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The Primitive
When David Webster, a young Southern writer, injures a mysterious woman in a car accident, he is drawn into an elaborate con game involving a redneck real-estate developer, Wall Street wheeler-dealers, sex, and murder.
Paperback
First published February 1, 1998
36 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Amidon
16 books211 followersStephen Amidon was born in Chicago. He is the critically acclaimed author of eight novels, two collections of short stories, two non-fiction books, plays, screenplays, and countless essays and articles.
His work has been published in sixteen countries, appeared on numerous best-of-the-year lists, and been adapted into award-winning movies on two continents.
He is a member of the Academy of Italian Cinema.
His work has been published in sixteen countries, appeared on numerous best-of-the-year lists, and been adapted into award-winning movies on two continents.
He is a member of the Academy of Italian Cinema.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 2, 2025
Stephen Amidon writes well. His sentences glide along and the plotting is fine in that the mystery of who Sara really is and what secret is she hiding propel our interest. It's a pretty fast read thanks to the writers sense of pacing, but not only that but his good sense not to clutter this particular story with too much side story. He sticks pretty much to the main character's point of view in his third-person narrative. So, it could easily have been written in the first-person but I think the problem with that could have been that we don't particularly like the main character. I'm not saying he's an anti-hero or a villain, but he makes choices in the book that defy good sense. So many times I slapped my forehead exclaiming, "What the hell are you doing?! Why?! Just stop!!"
Nor am I saying that the writer is concocting some illogical plot points that subvert our willing suspension of disbelief, because there is something lurking underneath the character's psyche that give us the feeling he is damaged. And that sense we get leads us to go along with the choices he's making because somewhere inside we feel like, "Oh he's just not 100% right in the head." And there is a potential reason for that involving a trauma he and his wife suffered in the past. Maybe that's what makes him come off so jaded with life, but not in a sharp way, a critical view of people and life, but more like a dead inside kind of way.
His name is David Webster and he is a communications director for a property management company. Not his ideal life he feels, but at least the job entails some writing creativity for him. The crux of the plot is that he gets into a car accident, and then assists the woman in the other car, going for help which indeed comes. But he then follows up by going to the hospital to check up on her, and finds she is under the care of his good friend Rowdy, a doctor there. David's interest in the woman, his intrigue grows from there.
And little by little even against his better judgment as we read about him warning himself time after time, even against his common sense he becomes more and more entangled. In the beginning the problem was really that he would tell a white lie about the steps he'd taken in seeing to the woman's care, and those white lies compounded to a point where it was untenable to retrace and start anew with the truth to everyone.
But then a further issue arises, leading to this become a thriller, rather than just a psychological study. Not a very action-packed or frightening thriller--more of a mystery as to what this woman was involved in beforehand, and then a dash of menace is added with the addition of two unsavory characters posing a big problem.
It's a good book, but not one I'd recommend above the very many other thrillers and mysteries I've read that would be more entertaining. But like I say it's good. I looked forward to getting back to reading it each night, so that's a good sign. A dark cloud does hover over the emotional tone of the story, and that tone doesn't go away even after the denouement.
Nor am I saying that the writer is concocting some illogical plot points that subvert our willing suspension of disbelief, because there is something lurking underneath the character's psyche that give us the feeling he is damaged. And that sense we get leads us to go along with the choices he's making because somewhere inside we feel like, "Oh he's just not 100% right in the head." And there is a potential reason for that involving a trauma he and his wife suffered in the past. Maybe that's what makes him come off so jaded with life, but not in a sharp way, a critical view of people and life, but more like a dead inside kind of way.
His name is David Webster and he is a communications director for a property management company. Not his ideal life he feels, but at least the job entails some writing creativity for him. The crux of the plot is that he gets into a car accident, and then assists the woman in the other car, going for help which indeed comes. But he then follows up by going to the hospital to check up on her, and finds she is under the care of his good friend Rowdy, a doctor there. David's interest in the woman, his intrigue grows from there.
And little by little even against his better judgment as we read about him warning himself time after time, even against his common sense he becomes more and more entangled. In the beginning the problem was really that he would tell a white lie about the steps he'd taken in seeing to the woman's care, and those white lies compounded to a point where it was untenable to retrace and start anew with the truth to everyone.
But then a further issue arises, leading to this become a thriller, rather than just a psychological study. Not a very action-packed or frightening thriller--more of a mystery as to what this woman was involved in beforehand, and then a dash of menace is added with the addition of two unsavory characters posing a big problem.
It's a good book, but not one I'd recommend above the very many other thrillers and mysteries I've read that would be more entertaining. But like I say it's good. I looked forward to getting back to reading it each night, so that's a good sign. A dark cloud does hover over the emotional tone of the story, and that tone doesn't go away even after the denouement.
November 11, 2023
This was an excellent way to reach my reading goal for the year. After taking a pause on another novel that I just wasn’t getting into, I picked this one up and raced through it. Beautifully written and highly enjoyable, The Primitive is a fast-paced tale of love and deception, while also giving readers a glimpse of corporate-raided, 90s America. With memorable characters and just the right balance of humor and mystery, this is one of my favorite books of the year.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews