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Ravens

3.04 of 5 stars 3.04 · rating details · 943 ratings · 231 reviews

The Boatwrights just won 318 million dollars in the GeorgiaState lottery. It's going to be the worst day of their lives.

When Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko pull up at a convenience store off I-95 in Georgia, their only thought is to fix a leaky tire and be on their way again to Florida-away from their dull Ohio tech-support jobs. But this happens to be the store from which...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published July 15th 2009 by Grand Central Publishing (first published 2009)

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May 07, 2010 karen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: littry-fiction

look, i can only suspend my disbelief so far, and for so long. i know someone who watches movies very vocally; giving suggestions to the actors, scoffing and second-guessing the screenwriters. and it always pisses me off. but i found myself doing that for this book like crazy. i was just stunned by the characters' short-sightedness:

so you win the lottery, big time, and this makes you a target for a couple of jokers who want half of your 318 million. so, they trick you into letting them in, and o...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Daryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the third novel I've read by George Dawes Green, and all three have rated five stars. That says something about this author. In Ravens, a southern family wins $318 million in the lottery, but before they can even come forward to claim their prize, a con man named Shaw McBride worms his way into their lives, claiming half the prize, and threatening to have their relatives and friends killed if they don't go along with him. It's a fascinating look at the psychology of these folks, as they...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Sheila DeChantal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shaw McBride was sick and tired of his luck. Shoot, if he had any luck at all, it was all bad. Taking off on a road trip to Florida with his buddy Romeo Zderko, he thought things could really only get better. Then sure enough... as they passed through a small town in Georgia they had to stop to fix a leaky tire.

Just like Shaw thought... no luck at all but bad...

But when Shaw enters the gas station he overheard the lady behind the counter talking excitedly on the phone...

"Yes! The 318 million dol...more

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May 25, 2012 Ian Mapp rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think this may have been written by George Dawes offa Shooting Stars. A man in a babysuit having a go at fiction.

I admit, I was seduced by the cover of this book in the library. It was there on a shelf, complete with text from various newspaper reviews, "Loved by reading groups across the land" and a great big sticker that said "I could have my money back if I didn't love it..... terms and conditions apply".

Suspicioulsy, there was no detail on what the story was about or about the author.

So I...more

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May 28, 2011 Elizabeth Quinn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In 1993 George Dawes Green published a fabulous first novel -- The Caveman's Valentine. The protagonist was a homeless and mentally-ill Julliard graduate who lived in a cave in a Manhattan park, and the mystery that unfolded in the novel was definitely not a run-of-the-mill whodunit. Caveman was an exciting and highly original debut. Green followed it with The Juror, a well-written thriller that lacked the Caveman's striking originality. Dawe's latest novel, Ravens, is also well-written but lack...more In 1993 George Dawes Green published a fabulous first novel -- The Caveman's Valentine. The protagonist was a homeless and mentally-ill Julliard graduate who lived in a cave in a Manhattan park, and the mystery that unfolded in the novel was definitely not a run-of-the-mill whodunit. Caveman was an exciting and highly original debut. Green followed it with The Juror, a well-written thriller that lacked the Caveman's striking originality. Dawe's latest novel, Ravens, is also well-written but lacking in originality as promised in his first outing. More importantly, Ravens' story covers ground quite similar to that trod by another truly original writer, Carl Hiaasen, and Dawes' novel falls short of the darkly wonderful masterpieces of satire that Hiaasen has produced.

