Micro-review of Those We Left Behind written by Stuart Neville
A 359 page, 68 chapter exemplification of Grade A fiction!
Other titles I have read by Stuart Neville: The Final Sentence, So Say the Fallen and Lost You written under the pseudonym Haylen Beck.
Pace of novel: Andante
Prologue: The novel opens after the alleged murder of, foster parent, David Rolston by, orphaned brothers, Thomas and Ciaran Devine. The brothers appear unscathed by the veritable horror they have just inflicted. They discuss their impending arrest and incarceration with a sense of detachment and languor!
We are catapulted in time and space to the impending release of Ciaran. Thomas has already been released and allowed to get on with his, post incarceration, life. Pan right, enter Paula Cunningham, Probation officer to Ciaran. She is disaffected, highly suspicious, and aggravatingly oblivious to what is transpiring between the brothers right under her nose. She is loyal to policies, often, to the detriment of people like Daniel Rolston and Alistair Flanagan. Cunningham redeems herself in the end. She comes to the realization that policy doesn't always equate to veracity or equity.
Audacious and obstreperous Detective Chief Inspector Serena Flanagan, is the heroine of this tragic story. She has proven herself clever and tenacious. Her intuition tells her the relationship between the brothers borders on manipulation and psychological abuse. Flanagan gains the confidence of the weaker siblings to the chagrin of the influential one, sometimes through objectionable practices. However, the ways in which Thomas leverages physical abuse over Ciaran and how Ciaran alleviates his uncertainty and animosity is even outside her Flanagan's depth of ken!
Thomas fights to maintain control over Ciaran. Flanagan works to ease the oppressive influence of Thomas. She, simultaneously, encourages Ciaran to divulge the details of David Rolston's murder and current crimes being attributed to the brothers. Nobody could foresee the twisted details of what really happened seven years ago. How the brother deemed most likely to be the physical aggressor was just the vicious puppet master. Tortured, verbally abused and threatened to the point-of-no-return! This novel persuades the reader to ponder the age old question, "Are there situations in which an individual's free will has been removed or do we always have the power to choose what we will do?"
Those We Left Behind presented more than just entertainment. In this novel art definitely imitates life. The depravity, coping mechanisms, and hopefulness we envision through the eyes of these characters in some way mirrors those of our own. On page 173 the novel's title is extricated from the brothers, and ultimately the author.
My favorite sentence, "And then Daniel was walking into the roaring sea with his mother, hand in hand, to stay there with her forever and ever." (p. 186).
I give this novel 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 up!
A 359 page, 68 chapter exemplification of Grade A fiction!
Other titles I have read by Stuart Neville: The Final Sentence, So Say the Fallen and Lost You written under the pseudonym Haylen Beck.
Pace of novel: Andante
Prologue: The novel opens after the alleged murder of, foster parent, David Rolston by, orphaned brothers, Thomas and Ciaran Devine. The brothers appear unscathed by the veritable horror they have just inflicted. They discuss their impending arrest and incarceration with a sense of detachment and languor!
We are catapulted in time and space to the impending release of Ciaran. Thomas has already been released and allowed to get on with his, post incarceration, life. Pan right, enter Paula Cunningham, Probation officer to Ciaran. She is disaffected, highly suspicious, and aggravatingly oblivious to what is transpiring between the brothers right under her nose. She is loyal to policies, often, to the detriment of people like Daniel Rolston and Alistair Flanagan. Cunningham redeems herself in the end. She comes to the realization that policy doesn't always equate to veracity or equity.
Audacious and obstreperous Detective Chief Inspector Serena Flanagan, is the heroine of this tragic story. She has proven herself clever and tenacious. Her intuition tells her the relationship between the brothers borders on manipulation and psychological abuse. Flanagan gains the confidence of the weaker siblings to the chagrin of the influential one, sometimes through objectionable practices. However, the ways in which Thomas leverages physical abuse over Ciaran and how Ciaran alleviates his uncertainty and animosity is even outside her Flanagan's depth of ken!
Thomas fights to maintain control over Ciaran. Flanagan works to ease the oppressive influence of Thomas. She, simultaneously, encourages Ciaran to divulge the details of David Rolston's murder and current crimes being attributed to the brothers. Nobody could foresee the twisted details of what really happened seven years ago. How the brother deemed most likely to be the physical aggressor was just the vicious puppet master. Tortured, verbally abused and threatened to the point-of-no-return! This novel persuades the reader to ponder the age old question, "Are there situations in which an individual's free will has been removed or do we always have the power to choose what we will do?"
Those We Left Behind presented more than just entertainment. In this novel art definitely imitates life. The depravity, coping mechanisms, and hopefulness we envision through the eyes of these characters in some way mirrors those of our own. On page 173 the novel's title is extricated from the brothers, and ultimately the author.
My favorite sentence, "And then Daniel was walking into the roaring sea with his mother, hand in hand, to stay there with her forever and ever." (p. 186).
I give this novel 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 up!
This was a very clean, precise straight to the point review. I like how u let us in on your mindset By just the passasges from the book u decided to share with us. Great review keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteKaVausea
Looking forward to new reviews from you! Don't keep us waiting too long.
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