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angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a mess. It started as a type of noir detective fiction story. Melded in some paranormal activity then peppered in parallel universes and was littered with some well done science fiction chapters. There was a good dose of time travel thrown in but the plot and the multiplying characters and timelines became so confusing I couldn’t even tell you if plot holes exists. As a whole it became so confusing (and with no desire to map out and outline the diverging characters) it was no longer entertaining about halfway through.
laurenscholle's review against another edition
2.0
It was so strange -- went from a good mystery to a time traveling, cryptid, egg hatching head scratcher. 2.5/5.
theodarling's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
billymac1962's review
5.0
What can I say?
Just read the damn thing? But I like writing reviews (something my wife can’t understand as something enjoyable) so I’ve got to say something.
Ironically, the first thing I could say is avoid reviews if you can. I just blocked one of my very long-term Goodreads friends for spoiling the last third of this story with the first line of his review. If only I hadn’t seen that…
Oh well, regret is such a wasted emotion, and I’ve fixed the problem even though the horses have long left the barn.
Incidentally, Publishers Weekly also saw fit to mention the same spoiler in their starred review.
The one thing I can say is that James Renner is a magnificent writer and this story is something that will stick in your head while you’re not reading it, and will linger on after finishing it, as it is doing to me now.
In a lesser writer’s hands, some of the things in this story may lose you, and I thought he was going to, but as I went on things became clearer (or as clear as I could have hoped to grasp).
The Man From Primrose Lane stayed on my to-read list for six years. I almost took it off because the average rating hovered around 3.6, not a ringing endorsement, and for the life of me I can’t understand why it's not higher.
This is a huge five star read for what he did, and how he made it digestible for a dimwit such as I.
James Renner mentions Stephen King, John Irving, and Donald Ray Pollock as influences and the best qualities of these fine writers, namely engaging narrative and dialogue, show up in Renner’s writing.
I am so glad I kept this on my list and decided to read it on a whim. It just goes to show you, doesn’t it?
Now I have to return to working while this story refuses to slip out of my mind.
Just read the damn thing? But I like writing reviews (something my wife can’t understand as something enjoyable) so I’ve got to say something.
Ironically, the first thing I could say is avoid reviews if you can. I just blocked one of my very long-term Goodreads friends for spoiling the last third of this story with the first line of his review. If only I hadn’t seen that…
Oh well, regret is such a wasted emotion, and I’ve fixed the problem even though the horses have long left the barn.
Incidentally, Publishers Weekly also saw fit to mention the same spoiler in their starred review.
The one thing I can say is that James Renner is a magnificent writer and this story is something that will stick in your head while you’re not reading it, and will linger on after finishing it, as it is doing to me now.
In a lesser writer’s hands, some of the things in this story may lose you, and I thought he was going to, but as I went on things became clearer (or as clear as I could have hoped to grasp).
The Man From Primrose Lane stayed on my to-read list for six years. I almost took it off because the average rating hovered around 3.6, not a ringing endorsement, and for the life of me I can’t understand why it's not higher.
This is a huge five star read for what he did, and how he made it digestible for a dimwit such as I.
James Renner mentions Stephen King, John Irving, and Donald Ray Pollock as influences and the best qualities of these fine writers, namely engaging narrative and dialogue, show up in Renner’s writing.
I am so glad I kept this on my list and decided to read it on a whim. It just goes to show you, doesn’t it?
Now I have to return to working while this story refuses to slip out of my mind.
eric_train's review against another edition
5.0
This book starts out great, then completely changes... To greater. It's a hard one to review, in that the genius if it lies in plot points they can't be discussed. I want everyone I know to read this, it's that good.
readingjag's review against another edition
5.0
Despite this book featuring one of my least favorite topics , I really loved it. I figured out the plot twist about a third of the way in, and was starting to get annoyed, except the book reveals it halfway through and it spins off from there. Renner was a true crime writer and obviously leaned heavily on his extensive research into the murders and disappearances of real people which adds a creepiness factor. Also, I adore . Looking forward to his next one.