Ravens is a modern gothic set in the south of Bible churches and rote religion, strip malls and fleabag motels, struggling small businessmen and grifters passing through on their way to Florida. The story centers on the Boatwright family, which has just won a $318 million jackpot in the Georgia State Lottery, and two losers from Ohio, Shay and Romeo, who decide to extort half the money by promising to kill the winners' family and close friends if grifters don't get the dough. Dawes sketches in a large cast of characters -- the earnest breadwinner, the bored wife with a drinking problem, the bright daughter looking for a way out, the bumbling and forlorn cop nursing a 40-year crush, the free-spirited widow with a poker jones, the chip-on-their-shoulders grifters hoping for one big score -- and a plot that takes an unexpected turn into a weird religious revival as the Boatwrights and their tormentors wait for their payday. The novel is well-written, the story moves briskly, and the end result is an enjoyable read. But nothing about Ravens lingers in the reader's mind after the book is closed -- there is no character so memorable, no plot element so original, and no insight so unforgettable that the novel takes up a permanent place in the reader's mental architecture. That's exactly what we expect and often get from Hiaasen, the master of modern southern gothic who created the ex-governor turned Everglades hermit Skink. Dawes did it once with his Caveman, Romulus Ledbetter, and like many fans of that first novel, I eagerly await the day that he does it again.

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May 08, 2011 James Fallon rated it 3 of 5 stars

A well written book.

Although the book and story is quiet enjoyable,i personaly was't able to fully submerse myself into it.It just had't got that "can't put it down" quality to it.
It stars a family who just won the mega lotto and things take a turn for the worst for them.We see how there lives are affected and the relatationships between the family and there captures after the win.

And it does make for some very good reading and suspence i can say,but its not quiet the story i would go for.But th...more

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Sep 19, 2009 Katrina rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book I have read by George Dawes Green and boy, am I glad I was introduced to his works. In Ravens two grifters on their way to Florida, when stopping at a convince store, find out that a local family has just won 380 million dollars in the state Jackpot. Shaw, one of the grifters, decides that he and his friend are going to get in on the money. They find the family and place pressures on them to obtain 1/2 of their winnings. The way they maintain their hold upon the family is...more

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Sep 17, 2009 Kim V added it

Winning the mega-million jackpot lottery is for most people a far fetched dream. It is fun, however, to daydream about how one would spend the money. Winning the jackpot can also be a winners' worst nightmare. Still I can't recall a family that was subjected to a more terrorizing experience than the Boatwrights in George Dawes Green's Ravens.

If you don’t accept the existence of the Stockholm Syndrome then you will probably be incredulous of the behavior of the Boatwright family in Ravens. Objec...more

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Sep 01, 2009 Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: thrillers

Green, George Dawes. RAVENS. (2009). ***. Shaw and Romeo are two disgruntled young men who work as IT providers in a small town in Ohio. They decide that they need a break, and take off on a road trip to what was to end up in Trinidad. When they reach Brunswick, GA, they learn that the super lottery has just been won with tickets purchased at a local C-Store. Shaw ultimately learns who the winners were and hatches a plan that will get him and his buddy out of the rut they have been in for years....more

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Jul 20, 2009 Bridget rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Boatwright's are struggling and mom's lottery habit isn't helping with tight funds. That is, until mommy wins $318 million dollars! All of a sudden the whole family is dreaming about how all of this money is going to change their lives. No more worrying about how to pay this bill and still have enough to pay this other bill. The whole family is ecstatic and cannot believe how blessed they are.

The next day their life has changed from a dream to a nightmare. Shaw has decided that he deserves...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Dean Tsang rated it 3 of 5 stars

So, what happens when you win the lottery? A psychopath comes over to steal your money, threatens all your friends and family... and completely wins you over!

Now, I like a good balance of power between good and evil; it adds intrigue to the story and makes things more intense. But when the bad guy practically wins the hearts of everyone in the town for 99% of the book, it gets really, really irritating. The worst example is Patsy, who (view spoiler)...more So, what happens when you win the lottery? A psychopath comes over to steal your money, threatens all your friends and family... and completely wins you over!

Now, I like a good balance of power between good and evil; it adds intrigue to the story and makes things more intense. But when the bad guy practically wins the hearts of everyone in the town for 99% of the book, it gets really, really irritating. The worst example is Patsy, who (view spoiler) Are people seriously that dim? The Boatwright family are incredibly weak-willed, and it really spoiled the book for me. They had personalities and were intriguing and well-developed in their own way, Green got the characterisation right. But after the introduction of Shaw, the plot slows down so much that if the character's weren't as interesting as they were, I would have probably put the book down and left it.

