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twotoes's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Each chapter moves the story along from the perspective of a different character. It is an interesting way to tell a story and those characters are extremely interesting.
eddiegenerous's review against another edition
3.0
The mystery was good and solid. Jim Thompson is one of the most accessible and yet enthralling writers I've read. But...long before it became the tedious, irritating norm for thriller books, Jim Thompson did it here (surely not the first, but maybe the earliest I've seen): head hopping POVs every chapter. This all but ruins so many books and the outcome is no different here. This one's just okay.
hthacher's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rocketiza's review against another edition
5.0
Classic Thompson inner conversations justifying ones awfulness but from many different perspectives of everyone involved, all frightening in their own way. My favorite next to only pop 1280 of what I've read by him.
jajajanea's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting multiple viewpoint novel by Jim Thompson. Deals with taboo subjects in a small town setting in the mid-50s. I actually really enjoyed reading and discussing in my lit & film class, comparing/contrasting with the movie Pulp Fiction.
llb's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The jacket of the novella collection named him "the author of the great American groin-kick novel" but this was just a boring story about a small town where everyone lies.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a positive, uplifting, glass-half-full kinda guy so I don't know why I enjoy Jim Thompson's nihilistic crime novels so much…but I devour them. This is one of his weaker ones and it still is compelling with how evil and hopeless it is. The ending is darkly comic.