Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Average Walters, May 7, 2003
A young girl, Amy, goes missing, around the same time it is revealed that a paedophile is living in the housing estate from which she disappeared. The people come out in force to protest at his presence. Slowly, the protests bud into riots, stretching the police force, breeding greater and greater acts of violence. The streets of "Bassindale Row" (dubbed "Acid Row" by its inhabitants) are thronged with angry citizens, some well-meaning, and some there just to further incite destruction. Events build to a crescendo, as the troubled housing estate is swept under the tide of a crowd whose slogan is "Saving Amy"...But, the rioters are unaware of the presence of Sophie Morrison, a young doctor called to the house of the "pervert" just before events erupted. Now she is trapped inside with a man she increasingly comes to believe is capable of great violence... Minette Walters continues in the vein of her last book, bringing forth a novel once again full of deep social perception. This time, she writes about the events which recently swept Great Britain, with all the furore of exposing paedophiles, and the doubled-edged sword that doing so would unsheathe. The first thirty pages or so are just typical Walters. Accurate psychology, deep prose, great characters, realism in the writing, etc. However, once the riots begin, the book gets swept away with the pace. It moves too quickly. Character development, which was building so brilliantly at first, is sacrificed, and several of the characters introduced later on in the story come across as cardboard and cliched. The excitement of the events just takes the book too quickly. It does make it a great pageturner, yes. And i am sure that fact will win it praise, but at the expense of plot and character development, I'm not certain it's worth it. Because her books are always pageturners ANYWAY. So, the middle section of this book is underdeveloped. I think Walters probably got carried away. When a writer is penning an exciting plot, they are apt to get carried away. they rush it, eager to experience the action of the plot themselves. As such, the action and riots feel underdeveloped and shallow, and the book doesn't always "feel" like a Minette Walters novel. While the deep accurate psychology of character is lost after the first thirty pages, something does redeem that. Instead of individual character psychology, we are treated this time to an accurate representation of mob psychology. This does make up, mostly, for the fact that the plot is mostly underdeveloped. The ending is very good. A great climax, with a nice twist, but considering what we know of how events like these conspired in England, some may find it predictable from quite a way off. however, that certainly doesn't spoil the enjoyment. The final chapter has been criticised for being too "happy ever after-ey". Yes, it does contain that quality, but i don't mind. I prefer to look at it as a display of hope, and the fact that sometimes, good does win out over evil, and the sometimes bad events spawn good things. It is rather uplifting, and a lovely way to finish off the book. Leaves you with good, happy feelings about what has happened. This book is still incredibly enjoyable. I finished it in two days. It's a pageturner, and contains some likeable, if at times 2d, characters. The central section is underdeveloped after a brilliant initial 30 pages, and the writing gets swept away in the excitement. However, the explorations of mob psychology at times make up for that, and the ending shines through with hope. As ever, the prose is very good. This is a recommended book, but perhaps not quite what we have come to expect from Walters.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not her best, but very enjoyable nonetheless, June 27, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Acid Row (Hardcover)
A young girl, Amy, goes missing, around the same time it is revealed that a peadophile is living in the housing estate from which she disappeared. The people come out in force to protest at his presence. Slowly, the protests bud into riots, stretching the police force, breeding greater and greater acts of violence. The streets of "Bassindale Row" (dubbed "Acid Row" by its inhabitants) are thronged with angry citizens, some well-meaning, and some there just to further incite destruction. Events build to a crescendo, as the troubled housing estate is swept under the tide of a crowd whos slogan is "Saving Amy"...But, the rioters are unaware of the presence of Sophie Morrison, a young doctor called to the house of the "pervert" just before events erupted. Now she is trapped inside with a man she increasingly comes to believe is capable of great violence... Minette Walters continues in the vein of her last book, bringing forth a novel once again full of deep social perception. This time, she writes about the events which recently swept Great Britain, with all the furore of exposing peadophiles, and the doubled-edged sword that doing so would unsheath. The first thirty pages or so are just typical Walters. Accurate psychology, deep prose, great characters, realism in the writing, etc. However, once the riots begin, the book gets swept away with the pace. It moes too quickly. Character development, which was building so brilliantly at first, is sacrificed, and several of the characters introduced later on in the story come across as cardboard and cliched. The excitement of the events just takes the book too quickly. It does make it a great pageturner, yes. And i am sure that fact will win it praise, but at the expense of plot and character development, im not certainl it's worth it. Becuase her books are always pageturners ANYWAY. So, the middle section of this book is underdeveloped. I think Walters probably got carried away. When a writer is penning an exciting plot, they are apt to get carried away. they rush it, eager to experience the action of the plot themselves. As such, the action and riots feel underdevloped and shallow, and the book doesnt always "feel" like a Minette Walters novel. While the deep acurate psychology of character is lost after the first thirty pages, something does redeem that. Instead of individual character psychology, we are treated this time to an accurate representation of mob psychology. This does make up, mostly, for the fact that the plot is mostly underdeveloped. The ending is very good. A great climax, with a nice twist, but considering what we know of how events like these conspired in England, some may find it predictable from quite a way off. however, that certainly doesn't spoil the enjoyment. The final chapter has been criticised for being too "happy ever after-ey". Yes, it does contain that quality, but i don't mind. I prefer to look at it as a display of hope, and the fact that sometimes, good does win out over evil, and the sometimes bad events spawn good things. It is rather uplifting, and a lovely way to finish off the book. Leaves you with good, happy feelings about what has happened. This book is still incredibly enjoyable. I finished it in two days. It's a pageturner, and contains some likeable, if at times 2d, characters. The central section is underdeveloped after a brilliant initial 30 pages, and the writing gets swept away in the excitement. However, the explorations of mob psychology at times make up for that, and the ending shines through with hope. As ever, the prose is very good. This is a reccomended book, but perhaps not quite what we have come to expect from Walters. ("Fox Evil", her next book, looks set to be yet another full of social observancy (Soldier returns from Kosovo, only to find the community in which she lives has slid into hostility.) I have to say, i think two is enough. I would soon quite like her to return to the psychological mysteries which made her name, as enjoyable as these books are.)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Meltdown in the Projects, February 6, 2004
Society breaks down in a housing project and a peaceful demonstration gets completely out of hand, as we follow the fate of a young woman doctor trapped inside a house with its inhabitants and a little girl who is missing. While this was not exactly what I was expecting, once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Walters is a master of character and suspense, which is a powerful combination that keeps the pages turning as if they had a mind of their own. There are multiple story lines, each as spellbinding as the last. I do love Minette Walters other books, specifically Ice House, The Sculptress and Shape of Snakes. While this is not my favorite of the Walters book, I give it four out of five stars. If you haven't read any other of Walters' books, you may want to start with one of the other three, I just mentioned.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