The religious undertones really didn't appeal to me at all, but I'm not going to use that against the rating, since the town was part of a bible belt, so it sort of made sense. Although the way Shaw (view spoiler) alone made me tempted to give it a lower rating than what I gave it, and the only reason I read on after the second half was to see if he would actually suffer. Unfortunately, the resolution of the plot takes far too long, and it seemed a bit rushed, personally.

I absolutely loved the narrative changes between characters, and it kept the text alive. Seeing a name in big letters telling me who would tell their story next kept me excited, because whenever I saw Clio, Burris or Mitch I knew stuff would go down. And speaking of Burris, his characterisation was brilliant. Sure, he was a bit stereotypical, but it was frighteningly easy to relate to him. Just read about his interaction with Nell, and you'll understand where I'm coming from.

In terms of narration, it was mediocre: Green's writing sometimes reminded me of my writing when I was 15, which was a terrible sign. There were practically zero notable similes, metaphors or other snippets of magic imagery (I'm unsure if Green even added any) and as a result I felt like the text was slightly mundane.

Green also occasionally muddled the 1st and 3rd person, and besides capturing fragments of what the characters thought, he did little else. I understand some people will say that the only thing you need from first person is the character's perspective, but novels such as Andrea Levy's Small Island and the Hunger Games series provide first person narratives which are brimming with depth and human thought processes; here we have an author awkwardly fitting into characters, and it doesn't quite clinch it for me.

Overall, the plot was alright, and the characters had a wonderful amount of depth. However, the resolution was incredibly abrupt, and until then you're faced with perhaps the most one-sided battle you'll see in a long while. It was a page turner at some points though, and that combined with the characters and the complexity of the plot is enough for this novel to literally skid on the three-star mark.(less)

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Sep 10, 2009 Terra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ravens by George Dawes Green has a well written smooth storyline that is worth enjoying. Even though this book wasn't really my cup of tea I have to say that because of the the time the author has given the storyline, the details of characters and places as well as the sights, smells and touches, the story did take on life for me and keep me interested enough to find out what the ending would hold.

This is a story of what could possibly happen if you were all of a sudden to hit the largest lotter...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Emma rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookcase-1, read-in-2013

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I don't often completely dislike a book. This book tested my resolution to always finish a book and make my mind up based on the full story rather than just the first half.

There were many things that drove me up the wall when reading this book...

1) The characters: I found that the characters were more like different facets of the same person and their overall personalities were flat and indistinct. I didn't like any of them at all and everyone seemed to be utterly...more THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I don't often completely dislike a book. This book tested my resolution to always finish a book and make my mind up based on the full story rather than just the first half.

There were many things that drove me up the wall when reading this book...

1) The characters: I found that the characters were more like different facets of the same person and their overall personalities were flat and indistinct. I didn't like any of them at all and everyone seemed to be utterly depressed or completely downtrodden. If American teenagers are truly like Clio and Tara then let's just say that we're in trouble. Romeo was the only semi-likable character but that was spoiled by the fact that most of the time he was doing things that completely conflicted with his character as a young man who was willing to care for an old dying man and bury a furry piece of roadkill. And let's not even talk about Mitch's POV at the Press Conference.

2) Romeo's motives: For a while I couldn't understand why Romeo decided to go along with Shaw's completely criminal and ridiculous plan. Apart from being bored by his job there seemed to be very little reason for him to agree to extortion, threats and murder. Then we started to hear more about his past with Shaw and from that point on I was waiting for that scene where Shaw has saved Romeo's life at some point or they've been through hell and back together, which would have strengthened their bond and perhaps induced Romeo to stray into something as mad as this just to help his friend. It never came. Apart from a park scrap and one night watching the stars there was nothing in Romeo and Shaw's relationship to convince me that there was any reason at all for Romeo to keep making his circuit around town. Why didn't he just drive away?!

