just simply don't have the drive to continue due to numerous issues, and I will tell you why. Where [b:Sleeping Giants 25733990 Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1) Sylvain Neuvel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459785141s/25733990.jpg 42721200] struggles is in two things - characterization and infodumps. Each interview didn't feel like an interview - it felt like a exposition, like I'm being talked at rather than with. The flow of conversation was unrealistic, and the characters themselves are flat, with little to distinguish between them. For example, we are told (several times, in fact, sound familiar?) that one particular character is “combative” and has “a problem with authority”. In the next interview, she's making friends all over the facility and chumming it up with the interviewer/narrator. In yet another interview, she's torn up to pieces about an incident that occurs. No consistency. She felt labeled, as they all do, with one-hundred percent telling and absolutely zero showing.The narrator/interviewer is, for lack of a better term, annoying. At times, they speak more than the interviewees, which completely negates the entire point of interview-based storytelling. I think the interviewer's identity is a mystery to be solved in [b:Waking Gods 30134847 Waking Gods (Themis Files, #2) Sylvain Neuvel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462736382s/30134847.jpg 50566357] and [b:Only Human 35820656 Only Human (Themis Files, #3) Sylvain Neuvel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1502999023s/35820656.jpg 57322413], but the aggressive flexing, the excessive talking... Quite frankly, I don't care who it is, only that he/she needs to chill.I eventually gave up around p82, when discussion over the discoveries is glossed over and described without any real life credibility - they're discussing (or rather infodumping) a massive discovery, and it's like the character is talking about a car or a blender. I skipped forward, and found it only got worse. The ending seemed really good, but it wasn't enough for me to trudge through 238 more pages.No stars as I didn't finish, but I unofficially give a 2 star rating to [b:Sleeping Giants 25733990 Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1) Sylvain Neuvel https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459785141s/25733990.jpg 42721200] based on what I did read. Someday I may pick this book back up, as the sequels are well rated - but for now, I will have to DNF it. I am quite disappointed.

All my reviews can be found at The Tiny Reader's Reference! Come on over and say hello!Short & Sweet: The Family Plot is a ghost story better told over the crackle of a campfire, rather than slotted with other novels of its genre. The background of the haunting is terribly clich??, with slow-moving story progression; coupled with the rich characterization and well-painted environment, makes this better suited as a quick read during hot summer nights.Like a moth to the flame (or a teetering salvage company to a hundred-year-old house???) the large synopsis pulled me right in. For the most part, it delivered as promised, and I enjoyed the story.First and foremost: [a:Cherie Priest 221253 Cherie Priest https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1617225879p2/221253.jpg]???s writing style is fantastic. She weaved me right in from the very first page; descriptive enough to paint a picture, but vague enough to allow for reader-filled gaps. The technical side of their demo was fascinating. There were features and materials I???d never heard of before, and it was fun to google (dutch doors!) and find out exactly what they were prying from the wall, or salvaging from the backyard.But where [b:The Family Plot 25543181 The Family Plot Cherie Priest https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431700446l/25543181.SX50.jpg 45335275] shines is in is not story or environment, but characterization ??? five full stars for Cherie Priest on that front, and the reason why this novel even worked in the first place. Had this story been set against the grey backdrop of weak cardboard characters, my rating would???ve been much, much lower. There simply isn???t enough here to maintain a story without them.Each person had a voice, a personality, and they shined through in every interaction. Each decision made was reasonable and expected. They truly jumped from the page itself, and this story was propelled because of them, rather in spite of them. We rooted for Chuck, we sided with Dahlia, we laughed at Bobby. Every interaction felt genuine.The only character I took issue with was Augusta Withrow. Her personality was clear, yes, but some of her decisions and statements to Dahlia were puzzling, and her last sentence after everything was over felt??? odd. Weak, even. It was a small crack in the foundation of characters Cherie Priest worked so hard to create, but as her presence is obviously a prop, it didn???t affect the story.The paranormal situations began to occur early on, but things didn???t begin truly rolling until later. To be expected, but as a result, the novel slogged down. Once revealed, the haunting itself, and the backstory behind it, checked nearly every single cliche box that exists. Some of the experiences and situations turned far-fetched, and degraded the ???horror??? element of the narrative. Honestly, I can see this novel working much better as a movie or show, rather than in text.Why three stars? Because it wasn???t extraordinary, but not terrible either. It???s a fun read with some creepy moments, great characters, and a satisfying ending, but little else. Much like Disappearance at Devil's Rock, a huge chunk of the story is already in the synopsis. I don???t hate The Family Plot, but I also don???t love it either, which made this review so frustrating to write.Would I recommend this? Not if you???re going in expecting genuine fright. This is a light book, good if you???re looking for something quick and easy, with rich characters and setting descriptors. A palate cleanser, if you will. Not amazing, but not bad either.

