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What Members Thought

3.5 stars. I now understand why so many people have trouble reviewing this book. It was quite a ride, and if I had it to do over again, I would still read it, but I didn't realize just how dark it would become. I'm going to boil this down to a pros and cons list:
PROS
1. The writing is very good. At times it is quite beautiful. Lots of imagery here, so if you like that, great.
2. The characters are very real. I found that the reporter's supporting cast was much more fleshed-out than he was, and I ...more
PROS
1. The writing is very good. At times it is quite beautiful. Lots of imagery here, so if you like that, great.
2. The characters are very real. I found that the reporter's supporting cast was much more fleshed-out than he was, and I ...more

One of the best books I have read in the last years! Thrilling, suspenseful and so much more! I liked the unknown and the mysterious. It was really catching and I was so involved in all the Cordova secret. Wow! Marisha Pessl needs to write more books!! Please!!

Completely loved it. I had held off, despite loving Special Topics, because of some of the reviews I read when it was first published. But two friends read it and loved it and I'm so glad I changed my mind. Yes, she italicizes a lot, some things are overly explained, and it may go on a little longer than necessary but it is such a fully imagined and inhabited story, it is completely worth reading (and treasuring). I loved it.
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I don't ordinarily care for horror as slash-'em-up violence is not my thing, but Pessl manages to bring out the sort that I find compelling - giving fright through suspense and the unknown rather than raw violence. It took me some time to realize that there's very little blood here, and what there is generally takes place out of sight. That constraint plays well with how Pessl presents Cordova and his work, and it ultimately makes the whole thing work for me. Yes, to a large extent the plot is n
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May 25, 2013
Kay Green
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
entwkly,
set-in-nyc
I had to give this 5 stars for the uniqueness of the book and the amount of enjoyment I got in reading it. Lots of intrigue, well written chapters with clues unfolding, and then a really clever and surprising ending that kept me reading. It is a challenge because it is 624 pages but honestly it never dragged and I loved the main characters. As an audio it was narrated as a film noir - loved the narrators voice and of course loved all the NYC locations. I really look for books that are not like o
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Aug 25, 2013
Tracyene
marked it as to-read

Aug 28, 2013
Gaijinmama
marked it as to-read

Sep 23, 2013
MichelleCH
marked it as to-read

Dec 13, 2013
Susan
marked it as to-read

Oct 07, 2014
Juliane
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
status-own-but-not-read

Nov 14, 2014
Terri
marked it as own

Sep 17, 2016
Stacy
marked it as to-read

Jan 01, 2017
Kara
marked it as to-read

Jan 01, 2017
Katie
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mysteries-sci-fi-fantasy,
library