3) The flaws in Shaw's plan: There were at least four clear opportunities that I saw for the family to get out of their situation with the Press Conference being the most glaringly obvious. But oh no. Romeo was 10 paces away from granny in the middle of a crowded place full of police and cameras so they couldn't possibly get out of it then. Shaw took Dad out in the car and everyone else at home just sat there. Why did nobody think to hand a note to the soldier or a reporter? Romeo and Shaw only bugged the laptops about three days into their little experiment despite the fact that they made a living using computers!

4) No tension: Never once did I feel tension or care whether the family were in danger. I never felt that they were truly endangered because Shaw never followed through and Romeo wasn't going to kill anyone. The thing with Clio was just downright stupid.

I just wanted to get to the end of this book. I found myself wishing that Romeo would just go home or that Tara would clout Shaw over the head with a TV or something and be done with it. I'm now going to take it to a charity shop in the hope that someone else will get more out of it than I did. I just can't fathom where those positive reviews on the front came from. I suppose I should have known to be wary of any book that needs a sticker promising a refund to convince people to take the plunge. This book wasn't a thriller. It was a pedestrian stroll through a clearly constructed world that led me to wonder why the author bothered to write the book in the first place.

Perhaps this style of writing just isn't for me but the lack of coherence and plausibility made this book extremely trying to read.

tl;dr My reaction to the book was largely WTH/WTF and aaaaaaaaaaaarrrggggggggggggghhhhh when will this end?!
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Aug 18, 2009 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novel of two men on the fringes of society who hold hostage a family that has just won $18 million in the lottery. Wonderful premise, slowly increasing tension, nicely developed characters whose motivations--even the seedy ones or maybe especially the seedy ones--are painfully understandable. As Shaw, the more silver-tongued of the two criminals, bathes in the spotlight of his fame (the family believes his partner will murder people they love if they don't go along with the lie th...more

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May 20, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

At first, I was very frustrated with the family in this book. I hated that they were so submissive, and that they wouldn't fight. I know that my family would fight. We wouldn't put my siblings in danger, but I don't think my mom and dad and brother and sister would have put up with Shaw and Romeo. I put this book down once, and wasn't sure I would pick it back up. It was enjoyable to read, but the family's predicament was draining me. The writing was good. The syntax "Said Tara" threw me a littl...more

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May 08, 2011 Virginia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Can you like a book and hate it at the same time? This book is a quick read and I really liked the characters. But, come on, why didn't they try to escape the grips of Shaw? I've read that it is about Stockholm Syndrome, where you identify with your captures, but if that is the premise it wasn't developed well . . . I had to read a review to figure it out. And does Stockholm Syndrome happen over night like in this book? I liked the whole idea, but so much of the plot is unbelievable. For example...more

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Jul 01, 2010 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What would you do if someone told you that if you didn't follow every single thing they told you to do that they would start killing the people you love, one by one? That you, and you alone, would have their blood on your hands? And then that person took steps to PROVE that the threats were real?

That's what I kept thinking of when listening to this book on tape. There's been criticism lobbed because ostensibly, the multimillion-dollar-lottery-winning family taken hostage by a grifter had several...more

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Jul 22, 2009 Hilarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Living in Iowa has been an education in the lottery. The lottery is a big deal in our state, and each day I drive by a sign that shows the current jackpot. Personally, I have no interest in purchasing my own lottery tickets, but sometimes just for fun, my husband and I fantasize what we would do with the money. At the very least, it is certain that our lives would change.

Ravens is the story of the Boatwright family, residents of a small Georgia town, who have been teetering on the brink of finan...more Living in Iowa has been an education in the lottery. The lottery is a big deal in our state, and each day I drive by a sign that shows the current jackpot. Personally, I have no interest in purchasing my own lottery tickets, but sometimes just for fun, my husband and I fantasize what we would do with the money. At the very least, it is certain that our lives would change.

