I really enjoyed No Country for Old Men when I watched the movie, so when this book was compared to that I thought I’d at least read the first chapter. These are not always my cup of tea. They’re gritty, harsh, in-your-face dark thrillers and they don’t always appeal to me. But, I gave it a try and was surprised at how much I liked it.
You’re almost afraid to say you enjoyed it, because it is so disturbing. But, though the story itself is good, it is really the characters that make it hard to put this book down. What the hell will they do next?! You just don’t know. It is a complex-character-driven story about an ex-con with nothing to lose, a girl who is as crazed for sex as for drugs, the bank teller lucky enough to live, but not lucky enough to be left behind and the agents on their trail who have problems of their own.
When Charlie went to work that day his biggest problem was his over-bearing mother. Now he’s a hostage surrounded by ruthless criminals with little hope of escape. But there are things about Charlie that are annoying. It’s not like your typical victim you immediately feel sorry for, though you do empathize with him. You want him to live.
The writing is captivating. The characters are captivating. The story is captivating and disturbing in a way that won’t let you but the book down.
