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bookph1le's review against another edition
3.0
I think this would have been a good book if not for some serious flaws. I really did not sympathize with the protagonist until much too late in the book, and there were so many tedious episodes of digression where the narrative would veer away from the plot and launch into several pages worth of historical information about New Orleans. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it just felt too heavy-handed here. More complete review to come.
Full review:
The description of Hell or High Water really intrigued me, but I think that, ultimately, it may be a little misleading. When this is coupled with the prologue, which has a very powerful hook, I think it's only natural to assume that this is going to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller--but it's not. Yes, there is a mystery in this book, and yes there is definitely tension, but the pace moved along much more slowly than I was expecting. Some minor spoilers, but I won't give away the ending.
As my opening suggests, my big issue with this book was pacing. I read a lot of mystery/thriller novels, and I like everything from the more meandering literary styles of a writer like Elizabeth George to the taut, fast pace of someone like Steig Larsson. Because my tastes do run the gamut, I don't think my issues with this book were tied specifically to that. What I found throughout the novel was that the narrative was frequently thrown off by long, detailed passages that had little to nothing to do with the central plot of the book--or even the main character. The book provides a lot of history about New Orleans, which I did appreciate because I don't know much about the city, but I felt these interludes were very misplaced in this book. I really wanted to know what was going to happen next with regard to the mystery, not plow through a long passage about casket girls, no matter how interesting that passage was. It got to the point where I could sense that one of this long digressions was coming, and I would hurry through them until I could get back to the central plot.
I also have to admit that I really didn't like Nola all that much for probably the first third of the book. When I finally realized where her character arc was taking her, it did change my view of her. I think this was actually a pretty masterful bit of writing, because my opinion of the character did go through such an evolution. However, the downside is that I actively disliked Nola for a good chunk of the book, which made it really hard for me to get into it. I'm not sure exactly how this could have been avoided. It seems to me the author took a risk here, and I just happen to be one of those readers who wasn't very fond of the risk. I think I needed to know Nola better and to sympathize more with her before she started self-destructing, because I ended up getting angry with her and wishing she'd snap out of it. I also felt like her friends and roommate didn't react quite enough. Yes, there were some carefully inquiries, but it seems to me that they just spent too much time tiptoeing around her. Nola's behavior is so obnoxious at times that I found it difficult to believe her friends and roommate would just put up with it--to say nothing at all of the way she behaves at work, which I found far-fetched at best.
Still, there is a lot of strength in this novel. I was very interested in Nola's struggles with fitting in, particularly when it came to her attempts to shed her past once she got to Tulane and beyond. Once I had a better grasp of what was going on with Nola, I felt a lot more sympathetic and thought her characterization was an excellent example of how someone might try to deal with a past trauma. The foreshadowing of this might have been a little heavy handed, because I figured out what was wrong with Nola long, long before the book's big reveal, but that didn't ultimately undo what I thought was a very well-drawn portrait of a character.
The mystery was secondary almost to the point of being a plot device. This wouldn't have been a problem in and of itself had it been clear that the mystery was going to take something of a backseat to Nola's character development. However, due to the way the book begins, I expected the mystery to take a much more central role in the story. Though this book does have elements of a thriller, it is, in essence, a book about a character's evolution. Had I known this from the start, I don't think it would have taken me so long to get into the book, because there are so many interesting dynamics to it.
One of the other aspects of the novel that struck me as particularly strong was Nola's relationship with Marisol. Marisol served as both an interesting lens for examining Nola's character, and as a foil for Nola. There was a lot of tension to the relationship--not necessarily between the two characters, but in the way there is an undercurrent of desperation. Though Nola doesn't explicitly state it, I really got the sense that spending time with Marisol was a way for Nola to both try to rewrite her own past, and also to try to save another girl from the fate Nola herself suffered. I thought this dynamic was extremely well done.
In the end, this book was just such a mixed bag. Nola is wonderfully nuanced, flawed, strong, and fascinating as a character, but I thought the handling of some of her back story was just far too heavy-handed. When this book was good, I was really lost in it, but there were too many instances where I could feel the hand of the author at work for me to really enjoy it as much as I would have liked. I think Nola has a lot of potential to be a good character in a series, but she would be much better served if her back story was more subtly woven within the strands of the overall plot.
Full review:
The description of Hell or High Water really intrigued me, but I think that, ultimately, it may be a little misleading. When this is coupled with the prologue, which has a very powerful hook, I think it's only natural to assume that this is going to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller--but it's not. Yes, there is a mystery in this book, and yes there is definitely tension, but the pace moved along much more slowly than I was expecting. Some minor spoilers, but I won't give away the ending.
