Featured Series Read: John Connolly - Charlie Parker Series

[Sumit]

Since a reasonable number of people have already read the primary read for September, we can pick this book as a larger 'buddy' read or an 'alternate' read for the month.

The blurb seems promising, and let's see what John Connolly has in store for us.

[Em Lost In Books]

I'm in for this one. :D

[Srividya]

What started of as a monthly read is now being transformed into a series read. For all of you who want to join us in this journey along with Charlie Parker, you can post your comments below.

Being a series read, make sure that you post the name of the book and then post your comment after that, so that all readers know which book you are talking about. Kindly make sure that all comments are within spoiler tags.

[Sumit]

Likewise :)

[Sumit]

Yoo hoo, anyone started with this?

[Srividya]

I have started and finished book 1. Very intriguing at least in the beginning but quite slow as well.. although I am liking it.

[Sumit]

Cool, I'm yet to begin. Having a bit of a slow reading week. :P

[Srividya]

Me too but managed to at least start this one!

[Akshay]

I'm about a 100 pages in. It's decent but hasn't gripped me so far.

[Srividya]

@Akshay - it is not like other crime books na? Doesn't grip you from the beginning but there is some aspect that makes you want to read further, if only to find out what happens next. It is intriguing in a very different way.

[Akshay]

Srividya wrote: "@Akshay - it is not like other crime books na? Doesn't grip you from the beginning but there is some aspect that makes you want to read further, if only to find out what happens next. It is intrigu..."


I was putting it mildly. I meant it hasn't engaged me yet, there is no impending sense of danger towards any of the characters. As far as the mystery aspect goes I'm finding it a bit average. Maybe my opinion will change after reading further.

[Srividya]

You haven't finished book 1 as yet right? It does get a little better later.. towards the end of book 1. However, I agree with you there is no immediate danger to anyone, which is what I meant when I said that it is unlike other crime mysteries/thrillers.. this one does not have a slew of crimes being committed and everyone racing to solve it, at least not in the beginning.. lets see what happens later..

[Akshay]

It would be interesting to see if and how the past and present events are related but the book does lacks tension up till now.

[Srividya]

True that.. It does lack tension and also pace to a great extent. You can actually leave the book and return to it later, unlike other books in this genre! That is really sad!

[Ahtims]

I didn't like it much. Have left it for the time being after 40 pages or so.

[Srividya]

Hi people.. who all have started and what is your opinion? Hows it going for you?

@Smitha - apparently the book picks up after a good 140 pages or so.. Am nearing that mark :P :)

[Srividya]

@Akshay - I have finished 50%. First part of the mystery solved. Have you reached that part? What did you think about it?

(view spoiler)[I felt it was too pat and not imaginative, although yeah it did have some twists and stuff but felt it was too sudden in nature. Parker almost stumbled upon things and did nothing really major in terms of detective work and this bugged me. I felt the author should have at least tried to give us an insight into Parker's thoughts rather than simply push him from one place to another and make us wonder why he was doing it in the first place (hide spoiler)] What do you feel?

(view spoiler)[On the other hand, the author's insights into the criminal mind and that of criminology as a whole is interesting. It was dragging in the beginning but the whole part where Wolrich talks about murderers etc was pretty intriguing (hide spoiler)] .. What do you think?

[Akshay]

Srividya wrote: "@Akshay - I have finished 50%. First part of the mystery solved. Have you reached that part? What did you think about it?

[spoilers removed] What do you feel?

[spoilers removed] .. What do you t..."


I'm about 70% done. After part 1 the book went into overdrive.

(view spoiler)[ This is common among psychological thrillers that they do not have explicit detective work but rather that the troubled protagonist tries to get into mind of the killer to predict his moves.
Although the seemingly supernatural visions might have been intended to show the mental state of Charlie Parker it comes across as contrived events to point him in the right direction.
It did bug me a bit but I'm enjoying it too much to nitpick.
(hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

@Akshay - Am at 70% now and I totally understand and agree with what you are saying.

(view spoiler)[Personally for me the first mystery was too pat and did not even have the psychological aspect that you mentioned. It was like stumbling more than getting into the mind of the criminal, although the author did give some insights into the criminal mind. However, again this was in relation to the Traveling Man case.

But the second case is mindblowing. The murders are gruesome, the insights are wonderful and the pace is excellent. I know it might sound crazy but its just my kind of story. I mean what's a murder thriller without gruesome murders right? :P.

