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oceanwader's review against another edition
2.0
This is the second book of the Charlie Fox series that I've read; and I simply don't understand the comments likening Zoë Sharp with Lee Child. Neither their writing style nor their lead protagonists are at all alike.
With this particular novel, the plot was so transparent that I knew the outcome by the end of the first chapter. It was therefore with increasing impatience that I waited for Charlie to clue into what was going on. In fact, I abandoned the book after a few chapters, only to pick it up again due to a feeling that I somehow owed the author another chance. I wish now I could get those hours back.
Sharp's writing includes far too much fluff. For example, do we really care that Charlie "bit her lip" in reaction?
As for Charlie Fox vs. Jack Reacher, there's no comparison. Fox seems clueless most of the time whereas Reacher picks things up quickly. Fox lacks confidence; Reacher exudes it. Fox holds her punches; Reacher rarely does, unless he intends it.
Unless someone here can assure me that both the writing and Fox's strength of character improve, I'll not be reading more of the series.
With this particular novel, the plot was so transparent that I knew the outcome by the end of the first chapter. It was therefore with increasing impatience that I waited for Charlie to clue into what was going on. In fact, I abandoned the book after a few chapters, only to pick it up again due to a feeling that I somehow owed the author another chance. I wish now I could get those hours back.
Sharp's writing includes far too much fluff. For example, do we really care that Charlie "bit her lip" in reaction?
As for Charlie Fox vs. Jack Reacher, there's no comparison. Fox seems clueless most of the time whereas Reacher picks things up quickly. Fox lacks confidence; Reacher exudes it. Fox holds her punches; Reacher rarely does, unless he intends it.
Unless someone here can assure me that both the writing and Fox's strength of character improve, I'll not be reading more of the series.
oedipa_maas's review against another edition
3.0
Better than the one before! Some clunky pacing and way too much internal monologue, but overall a good thriller you can read in a day.
lindca's review against another edition
4.0
I'm well and truly hooked on this series.
In this story, Charlie gets embroiled in local violent events while housesitting for a friend, also meeting up again with someone significant from her past. While she once again proves to be a magnet for trouble, we learn more about her past and her relationships with her parents and others. She's a tough yet vulnerable protagonist, one who's easy to like and root for.
A few things bugged me but didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the story.
a. How could he not have known about the rape aspect of Charlie's military and civil trials? Even McMillan, the policeman who didn't immediately know Charlie's background and real name, knew the details. The civil trial supposedly was covered by the media, leading Charlie to change her last name. Yet Sean, who knew her by her real name, never saw nor heard of this, even when he supposedly looked for her afterward. He owns an ostensibly successful security/bodyguard company, employing an expert in computer investigation (his faux girlfriend) yet never tried to find the details from the courtmartial he was forced to miss? Not believable.
b. If Sean owns this successful bodyguard company, complete with nice company cars, why in the world does he leave his family to live in a derelict and dangerous neighborhood, especially when both his younger sister and brother have been getting into trouble? This also makes no sense.
All in all, though, I quickly have become a fan of this series and look forward to reading the next book.
In this story, Charlie gets embroiled in local violent events while housesitting for a friend, also meeting up again with someone significant from her past. While she once again proves to be a magnet for trouble, we learn more about her past and her relationships with her parents and others. She's a tough yet vulnerable protagonist, one who's easy to like and root for.
A few things bugged me but didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the story.
Spoiler
Charlie has a tendency to trust or believe the wrong people, even when those people seem to have huge flashing "DO NOT TRUST ME" signs hanging on their necks. That was the case with both Marc and Dave in the first book and with O'Bryan in this one. A couple things also seemed very odd about Sean:a. How could he not have known about the rape aspect of Charlie's military and civil trials? Even McMillan, the policeman who didn't immediately know Charlie's background and real name, knew the details. The civil trial supposedly was covered by the media, leading Charlie to change her last name. Yet Sean, who knew her by her real name, never saw nor heard of this, even when he supposedly looked for her afterward. He owns an ostensibly successful security/bodyguard company, employing an expert in computer investigation (his faux girlfriend) yet never tried to find the details from the courtmartial he was forced to miss? Not believable.
b. If Sean owns this successful bodyguard company, complete with nice company cars, why in the world does he leave his family to live in a derelict and dangerous neighborhood, especially when both his younger sister and brother have been getting into trouble? This also makes no sense.
All in all, though, I quickly have become a fan of this series and look forward to reading the next book.
hrkershaw's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aoutrance's review
3.0
This one was all sorts of twisty.
I like that Charlie and Sean's issues were not solved during the course of one book after meeting again under such inauspicious circumstances. I think that shows a lot of restraint on the part of the author, considering Charlie's traumatic background.
I like that Charlie and Sean's issues were not solved during the course of one book after meeting again under such inauspicious circumstances. I think that shows a lot of restraint on the part of the author, considering Charlie's traumatic background.
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