Ravens is the story of the Boatwright family, residents of a small Georgia town, who have been teetering on the brink of financial disaster. Then one Wednesday night, as Patsy Boatwright engages in her weekly ritual of fortifying herself with alcohol while she watches the lottery results on tv, the Boatwright's ship comes in. The Boatwright family are the sole winners of a $318 million jackpot. Meanwhile, Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko, two young men looking for an easy escape from their dead end jobs, are passing through town. Fate intervenes, and Shaw overhears about the Boatwright's amazing good fortune and he decides that he wants a piece of it for himself; half to be exact. Shaw, with the assistance of his doggedly loyal companion Romeo, embarks on a plan to force the Boatwright's to share their winnings. What follows is a story full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Ravens is an exciting read from beginning to end, but it is much more of a psychological thriller than a blood and guts page turner. The book features some great characters, most of whom are nicely developed. I especially found the characters of Shaw and Romeo to be very interesting. Shaw, who is a master of manipulation more than anything else, even seems to believe his own lies after a while, and he craves not only the cooperation, but the devotion of his intended victims. In contrast, Romeo is a villain who I almost found myself feeling sorry for as sometimes he seemed almost a victim himself. I also have to mention Tara Boatwright, who initially I was sure was going to be just another token female victim, but developed into so much more through the course of the book.

This is a great read, with interesting characters, and a pretty original premise. This is definitely a book that will keep your interest, as well as make you think.
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Sep 10, 2010 Bibliophile rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, fiction, mystery-and-suspense

George Dawes Green's Ravens has a fascinating premise: the Boatwright family wins $318 million in the Georgia state lottery only to be stalked by two grifters, Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko, who happen to be passing through town and seize the opportunity to be rich beyond their wildest dreams.

Unfortunately, the rest of the novel just never quite lives up to the promise of the opening chapters. I never really got a handle on either Shaw or Romeo's motives (and I couldn't quite believe the bond b...more

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Oct 24, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Two ne'er do wells happen to be passing through town where a family has just won the lottery. Shaw, one of the two deadbeats, decides to coerce the family into giving him half the lottery. He does so by threatening to kill other family members and friends. His cohort Romeo continually circles the town where the family and friends live while Shaw moves in with the family.
As time progresses the majority of the family falls in thrall to and begins to identify with Shaw. Shaw also begins to assume a...more

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May 02, 2013 Tema rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ravens is like no other book that I've read before. Rather than being story driven, Ravens is what I would consider an intriguing psychological study of its characters. Not what I was expecting. The novel focuses on exploring the psychological impact that Shaw's scheme has particularly on him, Romeo and the Boatwrights. Green executes this commendably. As a result, I became quite invested in some of the characters. I can see why people have divided opinions on the book. I admit at some point it...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Shonna Froebel rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a suspenseful ride into the world of a sociopath. When Shaw McBride and his friend Romeo Zderko stop for a rest at a convenience store of I-95 in Georgia, they get sidetracked into a world that is a strange one indeed. Shaw overhears the news that a local family has a winning lottery ticket (for a multimillion dollar jackpot) and works out a plan to get some of the money.
Shaw visits the Boatwright family that night and takes the family hostage, while Romeo acts as the threat against othe...more

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Sep 21, 2011 P J rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