Also, am loving the whole intrigue, superstition, voodoo (if I may call it that) and gangster routine in New Orleans. It is as if the setting is perfect and the story line is going smoothly. This makes me feel less nitpicky (as you rightly said) about the lacks in the earlier one. Now we are talking murder and psychological thriller. (hide spoiler)]

Hope to finish it by tonight. Are you done?

[Akshay]

@Srividya I'll try to finish it tonight.

(view spoiler)[You can almost taste the atmosphere. It is most important for me to get that atmospheric feel, something cold, forlorn, like this world is a sick hellish place and full of evil.

Light fluffy whodunits doesn't work for me anymore.
I know I'm one sick puppy :P (hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

@Akshay - I totally agree with you.. (view spoiler)[Even I like myself a dark and evil atmosphere and some really gruesome murders, else it doesn't work for me either. This one truly creates the perfect atmosphere and by setting it in New Orleans, I guess it was possible. Can't wait to see how it ends. Am totally excited now. And don't worry, me joining you in being a sick puppy :P (hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

And I finished :D :D :D

What an awesome book :)

@Akshay - hope you finish soon.

[Em Lost In Books]

Finished two chapters. Murders were gruesome but the explanation of murderer's mental state by Dr. Rachel was even more horrible.

[RachelvlehcaR]

I loved the Prologue. It reminded me of True Detectives, it's an HBO show with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Awesome show but that's how I felt. Also it had a feel of Hannibal, the NBC TV show in the United States--another awesome show.

It had that feel for a while then really went slow to the point that I stopped reading it for a few months (June is when I started reading it). I just picked it back up and I'm only 103 pages in. I'm just learning background stories and such right now.

I hope it picks up soon.

[Srividya]

@Rachel - the book does pick up later, say after 140 pages or so. However, you will have to grit your teeth and read the first part :)

[RachelvlehcaR]

Okay Sri, since I was getting the evil eye I will post the replies from my buddy read to here.

I love how violent the guys are the mobsters, I wrote them out on paper, chapter by chapter.

I love in chapter 6
(view spoiler)[the Spinning class. That was so funny because I totally get where Charlie and his buddies hate that. I've been to spinning class and you are not allowed to touch your bottom to that seat. It's one of hardest workouts I've done. I do like R.I.P.P.E.D. and normally did that after a hour of Zumba. So the spinning really made me laugh big time.

The entire gym reminded me of Pain and Gain. That was such a horrible movie that I loved it. Idiots!!! Steroid and no brains. (hide spoiler)]

In chapter 7,
(view spoiler)[when Charlie was searching Catherine's apartment and said, "then turned to examine the only item of a very personal nature in the drawer." He was a jerk for saying that because I thought it was some kind of girly toy thing ( you know that I mean -- the BOB kind ) ;) but it was a photo album! Touche Connolly Touche. He had me going. (hide spoiler)]

In chapter 10,
(view spoiler)[ Angel is an awesome friend for telling him, Charlie, about the hit on him. Very cool and I love that he is gay. Right on! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11,
(view spoiler)[Bobby Sciorra is the character that reminded me of Joe Pesci in Casino as Nicky Santoro. I love his style and the background on him. Nuts! He's totally nuts and I love him for it, especially how he climbed the family ladder. I also liked the story of Nicky. Head will roll, baby, Head will roll. Remind anyone of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs... off off off with your head, dance dance dance til your dead (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13,
(view spoiler)[I had to look up to see if Al Capone ate off gold plates. I didn't know that. I knew a lot of other odd facts about him but not that one. The guy that went bonkers from clap... what a way to go. Also, good job Charlie for listening to The Blue Nile, not many do listen to them. I adore them and so do the Scottish. (hide spoiler)]

Hoping this weekend I will be able to read more of it.

[RachelvlehcaR]

The major issue I had for the first 25% (103 pages) of the book is that at first it jumped around from times and places and characters and narrations that it was not as easy to follow at first. I was like who is this? So, that didn't make me a fan of it and why I wanted to stop reading this books for a while. I just kept going hoping that it would all make sense later, which I was able to know who is who after a while. I have to say that is very off putting in a book.

Also, it did seem very gripping yet. Sri you said get past 140. I will this weekend and I hope it really gets nice and messy, hopefully gory.

