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The October List
One of Kirkus Review's "Best Books of 2013"
The shocking end is only the beginning . . .
#1 bestselling author Jeffery Deaver has created the most riveting and original novel of the year-a race-against-the-clock mystery, told in reverse.
The October List
Gabriela waits desperately for news of her abducted daughter.
At last, the door opens.
But it's not the negotiators. It's not the FBI.
It's the kidnapper.
And he has a gun.
How did it come to this?
Two days ago, Gabriela's life was normal. Then, out of the blue, she gets word that her six-year-old daughter has been taken. She's given an ultimatum: pay half a million dollars and find a mysterious document known as the "October List" within 30 hours, or she'll never see her child again.
A mind-bending novel with twists and turns that unfold from its dramatic climax back to its surprising beginning, The October List is Jeffery Deaver at his masterful, inventive best.
The shocking end is only the beginning . . .
#1 bestselling author Jeffery Deaver has created the most riveting and original novel of the year-a race-against-the-clock mystery, told in reverse.
The October List
Gabriela waits desperately for news of her abducted daughter.
At last, the door opens.
But it's not the negotiators. It's not the FBI.
It's the kidnapper.
And he has a gun.
How did it come to this?
Two days ago, Gabriela's life was normal. Then, out of the blue, she gets word that her six-year-old daughter has been taken. She's given an ultimatum: pay half a million dollars and find a mysterious document known as the "October List" within 30 hours, or she'll never see her child again.
A mind-bending novel with twists and turns that unfold from its dramatic climax back to its surprising beginning, The October List is Jeffery Deaver at his masterful, inventive best.
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First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
Jeffery Deaver
500 books11.6k followers#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,756 reviews
March 29, 2014
Did not finish. In fact, I didn't get past page 25. The inattention to detail by this author is a real problem for me. The book starts with a mother waiting to hear news of whether her kidnapped daughter is safe, dead, maimed, hurt, healthy, happy? How does she spend this time? Assessing how "fit" the guy waiting with her is and thinking about romantic times she had with another character who is out there trying to rescue her daughter. I know a lot of moms. Not one of them would think about sex or attraction to a man when their child is missing and in the hands of a monster.
So. That's the first page.
Worry not, intrepid reader! We find out that mom has "abundant breasts" on the next page. You see--how can a reader fully understand the situation of a kidnapping scene without knowing about the breasts of the mother of the kidnapped girl? At least, as a guy, I can excuse the impartial observer who notices mommy's abundant breasts--he's got no skin in the game, after all. But here's the problem with writing a book in reverse (yes, you start with the final chapter and then back in time to the penultimate chapter, and so on, until the book ends with chapter 1), you have to describe your characters during the climax, which makes it really awkward and frankly, pretty stupid.
On the bright side, I know the ending is pretty lame from the get-go, so it makes putting this one down pretty darn easy. I suppose I should be grateful for that fact.
Here's the thing: There's clever and there's trying to be clever. You realize, on the very first page, this book is trying to be clever. It doesn't succeed.
A lot of people seem to love this book. Perhaps I'm just a cranky old guy who is bothered by things that others gloss over? I don't know. But there's a reason why books aren't usually written backwards--and why writing non-linear stories is very difficult to achieve. Deaver lost me immediately because how can I have sympathy for a mother who is checking out every guy in the book when she's waiting to hear the fate of her daughter--even if she does have abundant breasts?
So. That's the first page.
Worry not, intrepid reader! We find out that mom has "abundant breasts" on the next page. You see--how can a reader fully understand the situation of a kidnapping scene without knowing about the breasts of the mother of the kidnapped girl? At least, as a guy, I can excuse the impartial observer who notices mommy's abundant breasts--he's got no skin in the game, after all. But here's the problem with writing a book in reverse (yes, you start with the final chapter and then back in time to the penultimate chapter, and so on, until the book ends with chapter 1), you have to describe your characters during the climax, which makes it really awkward and frankly, pretty stupid.
On the bright side, I know the ending is pretty lame from the get-go, so it makes putting this one down pretty darn easy. I suppose I should be grateful for that fact.
