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juliebcooper's review against another edition
4.0
Would love to see what happens next with Sarie Holland - is this the beginning of a series?
surfmonkey01's review against another edition
4.0
Terrific crime read that straddles the line between Young Adult and Full Adult. Definitely recommended
hyuniecrisp's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
what in the damn hell sarie, no boy is worth doing what you did. especially some guy that you aren't even dating??? haven't even hugged or kissed??? someone that you barely know??
also, did they just not tell marty abouthis mother dying until she was already dead, like what???
i liked ringo, pretty cool guy
this book took me a while to read just because how stupid I found the premise to be. but then it got me hooked about halfway through
also, did they just not tell marty about
i liked ringo, pretty cool guy
this book took me a while to read just because how stupid I found the premise to be. but then it got me hooked about halfway through
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Drug use, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
amberunmasked's review against another edition
3.0
I thoroughly analyzed the hell out of CANARY because I was interested in seeing how the alleged female YA book was handling female characters. I have over 3,500 words picking it apart on my site (http://www.amberunmasked.com/review-canary-by-swierczy/) but the highlights are here:
* Sarie Holland has more purpose than the female sidekicks of the Charlie Hardie series, but there are so many pitfalls with her in CANARY. I think it’s noble that Swierczynski tried to make a young female protagonist after such a “manly” DIE HARD-esque trilogy, but not only did the character disappoint, so did every female character, of which there aren’t many, and some of the female-related subject matter that could have been easily researched. And I mean in disappoint big ugly ways.
* SHE GETS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A LOT and it's purely gratuitous without adding to the story.
* The only romance in this book is one that’s depressing where she abandons all of who she is in order to win the affections of this college senior/criminal who disregards her safety constantly. The guy is a first rate dick. The goal seems to have been to make Sarie a hero, but she comes through weak.
* Police corruption was another laudable element of CANARY. You only need to watch the news for a day to see how that’s been going in major cities and even small towns. The police officers that readers get to know have individual personalities and styles. Rem is nothing like Wildey; Kaz is a ball buster but secretly has no power because of Rem. There’s an air of suspicion about the Police Commissioner too even though he’s barely given a page. Obviously someone on the inside must be a dirty cop. Readers don’t know who for a long time and that makes the tension within the department palpable.
* Philly’s rich history is pulled into the story throughout. Those dirty cops were based on real events like the organized crime at the docks. I loved seeing mentions of real places where I’ve traveled like the Grey Lodge and Port Richmond Bookstore. Characters get defensive about their sports teams and one insists on using the old names of streets and neighborhoods before gentrification updated them. The city is either an ingrained part of these characters or not, as with Sarie who wants to be in California. Swierczynski uses his city so well in his stories that I wonder how he’d survive if he ever moved away. Details about Philly help bring this to life.
* Sarie Holland has more purpose than the female sidekicks of the Charlie Hardie series, but there are so many pitfalls with her in CANARY. I think it’s noble that Swierczynski tried to make a young female protagonist after such a “manly” DIE HARD-esque trilogy, but not only did the character disappoint, so did every female character, of which there aren’t many, and some of the female-related subject matter that could have been easily researched. And I mean in disappoint big ugly ways.
* SHE GETS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A LOT and it's purely gratuitous without adding to the story.
* The only romance in this book is one that’s depressing where she abandons all of who she is in order to win the affections of this college senior/criminal who disregards her safety constantly. The guy is a first rate dick. The goal seems to have been to make Sarie a hero, but she comes through weak.
* Police corruption was another laudable element of CANARY. You only need to watch the news for a day to see how that’s been going in major cities and even small towns. The police officers that readers get to know have individual personalities and styles. Rem is nothing like Wildey; Kaz is a ball buster but secretly has no power because of Rem. There’s an air of suspicion about the Police Commissioner too even though he’s barely given a page. Obviously someone on the inside must be a dirty cop. Readers don’t know who for a long time and that makes the tension within the department palpable.