[Srividya]

@Rachel - Can I first just go YAYYYY, my evil eye worked? :P I sincerely hope it works on your buddy as well ;)

As for the book, I shall first reply to your second post and then go into all the spoilers.

I had the same issue with the book. It wasn't going anywhere for me. True it started with a really gruesome murder and I expected a lot after that but it simply fizzled out until it became a total mess of events, facts and narration that seemed to have no connection at all. However, it was with sheer grit that I persevered. It does make sense later but still the first part of the book falls flat.

Here is a spoiler that you may or may not want to read but it is a generic one concerning the book in general. Some might know it already but for others it could be a major spoiler. Read it only after you have read up to Chapter 30, in case you don't want to be influenced by spoilers or hate them completely. However, by that time, the spoiler won't be a spoiler for you ;)

(view spoiler)[There are two different mysteries combined in one book, so the first half deals with something completely different while the second part comes back to the original murders (hide spoiler)]

And as for the messy and gory part, oh yeah it gets messier and really gory as the book progresses but you might have to wait for a long time. Not trying to discourage you but the book does move in its own pace and style, which is completely different (at least for me it was different) but intriguing at the same time.

[Srividya]

Now for the first comment :

I loved 'em mobsters totally, if I can say that and get away with using that language and tone :D

I am reading a mobster book after such a long time that I really reveled in reading it, enjoying all the experiences. And it is good, albeit a little slow in parts.

Chapter 6 (view spoiler)[I was at a loss at understanding what Spinning was first as I have never done it or seen it being done, so had to Google it *ashamed look*. However, once I learnt it, i found it hilarious as well. And secondly, not being much of a gym person, I had to search and understand some of the terms but could understand the gist of it. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7 (view spoiler)[I totally get what you mean. I felt the same way and was like 'What the hell.. ????" and then he puts across something like that and I simply burst out laughing. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[Oh I love Angel and his partner Louis. They are such good friends of Parker and it shows more as the book progresses. And I simply loved the way the author has portrayed Angel and Louis, total badasses and yet so caring. Yay for the gay part, loved it (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11 (view spoiler)[The insights into the mob world were pretty spot on don't you think? And very illustrative in their descriptions. That's what kept me glued throughout the book. I felt that the author could create a scene and make it real. I don't know if you felt or will feel that way but to me the author managed to make those scenes come alive and the story believable. I have to cringe and say that I haven't seen Casino *sigh* Somehow my television has been taken over by a 7 year old and that means all the movie/series references are alien to me until such time that I can get back to that world (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13 (view spoiler)[I love that you are a treasury of facts and anecdotes. You add flavour to the discussion and I love it. Incidentally, I also listened to The Blue Nile after seeing it mentioned here. Wasn't aware of it either. Sheesh feels like I have been living under a rock all these years. (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to your reaction on the other chapters. :)

[RachelvlehcaR]

Sri, Yes, the evil eye worked. Drats! The evil eye. (Why must I always have to say it like Dr. Evil on Austin Powers?)

I've heard this book was incredibly weak in the beginning then picks up. I know it will get better but why start us off with an awesome graphic and wonderful murder that just rips that poor man (Charlie) apart then takes us nowhere afterwards. :( Not fair!

I will not read the spoiler yet, so thanks for the heads up. I'm looking forward to the messy and gory parts ahead.

[RachelvlehcaR]

Sri, in chapter 6,
(view spoiler)[ lol, I'm a gym person so I know all the classes. The spinning is pure hell. I sure wasn't going to be the only one parking my bum on the seat. Noppers, so I wanted to die. There are no big strong muscle bound men that take spinning, it's pure cardio. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7,
(view spoiler)[ Yeah, I was thinking it was the rabbit of item or something by hitchi. How he left us hanging like that for a moment. I was like oh man... Poor girl. Then again, the voyeuristic side of me was like, oh do tell. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10,
(view spoiler)[They are big muscle bound men in love. It's amazing, I didn't see it coming. Let alone, for a book written when it was (15 years ago). Huge! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11,
(view spoiler)[ Yeah, he did a good job on the mob. It's one of the few parts of the book, in the beginning, that kept me reading on. Casino is a great movie. I swear Sciorra and Santoro are one in the same. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13,
(view spoiler)[ Aww, thank you. I do like some Blue Nile, not as much as other music but they have some good hits and I enjoy them. Their most popular song is Tinseltown in the Rain. It's a total 80s band from Scotland. I know many Scotland bands. ;) (hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

@Rachel - Lol for Chapter 7 spoiler. I felt the same way and what a major let down it was :P


Side note: (view spoiler)[I have to start watching more movies and series, if only to broaden my area of knowledge.