Here's the thing: There's clever and there's trying to be clever. You realize, on the very first page, this book is trying to be clever. It doesn't succeed.
A lot of people seem to love this book. Perhaps I'm just a cranky old guy who is bothered by things that others gloss over? I don't know. But there's a reason why books aren't usually written backwards--and why writing non-linear stories is very difficult to achieve. Deaver lost me immediately because how can I have sympathy for a mother who is checking out every guy in the book when she's waiting to hear the fate of her daughter--even if she does have abundant breasts?
November 21, 2021
Jeffery Deaver tried a different approach with this mystery, which begins with the last chapter and works backwards to the first chapter. Thus things happen that seem inexplicable in the moment.....but lead to "AHA" moments as you keep reading. It's good fun once you get used to it.
I don't want my review to be a spoiler, so I'll just give a brief description of the plot.
*****
Gabriela McKenzie is the office manager for investment counselor Charles Prescott, whose company - Prescott Investments - has an office in Manhattan. When Prescott comes into possession of a secret document called the 'October List' - reputed to be worth a lot of money - he steals all his clients' assets and skips town with the list.
Gabriela is questioned by the police, but isn't able to tell them anything about her boss's whereabouts.
One of Prescott's clients, Joseph Astor, lost $400,000 when the investment counselor absconded with the company's loot. Joseph wants his money back AND he wants a copy of the October List. So Joseph - a very creepy guy - kidnaps Gabriela's six-year-old daughter Sophie and calls the officer manager with a ransom demand. He wants $500,000 and the list, or little Sophie will suffer the consequences.
Gabriela finds a copy of the October List in Prescott's office, but can't locate his assets - so she doesn't have the money.
Gabriela is beside herself with anxiety, but her acquaintance - venture capitalist Daniel Reardon - has a company that's dealt with kidnappers before.....since executives in foreign countries frequently get snatched for ransom. Daniel offers to lend Gabriela the money AND to provide two associates who'll drop off the ransom and (hopefully) retrieve young Sophie.
As the book opens, Gabriela is waiting to hear news about the ransom exchange.
The story works backward from there, and - as we move along to the beginning of the tale - there's plenty of action. This includes: a break-in; a shooting; a fatal traffic accident; a severed finger; a romantic tryst; meetings with a Russian crime boss; police surveillance; a double murder; and more.
The are plenty of surprises in the story, and it's all very entertaining.
Deaver did a great job with the 'backwards story' format; I think he must have constructed a detailed flowchart/spreadsheet to keep all the story elements straight....so credit to the author.
I'd recommend the book to mystery fans in the mood for something a little different.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
February 18, 2023
cold me left that experiment An!
Normally I begin these reviews with a brief no-spoiler plot summary but, in for THE OCTOBER LIST, I’ll make an exception for two reasons. The first is that I didn’t actually finish the book. Indeed, I couldn’t finish it. The second is that I have no clue what the plot was actually about! In any event, I think the actual plot is irrelevant to my comments.
The reason is that Deaver’s experimental writing technique, frankly, left me totally cold. Within a chapter, the events were written to unfold in real forward-moving time. BUT the chapters were published in reverse order. That is to say, the climax and dénouement occurred in the first chapter you read and every subsequent chapter occurs in time before the one you just finished!! I’ll admit that within a chapter, Deaver’s writing was up to his usual standards and gripping enough that I kept reading for just over 100 pages because I really, really wanted to like THE OCTOBER LIST. Deaver has been one of my favourite authors since his very first novel.
Well, the experiment’s over. I hated it. I have no idea what the story was about and, if there’s a god of writing and publishing, Deaver and no other author will ever do that again!
Paul Weiss
Normally I begin these reviews with a brief no-spoiler plot summary but, in for THE OCTOBER LIST, I’ll make an exception for two reasons. The first is that I didn’t actually finish the book. Indeed, I couldn’t finish it. The second is that I have no clue what the plot was actually about! In any event, I think the actual plot is irrelevant to my comments.
