The story is narrated by Danny Hansen, a priest who originally came from Bosnia, and escaped to the United States after witnessing the horrors of that civil war. He has taken it upon himself to rid the world of people who have committed atrocities that Danny deems beyond redemption.
The second narrator, Renee Gilmore has led a troubled life, being orphaned at an early age and living on the streets supporting a drug addiction. Lamont Myers rescues her, takes her in, and creates a new, albeit unusual, life for her. After Lamont disappears, Renee vows to go after the man that killed the only man she ever loved.
This is when Danny and Renee's paths cross, and I really don't want to say much about what happens, other than there are several unexpected twists and turns, things go bad, and we are never sure what the outcome will be.
Dekker's plot was completely original, at least to me. There were shades of Dexter, but that still isn't a complete comparison. The characters were complex, and bizarre. But justifiably so. I really didn't like Renee, and one of my only complaints is that I couldn't believe how stupid she was. Some of the decisions she made really made me angry. However, she comes from such a warped past, that even her outlandish actions became believable to me.
The characters are unusual, the plotting is unexpected and elaborate, and the pace is steady and compelling. I would recommend this one to psychological thriller or crime drama readers who enjoy unusual protagonists. It's an adult novel, but mature teens would enjoy this one too.
The audio was excellently narrated by Rebecca Soler and Henry Leyva. They both were easy to listen to, not overdoing the inflections, but adding enough to distinguish the characters and emotions.
Published by Center Street and Hachette Audio, 2011
Copy obtained from the library
368 pages
Rating: 4/5
The idea of 2 readers is interesting. I keep saying I want to try a TedD book but haven't decided what to start with. Any recommendations?
ReplyDeleteOoh this sounds pretty interesting! I don't think I've heard of it before. I love complex plots that are original so I'll be keeping an eye for this one. Great review Annette!
ReplyDelete