Thriller | Book Chatter

The Passenger
Lisa Lutz
Simon & Schuster, Paperback, 9781451686647, November 2016, 336pp.

The Short of It:

Classified as a thriller but it really falls into the “what the heck is going on?” category because there is really no telling what these characters will do.

The Rest of It:

A man is dead. His wife Tanya flees the scene but it’s not clear exactly what has transpired. She heads across the country, stopping here and there to assume new identities as she attempts to run from those looking for her. It should be noted that there are plenty of people looking for her. The story is peppered with letters from a mysterious “Ryan” but it’s not clear how he fits into the story except that he knows Tanya as Jo. Why is she running? Who was she in the past?

Honestly, this story is all over the place. The beginning was a little disjointed but I gave it a little more time and eventually got into the story. Mostly, because I wanted to know why this woman needed to assume all these identities. If she truly wanted to stay hidden, why was she so careless with details? Tanya/Debra/Jo is not good at assuming identities which makes for an amusing read but also makes her slightly annoying.

There were parts of this book that worked better than others but the most frustrating thing is that you really don’t find out the “whys” until the very end and then you are like, really? THAT’s the reason for all of this?

I think the story had potential but it seemed very orchestrated and overworked and perhaps a bit underdeveloped as far as plot. I’m not entirely sure the author knew where she was going with the story until she got to the end. Even the title didn’t make sense until the very end so the entire time I kept thinking, who is the passenger?

Plus, the main character’s personality is never truly revealed. Sometimes you’re led to believe there is goodness there. Other times she seems to not care what she does or how many laws she breaks. It’s hard to have empathy for her situation when A) you don’t know why she is running, and B) she seems to switch back and forth between having morals and not having any.

Would I read Lutz again? I probably would given that there were parts that I was really into but as far as this one goes, expect a quick read with a thin plot line.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Summer of Night
By Dan Simmons
Griffin, Paperback, 9780312550677, July 2011, 498pp.

The Short of It:

A good story but not as scary as I had hoped it to be.

The Rest of It:

It’s the summer of 1960 and in the small town of Elm Haven, Illinois, five twelve-year-old boys are forging the powerful bonds that a lifetime of change will not break. From sunset bike rides to shaded hiding places in the woods, the boys’ days are marked by all of the secrets and silences of an idyllic middle-childhood. But amid the sun drenched cornfields their loyalty will be pitilessly tested. When a long-silent bell peals in the middle of the night, the townsfolk know it marks the end of their carefree days. From the depths of the Old Central School, a hulking fortress tinged with the mahogany scent of coffins, an invisible evil is rising. – from the publisher.

This book kept reminding me of the TV show Stranger Things. I think I mentioned the similarity no less than six times on social media. Summer of Night is actually book #1 in a series. I was not aware of that when I started it, but it really works as a stand alone novel (in case anyone is interested).

Small towns can be creepy and this one comes complete with a “rendering truck” tearing-up stuff all around town. Just the idea of a truck filled with dead animals in various stages of decay is enough to make you cringe but to have a truck like that come after you? A pre-teen you? Terrifying.

Oh, and then there are dead people floating up to second story windows and holes that magically appear underneath beds with the sole purpose of pulling kids down into them. Like I said, scary stuff but as with most novels that center around young people, the young people band together and battle all that is evil and it makes for a good story.

But, it was slow in parts. REAL slow. Simmons like to write and this book is just under 500 pages but the pacing was a little uneven. Some parts were incredibly suspenseful and others functioned as set dressing but all in all, it was a good read. Maybe not the scariest book ever read… which is how it is noted on many horror lists but very good. I loved all of the characters. Simmons does a great job of developing each one.

Have you read it?

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Chatting with friends about books and life…