Short and Sweet: I will echo the Angels and Demons-esque feel; [b:The Einstein Prophecy 24429934 The Einstein Prophecy Robert Masello https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434549503s/24429934.jpg 44017762] weaves from the ancient good vs evil story of Saint Anthony, against the backdrop of WWII. While the opening was strong and the plot idea riveting, it suffers massive setbacks from plot holes, forced storyline progression, and a somewhat scattered conclusion. Also, Einstein. Literally. [b:The Einstein Prophecy 24429934 The Einstein Prophecy Robert Masello https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434549503s/24429934.jpg 44017762] opens with a nice pull: Lucas Athan, part of the Cultural Recovery Commission, is sent in to recover artifacts stolen from the Third Reich. He???s tasked with recovering an ???ossuary??? (coffin) that the Reich was particularly invested in obtaining. Once recovered, it???s brought back to Princeton for further investigation, and with it comes the ~exotic~ Simone Rashid, whose work revolves around breaking the mystery of this ossuary.This had all the elements I like - an ancient relic exhumed from the depths of the Sahara Desert, pried open to reveal strange artifacts that bring about unbelievable happenings. But unfortunately, this book fell short in a myriad of ways, enough for it to take a full eight days to me to finish. Plot holes, mixed with forced narrative, forgotten points, and piecemeal action - These were my biggest issues. Often, action would happen, begin to reach a climax, before abruptly cutting off to the next chapter. This happened all the way up until the actual plot began to tighten to a conclusion. It was frustrating, feeling myself wrapped up in these character???s situations - will Simone make it out of the ship alive? Will her father make it? Does Lucas survive the shrapnel? - only to have it cut off and wrap up in the next chapter, calmly, delivered to you like the evening newspaper. The lack of urgency lost my attention. Even when the Germans violate a huge international law via the Geneva Conventions, the whole situation is glossed over. The plot holes seemed to go hand-in-hand with the forced narrative. I didn???t start to notice this until action for the story as a whole began to pick up. For example, after the ossuary is obtained and shipped back to the States, the military feels its importance to the Reich needs to be understood. So they enlist Lucas (plausible) to study the ossuary with one other expert in the field (plausible) when Simone barges in (slightly non-plausible, but I???ll take it) and it???s set up in a public museum (really) where anyone can go in or out (uh, okay) where an infiltrator is then able to slip in at night with no security (are you kidding me) and mess with the ossuary itself. And this is also an example of forced narrative - no military interested in an item like this would leave it unsupervised in a public place. But because of these non-plausible situations, the story now has problems to solve and continues on. Personalities change to suit the narrative, and this was seen the most often with Lucas. This became obvious to me when his otherwise tempered personality inexplicably changes during a dialogue segment of a pivotal chapter. I was left saying to myself, ???Lucas wouldn???t respond to that man this way, especially when he???s doing Lucas a favor.??? It was small things like that, that jostled the delicate framework of a story and yanked me right out of it. Insta-love. Yes, this book has it. It went from ???I notice him??? to ???I batted my eyelashes because he???s ~so handsome~ and whoops we???re embracing oh would you look at that we're in love teehee”. Like [a: Robert Masello 201369 Robert Masello https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1431026378p2/201369.jpg] decided halfway through that these two characters should get together, so we're suddenly hit over and over with their attraction. Far, far too much poetic philosophy that waxes on for pages and pages, especially during Einstein???s chapters. I started skipping these passages; aside from offering (from what I could see) little-to-no significance to the story???s progression itself, it was massively annoying. Similarly, I struggled to find a reason for Einstein???s presence in this book. What exactly does he provide? What does his viewpoint offer? The answer I was left with was ???very little???. His chapters are mostly waxing poetic and studying. The ending that revealed that he???d been used as an instrument for the demon???s destruction of mankind via the atomic bomb was a good one, but it fell flat in the face of previous chapter???s worth of absolute fluff. Even after the conclusion, I was left with way more questions and almost no energy to care about the answers. The latter 25% of the novel picks up, and only then did I become fully immersed to the end. If only the whole novel had that energy, that kick, it would not have been such a thing to slog through. I have not read [a: Robert Masello 201369 Robert Masello https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1431026378p2/201369.jpg]'s other work, and I certainly haven't written it off yet, but unfortunately after reading [b:The Einstein Prophecy 24429934 The Einstein Prophecy Robert Masello https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434549503s/24429934.jpg 44017762], I will be more cautious in the future.

I don't know how I got this book or why I began reading it.
That being said, it is as others have described; a bit much in some areas. (the section on personal appearance did irk me.) However, the book does offer many small bits of useful information that I feel we could all use to get ahead not only at work, but also in other areas of life as well.