The Atlantic is wider than we think. Over there are communities so remote culturally from us Europeans that they might as well be in remotest Taliban-controlled parts of Afghanistan. If I was in A & E somewhere where the nurse said “The spirit of the Lord is upon you” and the receptionist said “Amen”, I would hobble, trailing blood, into the street in search of a taxi to a saner world. Not so apparently in Georgia USA where generations of teenagers go to bible studies and everything is the w...more The Atlantic is wider than we think. Over there are communities so remote culturally from us Europeans that they might as well be in remotest Taliban-controlled parts of Afghanistan. If I was in A & E somewhere where the nurse said “The spirit of the Lord is upon you” and the receptionist said “Amen”, I would hobble, trailing blood, into the street in search of a taxi to a saner world. Not so apparently in Georgia USA where generations of teenagers go to bible studies and everything is the will of the Lord; a concept no less alien to most Europeans than if they said “Insallah”.
At least this is the inference I drew from reading George Dawes Green’s ‘Ravens’. Although there is quite an interesting plot here it gets drowned beneath the even more interesting portrayal of the peculiarities of an essentially deterministic culture which believes that humans are manipulated for some unfathomable reason by an apparently entirely capricious deity. Is Green being ironic? Is what happens a condign judgement upon a wilfully gullible family? Are there really parts of the States where the response to any event is always “it’s the will of the Lord”? Where a teenage girl, the heroine of the tale no less, has on her FaceBook page a list of things she loves which runs – ‘John Christopher Depp jnr; Nell [grandmother]; Biking to the Beach; Our Lord!; Mom and Dad and Jase [little brother]’? Is the Stockholm syndrome exhibited by the family in any way engendered or abetted by their religion? Is there sheep-like acceptance of what befalls a consequence of their faith in the shepherd? Is this, in other words, intelligent design or random evolution?
There are designedly humorous bits – I did like the northern missionary to Georgia (no explanation of why though) who becomes a pole dancer – but on the whole I was constantly irritated by the religious faith of the Boatswain family, hardly wavering despite their own sins and the manipulation of the malign, disturbed outsiders Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko.
The label on the book said – ‘If you don’t love this book, we’ll give you your money back’. Mmm… I won’t bother to claim it. It’s not a bad plot. I just don’t know if my constant distraction by the weird cultural setting was something that the author intended. Is this constant religious undercurrent now such a normal thing in the States that over there, beyond the Atlantic, it would pass without comment or notice? If so, God help them.
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Feb 16, 2010 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm addicted to crime novels with quirky , low life characters with unusual plots. That's why Elmore Leonard is one of my favorite writers. George Dawes Green enters into his league of writers with "Ravens". This is a black humor, twisty story about two characters who are driving through Georgia to escape their dead end jobs in Ohio and stumble into to a scam plot to extort half of the winnings from a family who just won the $318 Milion Mega-jackpot.
Shaw, the smarter of the two, weasles his way...more

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Mar 14, 2011 John rated it 2 of 5 stars

A Nawth Carolina family, the Boatwrights, who win a huge jackpot in the lottery are descended upon by an opportunistic psychopath, Shaw, and his increasingly reluctant sidekick who terrorize the Boatwrights into splitting the winnings with them; more than that,the Boatwrights must publicly declare how much they love Shaw and regard him as almost one of the family. The public of course swallows tis wholesale, and a cult builds up around Shaw; worse still, the Boatwrights, with the exception of te...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Stoic rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who buy lottery tickets

Shelves: audiobook, crime

I had high hopes for this one. There's a lot of suspense generated early on, and definitely some interesting characters, but my interest waned as the story went along. Not to give anything away, but the villains (Shaw and Romeo) and the victims (The Boatwright family) spend most of the narrative together. Stockholm syndrome appears to have an unbelievably quick onset. I liked all the strange Southern-isms, however, and enjoyed, at least at first, Shaw's dark, poetic ramblings.

Bonus points for t...more

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Jul 19, 2009 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 50-in-2009

Ravens is an exciting, quick read, the story of a lotto-winning family and two scammers who decide they want a cut. I finished it in a few hours, caught in the suspense of whether the Boatwrights or Shaw & Romeo would win. Toward the end it was hard for me to decide who I was cheering for.