The reason is that Deaver’s experimental writing technique, frankly, left me totally cold. Within a chapter, the events were written to unfold in real forward-moving time. BUT the chapters were published in reverse order. That is to say, the climax and dénouement occurred in the first chapter you read and every subsequent chapter occurs in time before the one you just finished!! I’ll admit that within a chapter, Deaver’s writing was up to his usual standards and gripping enough that I kept reading for just over 100 pages because I really, really wanted to like THE OCTOBER LIST. Deaver has been one of my favourite authors since his very first novel.
Well, the experiment’s over. I hated it. I have no idea what the story was about and, if there’s a god of writing and publishing, Deaver and no other author will ever do that again!
Paul Weiss
September 24, 2013
I didn’t think Jeffery Deaver would be able to pull it off writing a novel in reverse but I must say, although a little gimmicky, he does it quite well. The ending, which is in fact the beginning, was nothing at all like I thought it’d be.
The October List is a document that is causing all types of hell for Gabriela McKenzie. A man approaches her with news that Sarah, her daughter, has been kidnapped and to get her back she must supply him with the October List. But what exactly is the October List and why has it put killers, mobsters, police officers, and FBI on her trail? That is the question of the hour as the first chapter shows our heroine facing down to a gun.
The October List can be finished in a few hours and is written more as a short story. The 300+ pages that it is do not seem to ever slow down. Initially this is annoying to me as a person who really likes to root for great characters. But as the mysteries unfold, so does the character depth of at least Gabriela McKenzie. I would like to think that more could have been done with the other characters in regards to their being anything other than paper-thin caricatures, but then it wouldn’t really be a race against the clock as the blurbs have suggested.
Never have I wanted to get to the beginning, really ending, of a book more than with this one. Not because it was boring but because I was intrigued by this October List. What could be so important that it leaves a trail of dead bodies along the way? Please read The October List to find out. Although it doesn’t feature my favorite brilliant forensic specialist Lincoln Rhyme, it is definitely one of my favorite by Jeffery Deaver. A must-read for thriller lovers.
The October List is a document that is causing all types of hell for Gabriela McKenzie. A man approaches her with news that Sarah, her daughter, has been kidnapped and to get her back she must supply him with the October List. But what exactly is the October List and why has it put killers, mobsters, police officers, and FBI on her trail? That is the question of the hour as the first chapter shows our heroine facing down to a gun.
The October List can be finished in a few hours and is written more as a short story. The 300+ pages that it is do not seem to ever slow down. Initially this is annoying to me as a person who really likes to root for great characters. But as the mysteries unfold, so does the character depth of at least Gabriela McKenzie. I would like to think that more could have been done with the other characters in regards to their being anything other than paper-thin caricatures, but then it wouldn’t really be a race against the clock as the blurbs have suggested.
Never have I wanted to get to the beginning, really ending, of a book more than with this one. Not because it was boring but because I was intrigued by this October List. What could be so important that it leaves a trail of dead bodies along the way? Please read The October List to find out. Although it doesn’t feature my favorite brilliant forensic specialist Lincoln Rhyme, it is definitely one of my favorite by Jeffery Deaver. A must-read for thriller lovers.
October 25, 2019
Interesting, different to his other books.
Starts at the end and works through to the beginning. Chapters count down. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it works.
Starts at the end and works through to the beginning. Chapters count down. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it works.
October 28, 2019
Interesting, different to his other books.
Starts at the end and works through to the beginning. Chapters count down. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it works.
Starts at the end and works through to the beginning. Chapters count down. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it works.
October 8, 2013
Based on the average of 2-1/2 stars this book has earned (as of this writing) at Amazon.com, I'm definitely going against the grain with five stars on this one. And if I were judging the book on the plot alone, I'd probably stick with four. But the creativity of writing a whodunit starting with the "last" chapter first - and pulling it off wonderfully - is worth the extra star and then some.
The book takes place over a three-day weekend, starting on Sunday with a frenzied investment firm office manager named Gabriela whose young daughter has been kidnapped. A relatively new friend and venture capital fund manager has left her to go deal with the kidnapper, who's demanded a $500,000 ransom plus a mysterious document called the "October List" that belongs to her boss, who's gone missing (along with most of the firm's money) and is being sought by police. From there, everything moves backward in time to Friday, with each chapter revealing new clues as to how the first chapter (which really is the last) came about.