And will check out that song.

Are you Scottish? That's one country that I truly want to visit along with Ireland. Have a huge fascination for these two countries. Hope I get to visit soon. (hide spoiler)]

Not really a spoiler was it?? :P

[Sumit]

I always find spoiler links very tempting, so I shall stay away from this discussion until I've completed the aforementioned chapters. :P

Must get that rump moving!

[Srividya]

Sumit wrote: "Must get that rump moving!"

Should I provide a kick to complement the earlier prod?? :P :P

[RachelvlehcaR]

Sri, You did give that kick for Sumit. HAHA. It's the temptation kind. One of the best kinds. That's great because I was thinking we might have to give him little rewards along the way for incentives. :)

On the side note:
(view spoiler)[ I'm not Scottish, but I have a lot of friends that are and one of my best friends is from Scotland. I haven't been there but would love to. I'm American. (hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

Rachel - LOL... I guess I did and I hope it is working ;)

And yeah we should give him lots of rewards or maybe simply dangle carrots, he is known to love those :P :P

[Sumit]

Grrr, you girls are mean!

[RachelvlehcaR]

Oh Sumit you know you enjoy it. ;)

Sri, yes we need to just dangle carrots then just snatch it away right before it's in his grasp. haha. We do need to give a few carrots, just only a few so we aren't labeled as teases, lol. Just enough to keep his interest. :P

So far my favorite character is mafia man Sciorra. I love his cruel sadistic methods. :) Too bad Connolly doesn't have any sadistic females in the mafia, than again maybe he does (don't say either way I want to find out if he does by reading it). Females make the best sadistic killers.

[Sumit]

This thread is turning into 'get-the-slow-sumit-to-read-faster' instead of a discussion thread. :P

I haven't come across Sciorra yet, but he sounds interesting.

[Srividya]

Rachel - for us to give him a few carrots, he has to actually read. And looking at his post, he doesn't seem to reading as much as merely looking at the book in his hands :P

And to your other question - read on and find out. Won't spoil anything for you :)

@Sumit - It will continue to be that way until you start reading and join in on our discussions.. So buck up! :P

[Sumit]

Yeah, thanks for using spoiler tags! Otherwise, I'd have had to retire from the thread. :P

[Srividya]

@Sumit - you think we will have the audacity to hold a discussion without spoiler tags, when we know that you are going to grace the thread? :O :O

Okay we have spammed enough here.. Go back to reading and come back here when you have read enough to discuss!! That's an order :P :P

[RachelvlehcaR]

@Sumit, my mafia man Sciorra comment was also to perk your interest to get moving along in the book. He is one of my favorites but you will have to read about it. I hope I get to read a lot more about him. I would love to read a book about him--twist, dark, and messed up.

[RachelvlehcaR]

WOW! I just read up to the part about Gabriela. Oh my goodness! I didn't expect that! Must keep reading...

[Srividya]

Rachel - that's great.. you reached a really interesting part. Read on, it gets murkier and better... Hmm perhaps you might just get your wish fulfilled.

[RachelvlehcaR]

@Sri I really hope so. Oh my goodness! No words can describe my excitement about it. Yes! :)

I have to out the book down for a bit but I will for sure keep reading. I'm bummed because I want to keep moving along. I hope Sumit doesn't surpass me.

[Srividya]

Aww that's bad that you have to put it down. You just got to a really really interesting part!! Anyway, I doubt that he will surpass you.. so you might just have that edge. Enjoy :)

[Sumit]

Surely not for the faint hearted! I thought is book in many ways, is darker than 'The Silence of the Lambs', although a direct one to one comparison would be massively unfair to both books.

I'll write out a detailed review later, but my head is still abuzz with the taut, gritty storyline and images of flayed men and women.

Ouch, what a cliffhanger! At the risk of sounding pretentious, I must say I did have a few hunches that proved right in the end. But, what a story! And Charlie Parker, I'm coming for you. Soon!

[Srividya]

Sumit - You finished?? :O :O :O :O :O

[Sumit]

Yes, Sri. I was so hooked to it that I read it on the flight. :D