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sklus's review against another edition
4.0
This book was really good. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time AND I didn't guess the twist, which is a first for a YA mystery/thriller novel. The only reason this book did not get 5 stars is that it was about politics. I'm not interested in politics, but from what I know it does not work like the book describes. I can buy the fact that there are fixers and that politics is a game of knowing the right people and the right things, but I cannot buy the fact that so many people were murder in regards to this plot and it was not a big deal. Maybe I'm naive, but I feel like Lynn Barnes also wrote a series with a similar premise, gifted children solving crimes, but I could suspend my disbelief to a greater degree when they were hunting serial killers and not politicians.
Spoiler
the murder of a journalist who covers the White House, regardless of when or where is kind of a big deal.7brianna_emilia13's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
5.0
Is this YA? well, no, more A!
A thriller, no sex, no romance, no love-triangle, no SF, no Fantasy - just hard, gritty, Washington D.C. Reality.
A few deaths.
(The story is) Mostly the search for the Spindoctor / Puppetmaster, be it male or female, pulling the strings behind the scene.
The muddy bog of the high stakes of a political intrigue-poker-game. The characters are very well drawn, with flaws and making mistakes, sometimes dangerous ones. It feels like they are slowly drowning in quicksand, just at the last second getting thrown a compromise of a life-line - but one that will cost them (probably in the next book?).
Great Thriller with a touch of YA growing up, but mostly not really YA, more a sixteen year old trying to find out what happened and to cope with the fallout or change it for the better, without really considering long-term repercussions.
A short thriller, could have read this in one day, but wanted it to last, so I took a few breaks.
Highly recommended page-turner.
Additional info (no spoilers):
Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Family and belonging, very insightful
A thriller, no sex, no romance, no love-triangle, no SF, no Fantasy - just hard, gritty, Washington D.C. Reality.
A few deaths.
(The story is) Mostly the search for the Spindoctor / Puppetmaster, be it male or female, pulling the strings behind the scene.
The muddy bog of the high stakes of a political intrigue-poker-game. The characters are very well drawn, with flaws and making mistakes, sometimes dangerous ones. It feels like they are slowly drowning in quicksand, just at the last second getting thrown a compromise of a life-line - but one that will cost them (probably in the next book?).
Great Thriller with a touch of YA growing up, but mostly not really YA, more a sixteen year old trying to find out what happened and to cope with the fallout or change it for the better, without really considering long-term repercussions.
A short thriller, could have read this in one day, but wanted it to last, so I took a few breaks.
Highly recommended page-turner.
Additional info (no spoilers):
Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Family and belonging, very insightful
caterina_25's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kaiatoast's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
dunder_mifflin's review against another edition
5.0
I really really enjoyed this book, it was so gripping and the characters were great. I didn't see any of it coming, every revelation left me like :o and usually I'm pretty good at predicting what's going to happen, so that made it extra great. To be honest it's more like a 4.5/4.75 star read or something but it's good enough for me to round it up to 5.
cutenanya's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't like a single character in another series by Barnes (The Naturals) but I like every single character in this book and adore Asher (swoon). The best part about The Fixer is the family theme (Ivy & Tess, Tess & her grandpa, Adam and his father, etc). Family is where most children learn to love, to hate, and to become human. Family can be the source of all your troubles, but alas, it's also the first place where one instinctively runs to when one has troubles.
There is also an intricate plot in this book, intertwining the fates of all the characters with the resourceful and dauntless Tess in the center. Some parts of the book may seem exaggerated and hard to execute (even for kids of the rich and powerful) but overall, it's fascinating, intriguing, and mysterious.
Although there is no romantic plot yet, I smell a love triangle forming (but I hope I'm wrong because I detest all sorts of love triangle) and really, it's the plot that matters in this book, not the romance. I certainly will read the sequel as I want to know what happens next.
There is also an intricate plot in this book, intertwining the fates of all the characters with the resourceful and dauntless Tess in the center. Some parts of the book may seem exaggerated and hard to execute (even for kids of the rich and powerful) but overall, it's fascinating, intriguing, and mysterious.
Although there is no romantic plot yet, I smell a love triangle forming (but I hope I'm wrong because I detest all sorts of love triangle) and really, it's the plot that matters in this book, not the romance. I certainly will read the sequel as I want to know what happens next.
cdee02's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
rhrie38's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
It was really good, the characters were funny and interesting. To be honest the plot took a backseat for me as I'm not super into mysteries but the characters came through!
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure why I requested this on Netgalley in the first place, since it really isn't my type of book. Something about the synopsis caught my eye though, I guess. After reading, I'm still pretty sure it's not my type of book.
It was interesting enough, but there was nothing that really drew me in, and I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable. And then there were certain aspects of the plot that were really predictable too. I really wish the book had been about her friend Asher, or that he would at least have been in the book a lot more, because he was really the only interesting character for me.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this unless you really like political stuff.
It was interesting enough, but there was nothing that really drew me in, and I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable. And then there were certain aspects of the plot that were really predictable too. I really wish the book had been about her friend Asher, or that he would at least have been in the book a lot more, because he was really the only interesting character for me.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this unless you really like political stuff.