Spoiler
pedophilia and child murderSpoiler
time travel booksellodees's review against another edition
4.0
This book was just plain crazy. Overall I liked it, and thought it was a satisfying ending but wow, lot of weird turns (and I usually like weird). Felt a little rush in spots.
edit: the best thing I can say about this book is that I read this months ago and I am still thinking about it. I would definitely recommend this to people who like mystery and/or time travel in their science fiction. It's an interesting take on obsession and the lengths we go to to fill the needs of our obsessions. Was a very surprising read. Looking forward to see what the writer will come out with next.
edit: the best thing I can say about this book is that I read this months ago and I am still thinking about it. I would definitely recommend this to people who like mystery and/or time travel in their science fiction. It's an interesting take on obsession and the lengths we go to to fill the needs of our obsessions. Was a very surprising read. Looking forward to see what the writer will come out with next.
patchworkbunny's review
4.0
No one really knew the Man from Primrose Lane. Tom Sackett always called him the Man with a Thousand Mittens because each time he left the house he appeared to be wearing a different pair. When he is found brutally murdered, the police try to track down his family only to find he was using a fake identity. With the investigation at a standstill, true crime writer and widower David Neff is approached by his publisher to write a book about the man and perhaps uncover the truth. But soon David becomes embroiled in a plot that he could never have dreamt up in his wildest dreams.
What starts out as an intriguing crime story soon pans out into something more which will keep your brain going round in circles. David is a single father and still hasn’t quite got over the suicide of his wife 4 years earlier, who we find out about through flashbacks. He has made enough money from his first book never to work again so he is reluctant to get involved with the Man From Primrose Lane story.
The man had been obsessed with a young woman, Katy. He had paintings of her and journals of her life. Katy had never met the man before and everyone assumes it was a case of stalking. But Katy reminds David so much of his late wife and then Elizabeth’s fingerprints are discovered on the bed at Primrose Lane. There is a lot going on in this novel but all the threads eventually come together; without giving too much away it’s a wonderful fusion of crime and science fiction.
I’m starting to instinctively dislike the trend of making main characters authors in novels, especially making them out to be unrealistically successful. Here it seems making David so rich from his writing was a convenient way for him not to have to worry about having him go to work or worry about how to raise his son. There are also a few too many moments given over to things-that-successful-authors do; dealing with Facebook fans, signing books, literary snobbery; really things that have nothing to do with the otherwise interesting and complicated plot. The Man From Primrose Lane feels like it wants to be Stephen King at times which is only reinforced by the protagonist’s profession.
There are some bits that just seem a bit silly and out of place. For anyone else that has read it; what the hell was going on with that cat? Even if the science-fiction element was far-fetched, it works in a fictional capacity but adding supernatural elements without context was odd. The best bits are definitely the aspects that would be considered spoilers, so you’ll just have to read it to find out.
What starts out as an intriguing crime story soon pans out into something more which will keep your brain going round in circles. David is a single father and still hasn’t quite got over the suicide of his wife 4 years earlier, who we find out about through flashbacks. He has made enough money from his first book never to work again so he is reluctant to get involved with the Man From Primrose Lane story.
The man had been obsessed with a young woman, Katy. He had paintings of her and journals of her life. Katy had never met the man before and everyone assumes it was a case of stalking. But Katy reminds David so much of his late wife and then Elizabeth’s fingerprints are discovered on the bed at Primrose Lane. There is a lot going on in this novel but all the threads eventually come together; without giving too much away it’s a wonderful fusion of crime and science fiction.
I’m starting to instinctively dislike the trend of making main characters authors in novels, especially making them out to be unrealistically successful. Here it seems making David so rich from his writing was a convenient way for him not to have to worry about having him go to work or worry about how to raise his son. There are also a few too many moments given over to things-that-successful-authors do; dealing with Facebook fans, signing books, literary snobbery; really things that have nothing to do with the otherwise interesting and complicated plot. The Man From Primrose Lane feels like it wants to be Stephen King at times which is only reinforced by the protagonist’s profession.
There are some bits that just seem a bit silly and out of place. For anyone else that has read it; what the hell was going on with that cat? Even if the science-fiction element was far-fetched, it works in a fictional capacity but adding supernatural elements without context was odd. The best bits are definitely the aspects that would be considered spoilers, so you’ll just have to read it to find out.
liketheday's review against another edition
4.0
This story is weird. It looks like it's going to be a normal mystery story, with a murder and an investigation and some depressing backstory and all that. And it's a good mystery story, too! There's a serial killer or two, and a reporter guy who gets his story and his day in court and his eleventy-billion dollar book deal, and a new murder for the reporter guy to write about that turns out to maybe or maybe not be tied to said guy's wife's untimely suicide... oh, I like it.
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eoremovich's review against another edition
4.0
The Man from Primrose Lane had me guessing (always incorrectly!) about what was going to happen, and how things were going to work out. I thought the twist was pretty spectacular, and really mind bending. Time travel always fascinates me, so long as it is done well, and this book was pretty successful. I think I may revisit the book sometime and read it again to watch it come together from a different perspective.