Reviews

I'm still thinking if this tells much than show, or it's actually showing rather than telling. Either way, I actually liked it. Benioff describes a scene with crystal clear clarity; sets it up for the readers to play with and live it. Somehow it's poorly written screenplay that tells the actor how the characters move. I guess it's necessary for this story where in its entirety nothing really happened much but intimately there are beautiful moments of talking, waiting, and just being there.
The characters were rightly flawed but I root for them. However they want to continue their lives once Monty was sent to prison, I hope they find peace and happiness. Their interactions are simple (actually the whole book has simple scenes) but packs such intensity because you were not sure how each character would react, especially the three best buddies. I don't know how much they love each other but there's a latter scene with the three buddies that's a worth a movie adaptation. There were nuances in their actions that should translate well on film. I know there's one but I've yet to see it.
I guess that's what Benioff's trying to do here; the nuances of someone's actions showing emotional intelligence. I did root for these characters to have a happy ending by the end. Somehow, Monty's final thoughts betrayed it. Somehow the flawed characters were not wishing for it. Maybe they just needed to be open and honest emotionally

markk's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Like many people, I was first exposed to David Benioff’s novel not on the page but on the screen, thanks to Spike Lee’s magnificent adaptation. When I prepared to rewatch the movie for a project, though, I decided to read Benioff’s novel so as to see what the differences were between the two works. Fortunately, this did not inhibit me from enjoying Benioff’s novel on its own merits. Reading it gave me a chance to know better Monty Broghan on the eve of his departure for Otisville, where he will spend the next seven years as a prisoner. The time remaining to him gives him a chance to spend one last day with his family and friends, but also to ponder over the mistakes that led him to that point. Monty’s world has fallen apart, and he is given one last chance to figure out how it went all wrong before it changes irrevocably.

Part of Benioff’s success in the book is to write a central character who is simultaneously both sympathetic and yet deserving of his fate. Monty’s own grudging acceptance of the mistakes that brought him to that point is key to this, as it gives him a degree of self-awareness that they reader can appreciate. The consequences of his choices is demonstrated effectively by the responses of the loved ones around him, whose lives Benioff incorporates into his story. Yet we learn about more than how Monty’s girlfriend Naturelle, and his close friends Frank and Jakob are coping with his impending departure from their lives, as we get to see as well how they are also facing choices for which the consequences could prove disastrous. Though these are not resolved by the end of the novel, they underscore the challenges adulthood poses for all of them and how mistakes become increasingly unforgivable.

This element of choice and consequence is one that I found most relatable. Yet the idea of the plunge into the unknown at the end of the novel is what stands out most for me. Perhaps this is because Lee’s incorporation of the events of September 11 into his adaptation underscores this, in some ways perhaps more presciently than he anticipated. Yet one does not need the association with such a transformative event to appreciate the momentousness of the fate which is facing Monty in the novel. Written as it was before 9/11, it offers a more universal story that, thanks to Benioff’s writing, deserves to be judged on its own merits. My only regret in this regard is that it took me until now to do so.

rpych2's review against another edition

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3.0

I’m not sure how I feel about David Benioff as a writer (a book writer, I know exactly how I feel about season 8 of GoT), because City of Thieves is one of my favorite books in the last few years. And while I liked the style in this, I’m not sure I liked the story all that much after getting into it.

I think the characters were really well developed, despite the fact that the story is almost entirely contained within a 24 hour period. But for whatever reason, I really didn’t think it ended in the right place despite that. Because we get almost no resolution on anything, it leaves you with far more questions than answers. Even an epilogue for certain things probably would be appreciated, even if you want to leave Monty’s ending where it was there are a lot of implications for the other characters that weren’t explored. They basically just disappeared off the page at one point and were never seen again. So I think it has to be 2.5 stars rounded up because of the ending, but for me enjoying the writing style as well.

in_and_out_of_the_stash's review against another edition

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3.0

If you have seen the movie, don't bother with this book as it is 98% the same. It was hard to rate this book having seen the movie first and actually finding the movie better.

cseibs's review against another edition

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4.0

I devoured this book, and I was delighted by how much Benioff packed into such a slim volume --- and such a narrow time frame. There were times when I wanted whole volumes written on each of the characters, but in the end I was satisfied with the glimpses of their lives that were given and how the book showed how complex seemingly ordinary lives can be. I am grateful that Benioff did not take the easy way out and give us a happy ending. His characters stayed real to the end, even if that meant they weren't perfect or totally likeable.

theflamingopriss's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

jeffmauch's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this book mostly because I seemed to remember liking the movie a decade or so ago. While I do really enjoy this book, I would now advise you to avoid the movie as it's slow going, boring, and drawn out. The book on the other had really grabs you from the beginning and you find yourself really interested in each of the characters as they are introduced and develop throughout. For a story that takes place in just over 24 hours there is a lot of depth to the characters. I especially like the character of Monty's father, who's appearance is brief and powerful.

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