* Philly’s rich history is pulled into the story throughout. Those dirty cops were based on real events like the organized crime at the docks. I loved seeing mentions of real places where I’ve traveled like the Grey Lodge and Port Richmond Bookstore. Characters get defensive about their sports teams and one insists on using the old names of streets and neighborhoods before gentrification updated them. The city is either an ingrained part of these characters or not, as with Sarie who wants to be in California. Swierczynski uses his city so well in his stories that I wonder how he’d survive if he ever moved away. Details about Philly help bring this to life.
matt4hire's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, man, PLEASE tell me there's going to be a sequel.
avalinda's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 - Had the bones of what could have been a good crime novel, but that was quickly buried beneath a pile of thinly drawn characters, dumb decisions, random POV changes, and awkward writing style (the author seems to struggle with present-tense narration, so much that I wonder why he didn't just write the book in standard past tense).
The biggest disappointment, ironically, was Sarie herself - I wanted so much to like her, since she was hyped up in the blurb as some kind of prodigy with a "shockingly keen understanding of the criminal mind." Yeah, about that... What sensible person puts her and her family's lives on the line to protect a near-stranger? A near-stranger with the intelligence and emotional maturity of a piece of cardboard, to boot? You want to start with a "criminal mind," start with the dumbass who let you get picked up by the cops in the first place, then sold you out to his drug boss without a second thought! Oh no, but he's cute.... *eye roll*
Basically this whole book was Sarie ricocheting from one scrape to another, stumbling upon drug kingpins by chance, narrowly avoiding death deus ex machina style, saved by not just one, but two bleeding-heart contract killers in the surprisingly chivalrous drug underworld. Somehow, while tripping over her patchwork quilt of bad decisions, she still manages to leave seasoned cop Ben Wildey in the dust...
(Did I mention Sarie was supposed to be a genius? I think her twelve-year-old brother had more sense and sleuthing skills than she did.)
Sadly, I spent a non-zero amount of money on this book, and there was just barely enough plot to keep me turning the pages, so I made myself finish it. Not really seeing how this scored an Edgar nomination though. If you're looking for an Edgar-worthy, gritty, dark story with a similarly-named teenage protagonist, surviving on her strength and wit alone, read Sadie by Courtney Summers instead. It'll break your heart, but at least it won't kill your brain cells.
The biggest disappointment, ironically, was Sarie herself - I wanted so much to like her, since she was hyped up in the blurb as some kind of prodigy with a "shockingly keen understanding of the criminal mind." Yeah, about that... What sensible person puts her and her family's lives on the line to protect a near-stranger? A near-stranger with the intelligence and emotional maturity of a piece of cardboard, to boot? You want to start with a "criminal mind," start with the dumbass who let you get picked up by the cops in the first place, then sold you out to his drug boss without a second thought! Oh no, but he's cute.... *eye roll*
Basically this whole book was Sarie ricocheting from one scrape to another, stumbling upon drug kingpins by chance, narrowly avoiding death deus ex machina style, saved by not just one, but two bleeding-heart contract killers in the surprisingly chivalrous drug underworld. Somehow, while tripping over her patchwork quilt of bad decisions, she still manages to leave seasoned cop Ben Wildey in the dust...
(Did I mention Sarie was supposed to be a genius? I think her twelve-year-old brother had more sense and sleuthing skills than she did.)
Sadly, I spent a non-zero amount of money on this book, and there was just barely enough plot to keep me turning the pages, so I made myself finish it. Not really seeing how this scored an Edgar nomination though. If you're looking for an Edgar-worthy, gritty, dark story with a similarly-named teenage protagonist, surviving on her strength and wit alone, read Sadie by Courtney Summers instead. It'll break your heart, but at least it won't kill your brain cells.
charleslambert's review against another edition
5.0
No one does this kind of book better than Swierczynski. All I need now is a sequel, because the two main characters in this are too good to lose.
nsfinch's review against another edition
DNF. I’m starting off the new year in a book slump. I just can’t deal with a book about a college student being manipulated by the police right now. I don’t think this author is doing a great job writing from the POV of a woman, either. The voice sounds inauthentic to me.
sjgizmo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25