I'll also admit to two other things: First, it's not all that easy to read; for the first half-dozen chapters, in fact, I was pretty sure those one-star reviewers might be onto something. But mostly, I think, that happened because our minds just aren't trained to remember people and events in reverse order. So as the chapters moved along, I had to work at remembering the who's who and what's what that happened before (or I should say after). The second admission is that when I finished the book, I went back and read the first (last) chapter once again to make sure all the ends were properly tied in my mind.
Despite my five-star rating, I don't think this book is for everyone - certainly not anyone who enjoys a tried-and-true approach to writing (and reading). I also hope this bit of nonconformity doesn't start a trend, because no matter how well written I think this book is, I'm not chomping at the bit to read another one like it. But for those who like a bit of a challenge - and a pretty darned good mystery - I say give it a try.
The book takes place over a three-day weekend, starting on Sunday with a frenzied investment firm office manager named Gabriela whose young daughter has been kidnapped. A relatively new friend and venture capital fund manager has left her to go deal with the kidnapper, who's demanded a $500,000 ransom plus a mysterious document called the "October List" that belongs to her boss, who's gone missing (along with most of the firm's money) and is being sought by police. From there, everything moves backward in time to Friday, with each chapter revealing new clues as to how the first chapter (which really is the last) came about.
I'll also admit to two other things: First, it's not all that easy to read; for the first half-dozen chapters, in fact, I was pretty sure those one-star reviewers might be onto something. But mostly, I think, that happened because our minds just aren't trained to remember people and events in reverse order. So as the chapters moved along, I had to work at remembering the who's who and what's what that happened before (or I should say after). The second admission is that when I finished the book, I went back and read the first (last) chapter once again to make sure all the ends were properly tied in my mind.
Despite my five-star rating, I don't think this book is for everyone - certainly not anyone who enjoys a tried-and-true approach to writing (and reading). I also hope this bit of nonconformity doesn't start a trend, because no matter how well written I think this book is, I'm not chomping at the bit to read another one like it. But for those who like a bit of a challenge - and a pretty darned good mystery - I say give it a try.
September 20, 2013
THE OCTOBER LIST is a brilliant concept crime thriller and perhaps the most challenging and difficult novel Jeffery Deaver has ever written. The ‘gimmick’ per se is the fact that the novel is written backwards with the action unraveling in reverse order.
This type of story-telling has been seen on film --- the stunning ‘Memento’ --- and other movies with non-linear plot-lines like ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ’21 Grams’. Using the word gimmick reduces the accomplishment and I want to ensure readers that Deaver has worked especially hard to pull this feat off.
The novel begins --- or ends --- with a woman named Gabriela McKenzie scrambling to find a mysterious list entitled the October List. The contents of said list are never fully explained but it is understood that if the information and names on this list fall into the wrong hands something terrible will happen.
Gabriela works for an investment firm named after and run by Charles Prescott. Prescott has allegedly disappeared and taken with him all of the firms money and assets. This not only leaves his employees like Gabriela out in the cold but also makes finding the October List that much more important. The people who want this list will stop at nothing and have kidnapped Gabriela’s young daughter, Sarah. She is given 30 hours to find and deliver the October List along with half a million dollars in ransom money.
Along the way, Gabriela meets up with a man named Daniel Reardon. Reardon is young, flashy and very wealthy. He flaunts his wealth and influence and introduces himself to Gabriela in a bar where he indicates he works for a firm called The Norwalk Fund. He is instantly swept into the drama of Gabriela’s kidnapping crisis and offers his services and influence in helping to get Sarah safely returned.
The plot twists and turns as Gabriela and Daniel seem to be pursued by everyone from NYPD Detectives to other nameless villains that are also seeing the mysterious October List. A twisted and extremely odd villainous character named Joseph is the representative for the people that have kidnapped Sarah and demands the list in exchange for her safe return. When the deadline for the thirty hours come up, Gabriela and Daniel (along with some of his Norwalk Fund colleagues) are faced with the reality that they are unable to fully deliver on the demands made by the kidnappers.
