My third book in the Mickey Haller series (Lincoln Lawyer, Brass Verdict, 5th Witness), I've jumped around a bit, but still a fan even though this wasn't my favorite. The first few pages, chapters even, made me think I had already read this one. I had not, it was just so familiar which makes Michael Connelly so consistent in his story telling (repetitive?). While this one wasn't quite the 'can't put it down' type of read that Lincoln was it has its merits.
You are immediately aware of the unlikable vibe Mickey's client Lisa gives off but you go along with the question of innocence that he begins to give in to. That's the piece that keeps it interesting, what does Mickey think? The twists of the case that brought you to the end result were just OK. I was not caught up in a crescendo the way the prosecution case was described as Mickey brought it to an unceremonious ending in the court room. Too many loop holes that didn't quite tie together neatly in the writing left me thinking, hung jury? And maybe that's just it, too much thinking involved. You had to draw conclusions on your own because they weren't written down.
Even so I still don't quite understand why Mickey took a beating in this one. And the movie deal, just a result of Connelly's prior success or was it part of the contract to work in a movie angle into his next chronicle? More drama and pointless story line confusion that didn't quite tick and tie for me.
The same players exist for the most part, again bringing consistency to the Haller series but nothing much has changed making it a bit of a snore in some spots. For example, his go no where relationship with ex wife Mags. Nothing about their relationship makes me want to read another one to see how things turn out for these two. Clearly romance is not Connelly's sweet spot. And that's OK, he knows what works for him, he adds in the relationship bits to build Mickey's character I get that, but it's boring.
Now, Mickey playing the role of DA instead of the 'don't grow a conscience on me', hard core defense attorney we have come to know and love was a definite curve making you wonder where Connelly is going next. That was enough for me to pick up the next in the series.
One question for those who read it, do you think part of Matthew Mcconaughey's contract was to get a name drop in print?
Admittedly I am coming late to the 'game' so to speak with regard to reading and reviewing 'The Hunger Games' but I feel strongly about my opinions here and thought that it deserved my recount. First, I had no idea what the premise of the famed trilogy was and no I don't live under a rock. I didn't pay much attention to the movie trailers and although 2 of my 5 kids have read or are reading them I thought I would just take them on myself and find out what all the hype was about. And so I did. . .
When I realized this was a story of children fighting to their deaths I was completely appalled. What sane person could think to write about such violent attacks and killings of children, in the voice of a child. No the person who wrote these books is not well. The descriptive pictures painted of mutant beings, mind games, torture, haunting nightmares that last a life time sending them to insanity and more of the like were horrifying enough - adding that they were carried out by children killing and being killed for sport is completely irrational. All at the hand of adults who set them up, planned the attacks, built supreme creatures for these children to contend with, be slaughtered by or eaten alive. Is that the message we're sending the young minds of today? Isn't there enough real world despair to read about? You want to know more about starvation, hunger, and children struggling for survival take on a living, breathing cause. None of which I will mention because I am not advocating for one cause over another, you can do your own homework. The 'games' as depicted meant for sport and entertainment, I did not find entertaining.
To take it one step further and darker the author here adds in a twisted pregnancy element - so now we are into killing off the unborn as a result of ritualistic sport? Regardless of my position on abortion rights and the fact that it is a book and even within the book the pregnancy was a fabrication, it was an element that the author thought through putting words to paper. Think about that.
To think that this has become best selling movie material makes me believe strongly that we have run out of ideas. We have already remade the remakes thrice over and this story is not really all that different than that of the Romans except that this 'writer' (and I use the term loosely) has used children as the prey. What's next?
Was this the workings of an imaginative mind or one of a sick and depraved individual?