I found it disturbing but interesting the way Shaw got his information. A little MySpace, some Google, and bam- an easy scam. It makes me wonder how easily I could be extorted based on random bits about me...more

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Jul 26, 2009 Christine (booktumbling) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I want to win the lottery. I truly do. I have seen programs and read stories about how coming upon sudden riches has ruined ordinary folks lives but I know I would be different (okay, I hope). George Dawes Green introduces a compelling reason not to purchase that golden ticket.

The Boatwright’s are a living paycheck-to-paycheck existence in stagnate Brunswick, Georgia. Mitch, the father, is a devoted elder of his church and Patsy (mom) is a gin-drinking lottery fanatic devoted to the television e...more I want to win the lottery. I truly do. I have seen programs and read stories about how coming upon sudden riches has ruined ordinary folks lives but I know I would be different (okay, I hope). George Dawes Green introduces a compelling reason not to purchase that golden ticket.

The Boatwright’s are a living paycheck-to-paycheck existence in stagnate Brunswick, Georgia. Mitch, the father, is a devoted elder of his church and Patsy (mom) is a gin-drinking lottery fanatic devoted to the television every Wednesday evening (”[W:]inning the jackpot means you get everything; love, riches, dreams, forgiveness, sky, ocean, shoes, power . . . everything, nothing denied.”) Their daughter, Tara, has a rebellious streak but is essentially the foundation of the family and little brother Jase is spoiled by his mother’s favoritism. Grandmother Nell is a loud, poker playing escape for Tara. Finally, Patsy’s lottery obsession comes to fruition and the family finds themselves with an extra $318 million dollars.

Enter Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko, life-long friends escaping their techie existence with the goal of being hired on fishing boats in Florida, sailing to Trinidad and finally living life. When the friends stop in the Brunswick gas station that sold the winning ticket, some computer research and small town gossip lead Shaw to discover not only who won but the locations of their close family and friends. The plan, threaten to kill the family’s loved ones if they do not share the winnings.

This is the start of a great psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages. Strangely, I did not feel close to any of the characters. Green exposes all of their flaws in the raw. Obviously, Shaw is a psychopath who not only threatens the family but forces them to publicly introduce him as their friend with whom they will be splitting the money during the televised handing over of the check. He gathers a far reaching flock of loyal followers by proclaiming the prize is a gift from God and he will be giving away his part for the greater good. Romeo is a blind follower of Shaw and is circling the town, day after day, keeping tabs on the targets desperately trying to hate those he may have to kill. The Boatwright’s themselves struggle with hating Shaw yet at the same time, being drawn and even admiring him. Tara finds herself flirting and trying to take Shaw’s attention away from her mother. They are hostages out in the open with a personable captor who is loved by the community and his invisible side-kick.

This book was not your typical hostage thriller. It is driven by relationships and internal struggles including the family’s struggle and Shaw’s abuse of religious devotion. I had read Green’s previous thriller, The Juror a long time ago. I do remember enjoying it. I may have to pick it up again.

Recommend? Yes!!! Fans of thrillers and suspense novels should love this book.(less)

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Aug 02, 2010 Rachel Berman rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ravens is a great idea for a book. Two guys, Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko, who are down on their luck decide to terrorize the Boatwright family until they split their lottery winnings - $318 million. They hold them hostage and make sure they know that they're ready to kill their loved ones if the Boatwrights try to escape or call the police.

Ok, that's a great plot line. But you end up finishing the book feeling like nothing really happened. Everything said on the back of the book happens, don'

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Apr 06, 2010 Beata Bowen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fiction

I usually enjoy thrillers. This one, however, made me feel frustrated. The one character (Tara) that starts out as the promising female lead, never gets fully developed. Instead, we're constantly in the company of some mentally disturbed outcasts and religious fanatics.

And what's with the use of question marks? That really bothered me? Because although our new colloquial English is often characterized with each sentence ending with a question mark? It usually is used by teenage girls? Or young...more

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About George Dawes Green

George Dawes Green is a highly acclaimed novelist and poet. He currently divides his time between Georgia and New York.

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