To delve any further into this story would give away too much. My advice is that any reader of this short but challenging work needs to pay very close attention to every detail and character. Watching the story unwind in reverse order is a thing of beauty and what seemingly is a standard kidnapping thriller turns into something far more complex as certain key plot twists will absolutely rock the readers world! Deaver admits he got the idea for the novel from Stephen Sondheim and his play Merrily We Roll which starts in the present and then moves backwards. Whatever his muse may be, Deaver can proudly state that he has created an original and highly intelligent thriller that will be hard to forget once the last (first) page is turned!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
This type of story-telling has been seen on film --- the stunning ‘Memento’ --- and other movies with non-linear plot-lines like ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ’21 Grams’. Using the word gimmick reduces the accomplishment and I want to ensure readers that Deaver has worked especially hard to pull this feat off.
The novel begins --- or ends --- with a woman named Gabriela McKenzie scrambling to find a mysterious list entitled the October List. The contents of said list are never fully explained but it is understood that if the information and names on this list fall into the wrong hands something terrible will happen.
Gabriela works for an investment firm named after and run by Charles Prescott. Prescott has allegedly disappeared and taken with him all of the firms money and assets. This not only leaves his employees like Gabriela out in the cold but also makes finding the October List that much more important. The people who want this list will stop at nothing and have kidnapped Gabriela’s young daughter, Sarah. She is given 30 hours to find and deliver the October List along with half a million dollars in ransom money.
Along the way, Gabriela meets up with a man named Daniel Reardon. Reardon is young, flashy and very wealthy. He flaunts his wealth and influence and introduces himself to Gabriela in a bar where he indicates he works for a firm called The Norwalk Fund. He is instantly swept into the drama of Gabriela’s kidnapping crisis and offers his services and influence in helping to get Sarah safely returned.
The plot twists and turns as Gabriela and Daniel seem to be pursued by everyone from NYPD Detectives to other nameless villains that are also seeing the mysterious October List. A twisted and extremely odd villainous character named Joseph is the representative for the people that have kidnapped Sarah and demands the list in exchange for her safe return. When the deadline for the thirty hours come up, Gabriela and Daniel (along with some of his Norwalk Fund colleagues) are faced with the reality that they are unable to fully deliver on the demands made by the kidnappers.
To delve any further into this story would give away too much. My advice is that any reader of this short but challenging work needs to pay very close attention to every detail and character. Watching the story unwind in reverse order is a thing of beauty and what seemingly is a standard kidnapping thriller turns into something far more complex as certain key plot twists will absolutely rock the readers world! Deaver admits he got the idea for the novel from Stephen Sondheim and his play Merrily We Roll which starts in the present and then moves backwards. Whatever his muse may be, Deaver can proudly state that he has created an original and highly intelligent thriller that will be hard to forget once the last (first) page is turned!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
October 6, 2020
This novel begins with a Soren Kierkegaard quote: “ Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
That sets the reader up for this thriller written in reverse. If you are interested in the methods used by writers or by the structure of fiction, this is the book for you. It is fascinating! As promised, it starts with Chapter 36 and works its way back to Chapter 1.
I can't imagine how Deaver went about writing this. Did he start at the beginning and then reverse his chapters? Or did he write it in reverse too? One thing I am positive about: he must have used a strong outline! There's just no way you could write this without one. (I just read the Foreword at the end of the book, and sure enough, he planned it with post-its).
It was surprisingly difficult for me as a reader to keep track of the action and the characters in this novel. We are so used to following plot lines from oldest event to newest, it is extremely disorienting to adjust to events flowing in the other direction! And my other feeling is that this would be a boring book if written in the conventional way. The plot would be too straightforward and the characters would be too few and too stereotypical to hold most readers' attention. (And you would know too much).
You would think that if you started with the ending, there would be no surprises, wouldn't you? And yet, from Chapter 4 through Chapter 1 there were “Holy shit!” moments in each chapter. Suddenly, I saw previous events (or is that later events?) in a completely different light.
That said, please remember my usual caveat with this genre: I am not an enthusiastic consumer of thrillers. I am not the target audience and I know it. If you love them, this may be a much better reading experience for you. I admit to choosing it for the title as one of my October books. A frivolous reason which led me to a book with a most interesting structure. Still, that structure and the element of surprise that it provides makes this a firm 4 star read for me!
