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Jun 28, 2011

Rebekah rated it:

This is an absolutely beautiful book. Technically a thriller, Mandel’s novel defies simple categorization. The story is complicated; the characters are nuanced. It’s part travel novel, part mystery, part post-9/11 social commentary. Can you tell? I loved it.

The Singer’s Gun begins with Anton Waker missing and an investigator trying to follow any lead possible to track him down. After all, he’s a criminal. However, when the reader meets Waker, he doesn’t seem like a criminal at all More...

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Jul 30, 2010

Literary Feline rated it:

I first was introduced to Emily St. John Mandel's writing in Last Night in Montreal, which nearly knocked my socks off. The writing was superb and the story was intriguing. Even so, I was not sure what to expect with her latest, The Singer's Gun. I was eager to give it a try though. Like with her first book, I hesitate to describe it (which is why you are presented with the publisher blurb above). There is so much to The Singer's Gun. On the surface it sounds like a crime fiction novel, but it r More...

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Jun 05, 2010

Micheal rated it:

When I first read Last Night in Montreal I said to myself this (and books like this) is why I became a bookseller in the first place. Well, after having finished The Singer's Gun I have to say it again. When one finds a new author who writes a book you lose yourself in and follows it up with something as good or better, well, this makes life worth living.

Begining in a beaucratic hell worthy of Kafka, its turns into something wholely unexpected and surprising. To speak of the plot, I More...

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May 06, 2010

Manda rated it:

In Emily St. John Mandel's new book, The Singer's Gun, Anton Waker has found himself in trouble, without a possible way out. Anton thought he was finally done with the business of illegal dealings and shady transactions, but when his cousin comes to him with one more job, and the blackmail to force his hand, Anton finds himself once again in over his head. Anton's carefully constructed life hangs on the edge and things take an unexpected turn, he's forced to choose between a life that he made More...

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Apr 05, 2010

Alice rated it:

In the middle of this wild story of identity fraud and international crime is a weak-kneed young man whose strongest commitment seems to be to his cat. Anton wants to take the high road ethically and distance himself from his parents' shady business (selling stolen goods), but he can only do so when he steals someone else's identity. He wants nothing more than to work in an office, get married and live a normal life, but his fiancee cancels the wedding twice, a government agent finds out about h More...

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Mar 26, 2010

Chelsea rated it:

I enjoyed Mandel's first book, reviewed here, and her second book provides another great read.

Anton Waker is at a crossroads in his life. Until recently, his existence was largely based on participating in the shady dealings of the family business. Now he wants to clean up his morals and get out, but not before his cousin Aria demands he run one last job for her. Torn between thoughts of his affair with his co-worker and his indifferent bride to be, Anton agrees and heads towards eve More...

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Aug 01, 2010

Edan rated it:

I really enjoyed this book! The prose is slick and clear as glass, and I loved the non-linear, mosaic-like structure, and the way Mandel presented a character's memories with a simple phrase, word or name, followed by a colon, and then a description of such phrase, word or person. It was so elegant, even sexy. Lots of sexiness in this book, guys: naked girls, singers with guns, recording devices, criminal families, Italian islands and payphones, cats eating tuna in airport bathrooms...

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2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 10, 2012

Jennifer rated it:

This is a part of the full review I published on my blog.[return][return]An extremely moving novel that delves into the grey areas that makes up every day life. Through the expertly drafted prose, each character springs to life, from each member of the Walker family, to the mysterious Elena and the ever-persistent Alexandra Broden. For fear of giving any of the plot away, I will say that each character must look into the grey areas of life, to determine what is good, what is worth fighting for a More...

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Mar 15, 2010

J.A. rated it:

Choosing a book to read is like picking out the holy grail. Sure you can drink from any of the vessels in the sanctuary, but pick the showy ostentatious number completely devoid of substance and you could end up a dessicated husk of a human being, your life literally siphoned away. Choose wisely, as the knight tells Indiana Jones, and it will grant you healing and restoration. You may even find illumination, like Indy’s father. Just pay heed to the guardian when he tells you not to take it from More...