As my opening suggests, my big issue with this book was pacing. I read a lot of mystery/thriller novels, and I like everything from the more meandering literary styles of a writer like Elizabeth George to the taut, fast pace of someone like Steig Larsson. Because my tastes do run the gamut, I don't think my issues with this book were tied specifically to that. What I found throughout the novel was that the narrative was frequently thrown off by long, detailed passages that had little to nothing to do with the central plot of the book--or even the main character. The book provides a lot of history about New Orleans, which I did appreciate because I don't know much about the city, but I felt these interludes were very misplaced in this book. I really wanted to know what was going to happen next with regard to the mystery, not plow through a long passage about casket girls, no matter how interesting that passage was. It got to the point where I could sense that one of this long digressions was coming, and I would hurry through them until I could get back to the central plot.
I also have to admit that I really didn't like Nola all that much for probably the first third of the book. When I finally realized where her character arc was taking her, it did change my view of her. I think this was actually a pretty masterful bit of writing, because my opinion of the character did go through such an evolution. However, the downside is that I actively disliked Nola for a good chunk of the book, which made it really hard for me to get into it. I'm not sure exactly how this could have been avoided. It seems to me the author took a risk here, and I just happen to be one of those readers who wasn't very fond of the risk. I think I needed to know Nola better and to sympathize more with her before she started self-destructing, because I ended up getting angry with her and wishing she'd snap out of it. I also felt like her friends and roommate didn't react quite enough. Yes, there were some carefully inquiries, but it seems to me that they just spent too much time tiptoeing around her. Nola's behavior is so obnoxious at times that I found it difficult to believe her friends and roommate would just put up with it--to say nothing at all of the way she behaves at work, which I found far-fetched at best.
Still, there is a lot of strength in this novel. I was very interested in Nola's struggles with fitting in, particularly when it came to her attempts to shed her past once she got to Tulane and beyond. Once I had a better grasp of what was going on with Nola, I felt a lot more sympathetic and thought her characterization was an excellent example of how someone might try to deal with a past trauma. The foreshadowing of this might have been a little heavy handed, because I figured out what was wrong with Nola long, long before the book's big reveal, but that didn't ultimately undo what I thought was a very well-drawn portrait of a character.
The mystery was secondary almost to the point of being a plot device. This wouldn't have been a problem in and of itself had it been clear that the mystery was going to take something of a backseat to Nola's character development. However, due to the way the book begins, I expected the mystery to take a much more central role in the story. Though this book does have elements of a thriller, it is, in essence, a book about a character's evolution. Had I known this from the start, I don't think it would have taken me so long to get into the book, because there are so many interesting dynamics to it.
One of the other aspects of the novel that struck me as particularly strong was Nola's relationship with Marisol. Marisol served as both an interesting lens for examining Nola's character, and as a foil for Nola. There was a lot of tension to the relationship--not necessarily between the two characters, but in the way there is an undercurrent of desperation. Though Nola doesn't explicitly state it, I really got the sense that spending time with Marisol was a way for Nola to both try to rewrite her own past, and also to try to save another girl from the fate Nola herself suffered. I thought this dynamic was extremely well done.
In the end, this book was just such a mixed bag. Nola is wonderfully nuanced, flawed, strong, and fascinating as a character, but I thought the handling of some of her back story was just far too heavy-handed. When this book was good, I was really lost in it, but there were too many instances where I could feel the hand of the author at work for me to really enjoy it as much as I would have liked. I think Nola has a lot of potential to be a good character in a series, but she would be much better served if her back story was more subtly woven within the strands of the overall plot.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
The book jacket promises: A gripping, rich psychological thriller set in post-Katrina New Orleans that introduces an intense and spellbinding protagonist.
Allowing for the usual hyperbole, this isn’t too far off the mark. Nola Cespedes is a reporter at the Times-Picayune, trying hard to get off the “lifestyle” page and onto the city desk. Finally, she gets the chance – when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans many formerly registered sex offenders were evacuated and no one kept track of their locations. Sure, some have re-registered, but many have “gone off the grid.” As she begins to research the story, the city’s attention is captured by a new disappearance – a young tourist has been kidnapped in broad daylight from a popular French Quarter eatery.
There were several things I liked about this thriller. I liked that Nola is a pretty strong female lead; she tackles her work (mostly) like a responsible adult, and she has a good network of girlfriends to hang with. I liked also that she maintained contact with her mother, though she seemed to resent their weekly church-going, and that she was trying to be a good “big sister” to Marisol. I liked the pace that Castro set for this novel, although some of the sidebars giving background information on politics, or the Cajuns, or environmental issues did slow the action. Still these elements also enhanced the sense of place. (I definitely felt the torpidity of a New Orleans’ hot humid day; I think my hair even frizzed just reading about the weather!)
I wasn’t so happy with Nola’s bad behavior and risk-taking. Although I do appreciate that Castro was showing us her underlying psychological issues rather than simply telling us about them. Still, there were sections where Nola seemed far too damaged to be able to hold it together at all. I wondered why the three girlfriends all had to be from upper-middle class families, with no financial worries. Then again, hanging with these girls may be another way for Nola to hide her own background.
