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coleycole's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
One dimensional characters and clunky dialogue.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
usbsticky's review
3.0
3 stars = I like it.
What I like: Writing was easy to read and follow. I liked the characters, I like the South African setting.
Meh: I thought the story lacked excitement and thrill. What was the Officer Mweli narrative even doing there? It didn't add anything to the story and could have been skipped. Same with the David Patel narrative. Without these two narratives, the story would have been tighter. Instead, they just diluted the book. Edit: This is my first Jade de Jong book so I guess these characters played a part in the other books. Still, they could have been part of the story without having their own narratives.
I liked the Gillespie and Botha characters because they played off each other and you didn't know who was who until the end. And I still didn't get the Sykes character.
Overall, I liked the setting and the characters. But I thought the author failed to control the number of people in the story and keep the excitement high. An interesting crime novel without the climatic payoff.
I got this book as a free ARC.
What I like: Writing was easy to read and follow. I liked the characters, I like the South African setting.
Meh: I thought the story lacked excitement and thrill. What was the Officer Mweli narrative even doing there? It didn't add anything to the story and could have been skipped. Same with the David Patel narrative. Without these two narratives, the story would have been tighter. Instead, they just diluted the book. Edit: This is my first Jade de Jong book so I guess these characters played a part in the other books. Still, they could have been part of the story without having their own narratives.
I liked the Gillespie and Botha characters because they played off each other and you didn't know who was who until the end. And I still didn't get the Sykes character.
Overall, I liked the setting and the characters. But I thought the author failed to control the number of people in the story and keep the excitement high. An interesting crime novel without the climatic payoff.
I got this book as a free ARC.
canada_matt's review
4.0
Jassy Mackenzie is back with another Jade de Jong thriller that will push the reader into the dark world of nuclear power and the instability of its components. When Jade de Jong is hired by a senior representative of the Inkomfe Nuclear Research Centre, she is somewhat confused. As South Africa turns away from traditional electricity generation to the more reliable nuclear power, de Jong is left to wonder why she, a lowly private investigator, might be tasked with such an important job. Tasked with following Carlos Botha, a member of the Inkomfe team, de Jong finds herself in the middle of a murder scene at a seedy motel, where one victim is a former high-ranking government official. Could Botha be at the centre of this, as he was seen near the room during de Jong’s reconnaissance. While de Jong seeks to hone in on her target, his vehicle explodes, leaving de Jong to wonder if a contract on his life is the next layer of this convoluted mission. The plot thickens and Botha goes from mouse to fellow cat as de Jong confides much in him after her cover is blown. Meanwhile, the police are baffled by this double murder and try to pieces things together, though their leads are slow to develop. As she continues to struggle with a relationship that turned sour, de Jong must bring Superintendent David Patel into the mix, only to learn that he is juggling news that a potential terrorist has been spotted across South Africa. Discovering that Inkomfe might be weak from inside and that enriched uranium ingots could be stolen and sold on the black market at any time, de Jong must determine who she can trust and how these murders might play into the larger question of nuclear weapon production. Full of twists and dramatic build-up, Jassy Mackenzie’s absence for a few years can be forgiven with this superior piece. Fans of Jade de Jong will be pleased to see another instalment and those fans who enjoy a thriller set deep in the Southern Hemisphere may enjoy a break from the ISIS-centric storylines that supersaturate the genre at present.
I enjoy a vast array of thrillers that tap into all parts of the world, for they enrich my reading experience and permit me to understand world issues through various lenses. Jassy Mackenzie arms this novel with her great knowledge of South Africa and weaves the local lore into her narrative, while also presenting readers with some of the political and economic issues that weigh heavily on the country. I found myself highly entertained and educated by these aspects, as well as the nuclear power discussions in general, which have been lacking in writing since many writers took up the War on Terror theme that has been beaten to death. While the Jade de Jong character is by no means unique, her ongoing struggles as a former criminal and attachment to a high-ranking member of the police prove to be useful in developing her backstory. That she is a little jaded (pardon the pun) adds to the story and keeps the reader pushing ahead to see how things will resolve themselves. As mentioned above, the story is decent and poignant, as South Africa seems to be turning towards new and exciting (though dangerous) technologies to better themselves. The Republic of South Africa is a powder-keg and surely one I enjoy being used as the setting for novels. I find myself learning so much and Mackenzie is a wonderful guide. Rich and highly entertaining, the book reads well and advances easily, leaving the reader to beg for more by the climactic end.
Kudos, Madam Mackenzie, for another wonderful addition to the series. While I have been waiting a while to sink my teeth into this latest novel, the wait was worth it!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
I enjoy a vast array of thrillers that tap into all parts of the world, for they enrich my reading experience and permit me to understand world issues through various lenses. Jassy Mackenzie arms this novel with her great knowledge of South Africa and weaves the local lore into her narrative, while also presenting readers with some of the political and economic issues that weigh heavily on the country. I found myself highly entertained and educated by these aspects, as well as the nuclear power discussions in general, which have been lacking in writing since many writers took up the War on Terror theme that has been beaten to death. While the Jade de Jong character is by no means unique, her ongoing struggles as a former criminal and attachment to a high-ranking member of the police prove to be useful in developing her backstory. That she is a little jaded (pardon the pun) adds to the story and keeps the reader pushing ahead to see how things will resolve themselves. As mentioned above, the story is decent and poignant, as South Africa seems to be turning towards new and exciting (though dangerous) technologies to better themselves. The Republic of South Africa is a powder-keg and surely one I enjoy being used as the setting for novels. I find myself learning so much and Mackenzie is a wonderful guide. Rich and highly entertaining, the book reads well and advances easily, leaving the reader to beg for more by the climactic end.
Kudos, Madam Mackenzie, for another wonderful addition to the series. While I have been waiting a while to sink my teeth into this latest novel, the wait was worth it!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
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