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
That sets the reader up for this thriller written in reverse. If you are interested in the methods used by writers or by the structure of fiction, this is the book for you. It is fascinating! As promised, it starts with Chapter 36 and works its way back to Chapter 1.
I can't imagine how Deaver went about writing this. Did he start at the beginning and then reverse his chapters? Or did he write it in reverse too? One thing I am positive about: he must have used a strong outline! There's just no way you could write this without one. (I just read the Foreword at the end of the book, and sure enough, he planned it with post-its).
It was surprisingly difficult for me as a reader to keep track of the action and the characters in this novel. We are so used to following plot lines from oldest event to newest, it is extremely disorienting to adjust to events flowing in the other direction! And my other feeling is that this would be a boring book if written in the conventional way. The plot would be too straightforward and the characters would be too few and too stereotypical to hold most readers' attention. (And you would know too much).
You would think that if you started with the ending, there would be no surprises, wouldn't you? And yet, from Chapter 4 through Chapter 1 there were “Holy shit!” moments in each chapter. Suddenly, I saw previous events (or is that later events?) in a completely different light.
That said, please remember my usual caveat with this genre: I am not an enthusiastic consumer of thrillers. I am not the target audience and I know it. If you love them, this may be a much better reading experience for you. I admit to choosing it for the title as one of my October books. A frivolous reason which led me to a book with a most interesting structure. Still, that structure and the element of surprise that it provides makes this a firm 4 star read for me!
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
August 21, 2015
The October List is a stand-alone novel by popular American author, Jeffery Deaver. Early on a September Sunday evening, Gabriela McKenzie waits nervously in a “safe” apartment with minder, Sam Easton, for news of the negotiation with her daughter’s kidnapper. She is hoping her new (and apparently wealthy) friend, Daniel Reardon and his expert team can save Sarah. Her kidnapper is demanding a large sum of money, and something called The October List. But when the door opens, a shock awaits: the kidnapper, gun in hand, enters.
In this unusually constructed thriller, Deaver begins with the final chapter and works back through the events of the previous days. The first (ie last) chapters are quite confusing, but if the reader persists, the reward is a cleverly put-together story that is filled with twists, turns and red herrings. As the story progresses (?) in reverse, the reader learns that none of the characters is quite who or what they seem. Some arouse suspicion from the start, but others are a complete surprise. Original and very imaginative. 4.5★s
In this unusually constructed thriller, Deaver begins with the final chapter and works back through the events of the previous days. The first (ie last) chapters are quite confusing, but if the reader persists, the reward is a cleverly put-together story that is filled with twists, turns and red herrings. As the story progresses (?) in reverse, the reader learns that none of the characters is quite who or what they seem. Some arouse suspicion from the start, but others are a complete surprise. Original and very imaginative. 4.5★s
February 23, 2022
While I enjoyed the change of timeline order and found it quite an interesting read, it did not spark any strong feelings. A decent book to pass some time with, but no more than that.
September 30, 2013
As far as I'm concerned, Jeffery Deaver is the master of plot twists. His short story collections Twisted and More Twisted are packed with brilliantly crafted gems, and his on-going Lincoln Rhyme series has more stings in the tale than a rattlesnake. So I was excited to see what he'd do with The October List, a thriller told quite literally backwards. We open on chapter 36, with a frantic mother awaiting news of her kidnapped daughter. The door opens, revealing not her rescuers but the kidnapper himself, wielding a gun and a deranged grin. How did it come to this? We're about to find out, in reverse.
Although it takes a long time for the full picture to become clear (the game changes constantly, and the kaleidoscope doesn't come to rest as a fully-formed image until you've read all the way through to chapter one), the pace is never anything less than frenetic. I finished the book in around a day, and kept reading for several hours after I really should have been sleeping (when you physically can't hold the book open in bed, it's probably time to call it a night.)