There were several loose threads at the end, leaving me wondering but hopeful. I’d certainly be willing to give another book a try.
Allowing for the usual hyperbole, this isn’t too far off the mark. Nola Cespedes is a reporter at the Times-Picayune, trying hard to get off the “lifestyle” page and onto the city desk. Finally, she gets the chance – when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans many formerly registered sex offenders were evacuated and no one kept track of their locations. Sure, some have re-registered, but many have “gone off the grid.” As she begins to research the story, the city’s attention is captured by a new disappearance – a young tourist has been kidnapped in broad daylight from a popular French Quarter eatery.
There were several things I liked about this thriller. I liked that Nola is a pretty strong female lead; she tackles her work (mostly) like a responsible adult, and she has a good network of girlfriends to hang with. I liked also that she maintained contact with her mother, though she seemed to resent their weekly church-going, and that she was trying to be a good “big sister” to Marisol. I liked the pace that Castro set for this novel, although some of the sidebars giving background information on politics, or the Cajuns, or environmental issues did slow the action. Still these elements also enhanced the sense of place. (I definitely felt the torpidity of a New Orleans’ hot humid day; I think my hair even frizzed just reading about the weather!)
I wasn’t so happy with Nola’s bad behavior and risk-taking. Although I do appreciate that Castro was showing us her underlying psychological issues rather than simply telling us about them. Still, there were sections where Nola seemed far too damaged to be able to hold it together at all. I wondered why the three girlfriends all had to be from upper-middle class families, with no financial worries. Then again, hanging with these girls may be another way for Nola to hide her own background.
There were several loose threads at the end, leaving me wondering but hopeful. I’d certainly be willing to give another book a try.
beastreader's review against another edition
1.0
So the second time is not the charm with this book. In fact, I was more turned off by this book this time then I was the first time. The first time just like this time I was not intrigued by the characters or the storyline. Yet, this time I actually was comprehending what was happening in the story so I was able to focus on the words being said. All of the language with the "f" word I felt was un-needed. Which I am not a prude about language but only when it is required as part of the story. Ok, in a way it was as it showed how some of the inmates in prison felt about child molesters. However I still felt the story was going no where with just a lot of talking as a filler. After trying again with this book and only getting to chapter 8 I was not interested in figuring out who Nola Cespesdes is.
kdurham2's review against another edition
4.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Sex offenders, New Orleans after Katrina and an investigation all wrapped up in an interesting novel. Right from the beginning I was sucked into the story and wanted to know how it would unravel, but there are some definite plot points that I was questioning.
Sex offenders, New Orleans after Katrina and an investigation all wrapped up in an interesting novel. Right from the beginning I was sucked into the story and wanted to know how it would unravel, but there are some definite plot points that I was questioning.
bawright1987's review against another edition
4.0
A patron recommended this book to me. I was a bit hesitant because it's not something I typically read, and the first 20-30 pages didn't initially draw me in. I felt I couldn't relate to this randomly reckless character. But, I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did. By my give-it-100-pages trial period I was hooked. I even grew to like Nola and realized that she was fighting some serious demons. Her snappy comebacks had me laughing, even though they hurt the people that were closest to her. I very much enjoyed her relationship with Marisol, and it's something I hope continues to grow over the series. PS, the end of this book was epic, and totally worth the meh, feeling I had at page 10.
julia0000's review against another edition
5.0
A little slow to get moving but once I got farther along it was very catchy and a wonderful narrative style post Katrina book.
nglofile's review against another edition
1.0
First, a quibble with the series note ("Nola Cespedes Mysteries #1"): this is not a mystery -- not even close.
It's also not a suspense/thriller, despite the opening which plops us into a young woman's unexplained disappearance. [By the way, leading with that, and then doing nothing with it, is just poor narrative structure, and portraying it through the perspective of a younger child is transparently manipulative.] Thrillers and suspense novels are all about pacing, and this work has looooong dry passages in which the author just shovels her research to the reader -- and in settings no more imaginative than employing a journalist reflecting on her own data and/or interviewing subjects.
Recently I've experienced quite a few stories set in post-Katrina New Orleans, and this was by far the least engaging. What a tremendous disappointment.
It's also not a suspense/thriller, despite the opening which plops us into a young woman's unexplained disappearance. [By the way, leading with that, and then doing nothing with it, is just poor narrative structure, and portraying it through the perspective of a younger child is transparently manipulative.] Thrillers and suspense novels are all about pacing, and this work has looooong dry passages in which the author just shovels her research to the reader -- and in settings no more imaginative than employing a journalist reflecting on her own data and/or interviewing subjects.
Recently I've experienced quite a few stories set in post-Katrina New Orleans, and this was by far the least engaging. What a tremendous disappointment.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
4.0
More atmosphere than plot in this New Orleans thriller, which nevertheless manages to be quite thrilling. The ending was perhaps a little too abrupt, but I really enjoyed spending time with Nola, self-destructive reporter with a huge chip on her shoulder.