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Nov 26, 2011

Toni rated it:

I became a fan of Ms. Mandel when I stumbled on her debut novel "Last Night in Montreal". Her second novel is totally different and proved to be just as enjoyable. This time, I was treated to a sophisticated cocktail filled with flashbacks and flash forwards mixed into a fiery mystery of suspense, international intrigue, a tale of family loyalties and the price one pays to obtain independence.

The story concerns the conflicting and intersecting interests of Anton Waker, his e More...

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May 18, 2010

Kari rated it:

Anton Waker has always been surrounded by shady business. He grew up with parents that made a living off selling stolen goods; his cousin Aria trained him to shoplift at an early age; and eventually, Aria led Anton down his own path of illegal business—selling fake passports and social security cards. They've forged a successful business—and Anton calls it the easier job he's ever had—but for the past several years, Anton has distanced himself from the illegal business market and built one he do More...

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Jan 12, 2011

Carol rated it:

I needed to sleep on this one before commenting. When I read the very first review of The Singer’s Gun, I knew it was a book I wanted to read. Words like half truths, exploration of moral compass, suspenseful, were enough to add this to my TBR pile. Then The Singer’s Gun started showing up on some Best of 2010 lists and I knew I had to move it up on my list.

The Singer’s Gun was not quite what I was expecting. It is not a crime novel in the usual sense. Rather than sum up the plot let m More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 02, 2010

Patrick rated it:

I didn't think it was possible for Mandel to best her dizzyingly great debut novel, but this account of a family caught up in a dirty business is superb. Again, she excels at structure and pacing, moving forward and back in time seamlessly. Highly recommended for fans of the second season of The Wire.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 05, 2010

Amy rated it:

“Sometimes regular channels aren’t open to you, and then you have to improvise. Find your own way out. Think about it, Anton. What does it take to succeed in this world?”

“It’s never easy. You have to be creative sometimes. You have to make things happen for yourself.”

What does it mean to be a good person? Can you justify a tiny bit of crime, maybe by simply looking the other way, if your intent is good? Are you saving the world if you ignoring your own c More...

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Sep 16, 2011

McLean&Eakin rated it:

The way that Emily weaves this story is amazing! You feel as if you are living each character as the chapters unfold

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 28, 2010

Irene rated it:

This is a read for a book club. The more I think about it, the more divided my reaction, a sure promise of a lively discussion. The book examines illegal immigration from the point of view of a man whose family profits by selling fake social security numbers and passports to desperate foreigners. Anton's job is to deliver the packages and accept payment from the illegal recipients. Because Anton wants to get out of the business, we're supposed to like him. Further, he has sympathetic feelings fo More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 09, 2010

Jennifer rated it:

Part of the full review that I published on my blog.

An extremely moving novel that delves into the grey areas that makes up every day life. Through the expertly drafted prose, each character springs to life, from each member of the Walker family, to the mysterious Elena and the ever-persistent Alexandra Broden. For fear of giving any of the plot away, I will say that each character must look into the grey areas of life, to determine what is good, what is worth fighting for and to kno More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 23, 2010

Girls Gone Reading rated it:

We are told early on in The Singer’s Gun that everything is holy. Anton’s mother told him that, “God is the universe,” and from then on Anton looked at the trees, the stars, the train stations all as holy places of creation. Emily St. John Mandel is such a phenomenal writer that I started to see everything in her novel as holy as well.

The Singer’s Gun is book that only could have been written now, after 9/11, after the war on terror, after the breaches by our government in order to kee More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 27, 2010

Kristin rated it:

In The Singer’s Gun by Emily St. John Mandel, author of Last Night in Montreal, family is the center of Anton Waker’s existence. In this suspenseful mystery, he is continually challenged by his familial ties until he has to make a choice: his life or another’s. This engaging novel will have your head spinning with the many twists and backstabbing turns it takes until leaving you with a hopeful feeling along with the possibility of a sequel. Will Anton leave his lawbreaking life behind and start More...

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Nov 27, 2011

Dan rated it:

I picked up this book because I had heard some very good things and the comparisons that have been made to the second season of The Wire, an underrated season in my opinion. I'm glad I did. The comparisons with the docks from The Wire are quite obvious once you read the term "shipping container."

The Singer's Gun is a very good book, a mystery that is structured perfectly as it weaves moments from the past and present together. It brings up a lot of things about the issue More...

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Oct 04, 2010

Meave rated it:

That was squandered potential.