Does the gimmick produce satisfying results? Yes and... hmm. The format does lend itself to some difficulties. You know the piece of proofreading advice, that if you read a document backwards you're more likely to catch mistakes? While there aren't mistakes here as such (ultimately, everything ties together beautifully), I think the problem with starting from a place of complete bewilderment is that I never really fully trusted anyone, nor took any information at face value. When the revelations come, they're more of the 'ah, that makes sense of that!' variety than the sudden sharp shock of being completely surprised.
When working with a regular chronology, Deaver is fully adept at misdirection and sleight of hand, techniques that I think this format fundamentally makes more difficult. I'm definitely not saying I guessed the resolution in advance, but I also wouldn't say I was miles from the ballpark. There are times Deaver's caught me from another continent entirely, so this wasn't necessarily in the same league.
That said, I think this will definitely bear a repeat reading, perhaps in reverse this time, to really catch all the subtle clues laid throughout. It's probably only a shade over half the length of most of his other books, so it wouldn't surprise me if this was the intention. I've quickly re-read the first (last?) chapter, and the additional depth and nuance once you know what's really going on is brilliant. As is the contents list at the back - I actually laughed out loud at how clever he'd been in places with the chapter illustrations.
Overall, while I wasn't completely blown away by The October List, I do think Deaver's writing here is very, very clever, and I'm looking forward to going through it again when it's not quite so fresh. For readers unfamiliar with JD, it does take a while to get in to - it was probably sixty pages or so before I stopped being completely bewildered, and maybe as much as another hundred before I was really rolling along - because of course, telling a story backwards does run the risk of making it choppy, disjointed and frustrating. My advice would be just to trust that he knows full-well what he's doing and that it will all pay off eventually. And enjoy!
Although it takes a long time for the full picture to become clear (the game changes constantly, and the kaleidoscope doesn't come to rest as a fully-formed image until you've read all the way through to chapter one), the pace is never anything less than frenetic. I finished the book in around a day, and kept reading for several hours after I really should have been sleeping (when you physically can't hold the book open in bed, it's probably time to call it a night.)
Does the gimmick produce satisfying results? Yes and... hmm. The format does lend itself to some difficulties. You know the piece of proofreading advice, that if you read a document backwards you're more likely to catch mistakes? While there aren't mistakes here as such (ultimately, everything ties together beautifully), I think the problem with starting from a place of complete bewilderment is that I never really fully trusted anyone, nor took any information at face value. When the revelations come, they're more of the 'ah, that makes sense of that!' variety than the sudden sharp shock of being completely surprised.
When working with a regular chronology, Deaver is fully adept at misdirection and sleight of hand, techniques that I think this format fundamentally makes more difficult. I'm definitely not saying I guessed the resolution in advance, but I also wouldn't say I was miles from the ballpark. There are times Deaver's caught me from another continent entirely, so this wasn't necessarily in the same league.
That said, I think this will definitely bear a repeat reading, perhaps in reverse this time, to really catch all the subtle clues laid throughout. It's probably only a shade over half the length of most of his other books, so it wouldn't surprise me if this was the intention. I've quickly re-read the first (last?) chapter, and the additional depth and nuance once you know what's really going on is brilliant. As is the contents list at the back - I actually laughed out loud at how clever he'd been in places with the chapter illustrations.
Overall, while I wasn't completely blown away by The October List, I do think Deaver's writing here is very, very clever, and I'm looking forward to going through it again when it's not quite so fresh. For readers unfamiliar with JD, it does take a while to get in to - it was probably sixty pages or so before I stopped being completely bewildered, and maybe as much as another hundred before I was really rolling along - because of course, telling a story backwards does run the risk of making it choppy, disjointed and frustrating. My advice would be just to trust that he knows full-well what he's doing and that it will all pay off eventually. And enjoy!
November 15, 2015
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
― Søren Kierkegaard
Gabriela awaits news of her daughter who was abducted two days prior. The kidnapper has demanded $400,000 and a document known as ‘The October List’ of which she has been scrambling to identify in order to save her daughter. The door to the apartment opens but it’s not the FBI and it’s not the negotiators; it’s the kidnapper and he’s holding a gun. That’s the thrilling introduction that seemingly gives everything away right off the bat but nothing is as it seems.
