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cgcpoems's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I’ve had this book for a while, having picked it up because it takes place in Upstate New York, and just never felt like it was the right time to read it. After a series of exceedingly cold days in my corner of Upstate New York, it felt like I should pick it up.
I generally love slow-moving, meditative books. However, in order to make a slow-moving book feel compelling, the writing has to be excellent. This writing was not. It wasn’t “bad,” but it certainly wasn’t enough to carry the whole story.
I didn’t end up liking any of the characters, but was mainly bothered by how it felt like the author /wanted/ me to like the main character. Why should I empathize with a university cop who abuses his power? Additionally, some of the thoughts this character had were uncomfortable, and not in a way that advanced the plot. I had trouble believing some of his actions and his relationships with other characters, which again speaks to the writing quality.
It wasn’t terrible, but I don’t think I’ll be reading another book by this author. I’m forgetting the story even as I type this review.
I generally love slow-moving, meditative books. However, in order to make a slow-moving book feel compelling, the writing has to be excellent. This writing was not. It wasn’t “bad,” but it certainly wasn’t enough to carry the whole story.
I didn’t end up liking any of the characters, but was mainly bothered by how it felt like the author /wanted/ me to like the main character. Why should I empathize with a university cop who abuses his power? Additionally, some of the thoughts this character had were uncomfortable, and not in a way that advanced the plot. I had trouble believing some of his actions and his relationships with other characters, which again speaks to the writing quality.
It wasn’t terrible, but I don’t think I’ll be reading another book by this author. I’m forgetting the story even as I type this review.
ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up Frederick Busch's book hoping for a reasonably well done crime novel and got so much more than that. It was wonderfully written; Busch has the astonishing knack of making his words both eloquent and spare. His characters became people I knew, complex and interesting and the setting, a private university in upstate New York during a harsh winter, was so clearly drawn as to make me pull on gloves. Busch writes a little like Castle Freeman, Jr., which suits perfectly the setting of the book, but also with an understated descriptiveness that reminded me a little of Hemingway.
And, for all that, this is an unpretentious book about how a girl gone missing from a small farming community impacts the life of a man with the sorrow of his own daughter's death. Jack works as a university security guard, protecting the pampered children of well-to-do families as they do their best to misbehave. His wife and he are not doing so well; although they both wish their relationship was better, improving it seems to be impossible. Jack isn't a talkative man and his closest relationship is with his dog. When an acquaintance asks him to look into the girl's disappearance, he is reluctant to get involved. The state police know what they are doing and his investigating days never amounted to more than getting drunk servicemen to admit to their acts of violence. He slowly becomes obsessed with the missing girl, as she becomes mixed in his mind with his own daughter.
As much a psychological study of people handling more than they're equipped for, the plot nonetheless is well put together, creating a book that is both an entertainment and worth thinking about afterward.
And, for all that, this is an unpretentious book about how a girl gone missing from a small farming community impacts the life of a man with the sorrow of his own daughter's death. Jack works as a university security guard, protecting the pampered children of well-to-do families as they do their best to misbehave. His wife and he are not doing so well; although they both wish their relationship was better, improving it seems to be impossible. Jack isn't a talkative man and his closest relationship is with his dog. When an acquaintance asks him to look into the girl's disappearance, he is reluctant to get involved. The state police know what they are doing and his investigating days never amounted to more than getting drunk servicemen to admit to their acts of violence. He slowly becomes obsessed with the missing girl, as she becomes mixed in his mind with his own daughter.
As much a psychological study of people handling more than they're equipped for, the plot nonetheless is well put together, creating a book that is both an entertainment and worth thinking about afterward.
deedee2021's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
carolynlynlyn's review against another edition
2.0
This book was hard to follow for me. Because of the writing style, I found myself re-reading sentences and paragraphs just to get the tone right and really understand what he was talking about. I think the main character was supposed to be sarcastically witty, but it didn't get pulled off...and the wife, although going through a tragic pain..annoyed me.
tegsreadsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book, and in some parts I did, but it was also kind of hard to get through. I felt the author spent a lot of time building up to what happened to the missing girl, then rushed through the climax. And I'm still a little confused on what happened to his child, because it was never made 100% clear.
sagespice's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lottpoet's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Child death
kbruneau's review against another edition
2.0
This was the most introspective and... sedate? thriller I have ever read. So much takes place within the head of the narrator, but I still didn't always understand his motivation. The plot moved slowly, despite chunks of time being totally skipped over. I was intrigued by the portrayal of a relationship under serious strain, but the first person narration made me wish for the other side of the story. So, it was an okay read for me, but left me scratching my head a bit,
teg_unn's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book, and in some parts I did, but it was also kind of hard to get through. I felt the author spent a lot of time building up to what happened to the missing girl, then rushed through the climax. And I'm still a little confused on what happened to his child, because it was never made 100% clear.
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