It could've been much better, but it felt like every plot outside the main story was tacked-on and ridiculous. Why did we ever need narration from the Secret Service agent's point of view? Or Ilieva's? What on earth was even the point of the whole "girls in the carton" subplot, anyway? It didn't serve any purpose, it seemed to me, other than to further demonize Aria and make Anton seem guiltier by association.

I think the only compel More...

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Aug 09, 2010

Lindsay rated it:

You know, I get it. I can see the intrigue that so many people have had with this book. There are pages of reviews that are blaringly positive about The Singer’s Gun. I understand where they are all coming from. However, I personally was not completely drawn to the book. I will say that it would make for a great movie. The book does a lot of jumping from past to present and back again in an effort to help the reader to understand the exact “what happened” behind each event. I actually kind of li More...

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Aug 09, 2010

the little reader rated it:

the opening scene of The Singer’s Gun gives the definite feel of a suspense/thriller novel:

A man’s voice: It’s done. There is a sound on the tape here – the woman’s sharp intake of breath – but all she says in reply is Thank you. We’ll speak again soon. He disconnects and she hangs up three seconds later.

and with that, i was intrigued, but not sold. i felt like a fish watching a dangler, waiting to see if it looked fake or yummy. and whatever else i was searching for to hook me did More...

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Jul 06, 2010

Laura rated it:

The Singer's Gun was a 4.5 star book for me.

The story was a look at a young man's life, complicated because of the lies he and his family lived by. Secrets were uncovered, and new webs were woven by the people nearby to take their place.

There are aspects of a thriller, of good guys and bad guys and guns and pursuit. But even more than a thriller, this was a personal tale-- How does one person escape the web he was born into, particularly if he uses the tools of his up More...

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Sep 13, 2010

Terry rated it:

What if your family is made up of thieves--and you want to escape that life? Anton Waker has his quarter-life crisis in this compelling literary crime "thriller." His last assignment is the one that almost does him in--well, I just can't tell you anymore. Read if you enjoy philosophical musings, people who rely upon their intuition, and the thought of leaving it all behind. Dream-like, puzzling, and clever. I can't wait to read her 1st book: Last Night in Montreal.

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Sep 01, 2010

AZLB rated it:

I adore this author. After reading Last Night in Montreal. She was on my to-read list. Singer's Gun did not disappoint.

This book really sucks you in. It follows the story of 2 individuals, a man and a woman, that both have found their life on a different path than planned, or possibly wanted.

One with a job that he never really wanted but was found doing anyway. A job that is illegal and has it's consequences. This leads to a series of life decisions and events that he co More...

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Mar 01, 2010

Sue rated it:

I really like this author. She has a unique writing style with gorgeous descriptions & believeable characters & situations. The storyline is weird but told in a such a realistic way that its painful to keep reading sometimes. This is a mystery novel about a family that deals in stolen items, there's also false passport sales & human trafficing. Its a story about a marriage that shouldnt have happened, & a beautiful love affair, &, a beloved cat named Jim. I really liked this novel.

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Jun 24, 2010

Freda rated it:

This book took me right from the very beginning, on a mysterious adventure into a world of thievery, lies and fraud. I was captivated by Anton and his life, and though I should have disliked Aria, I really liked her character too.
This is one of those books you go around telling all your blogger buddies about... so listen up, I'm talking to you! Get the book, it's pretty exciting!
On my recommendation list too!
(4.5/5)

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Jan 30, 2012

Amy rated it:

I had read Last Night in Montreal last fall and although I liked it, I didn't quite like it as much some of the reviews I read (including Nancy Pearl on NPR). I saw The Singer's Gun yesterday in one of my favorite book stores, Changing Hands, and decided to give the author another try. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this book. It hooked me right away and kept me interested all the way through.

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Jun 12, 2011

Jenny rated it:

I stumbled across this one and grabbed it the first chance I could from the library. The elements of crime and intrigue drew me in, but I can't say they were strongly represented in the book. The crimes turn out to go mostly unpunished and the build up to the final few chapters was very long in coming. The reader is left to wonder at the navel-gazing of a guilt-ridden young man (Anton) who grew up with thieves as parents (but they turn out to be fairly normal and loving after all). Also in a More...

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