The October List is told in reverse chronology, where a tale is told from ending to beginning. Thinking you’re given the answers right off the bat slowly becomes an impossibility as the story progresses and you have to continue altering your opinion as more facts are introduced. It’s an impressive tale of misdirection.
It worked well in theory but I had a lot of trouble keeping track of who was who because of the lack of distinction between the characters in the apparent attempt to retain the mystery surrounding everything. The story is written at a breakneck speed and you can often find yourself left in its dust as you struggle to catch up, but it does slowly come together and begin to make sense around the halfway point (the book is only 289 pages though so it doesn’t take long). It worked but it didn’t and by the time everything is disclosed I was impressed at the false assumptions the introduction produced.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
― Søren Kierkegaard
Gabriela awaits news of her daughter who was abducted two days prior. The kidnapper has demanded $400,000 and a document known as ‘The October List’ of which she has been scrambling to identify in order to save her daughter. The door to the apartment opens but it’s not the FBI and it’s not the negotiators; it’s the kidnapper and he’s holding a gun. That’s the thrilling introduction that seemingly gives everything away right off the bat but nothing is as it seems.
The October List is told in reverse chronology, where a tale is told from ending to beginning. Thinking you’re given the answers right off the bat slowly becomes an impossibility as the story progresses and you have to continue altering your opinion as more facts are introduced. It’s an impressive tale of misdirection.
It worked well in theory but I had a lot of trouble keeping track of who was who because of the lack of distinction between the characters in the apparent attempt to retain the mystery surrounding everything. The story is written at a breakneck speed and you can often find yourself left in its dust as you struggle to catch up, but it does slowly come together and begin to make sense around the halfway point (the book is only 289 pages though so it doesn’t take long). It worked but it didn’t and by the time everything is disclosed I was impressed at the false assumptions the introduction produced.
October 13, 2013
This is the second time in 13 months I have given a Jeffery Deaver novel one star. I hope this isn't going to become a habit. If he keeps writing crummy books, I will have to drop him off my "must read" list and I have enjoyed his prior books so much I hate to have to do that. Last year's "XO" was a goofy piece of crap with no real mystery other than why he wrote a junk novel to push some silly poorly written and performed country songs he wrote (including videos and recordings).
And now we have a novel that is written backwards with the beginning at the end and the end at the beginning. Why? Because if you read the beginning, you might just put the book down and walk away. The effect of this being presented backwards is that you just don't give a damn about any of the characters and they have to spend the whole time offering a grocery store list of what came before but not telling you enough. You begin the book with a scene then you see what happened anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour earlier and this gets old very quickly not to mention confusing and then comes the beginning at the end which while I won't offer any spoiler, I will say that those who used to watch the nighttime soap opera "Dallas" starring Larry Hagman will know exactly what I mean when I say it was like the dream Pamela Ewing had. If you never saw it, google it to see why people were annoyed (just google "Dallas- Pamela Ewing's dream"). He is also pushing some bad photos he took in this one.
I wish I could like this. Maybe next year Lincoln Rhyme will be back and he better not be being dangled from strings in a puppet show that is part of someone's damned dream. Not recommended, especially not for those who love Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme books or Dance books like Roadside Crosses.
And now we have a novel that is written backwards with the beginning at the end and the end at the beginning. Why? Because if you read the beginning, you might just put the book down and walk away. The effect of this being presented backwards is that you just don't give a damn about any of the characters and they have to spend the whole time offering a grocery store list of what came before but not telling you enough. You begin the book with a scene then you see what happened anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour earlier and this gets old very quickly not to mention confusing and then comes the beginning at the end which while I won't offer any spoiler, I will say that those who used to watch the nighttime soap opera "Dallas" starring Larry Hagman will know exactly what I mean when I say it was like the dream Pamela Ewing had. If you never saw it, google it to see why people were annoyed (just google "Dallas- Pamela Ewing's dream"). He is also pushing some bad photos he took in this one.
I wish I could like this. Maybe next year Lincoln Rhyme will be back and he better not be being dangled from strings in a puppet show that is part of someone's damned dream. Not recommended, especially not for those who love Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme books or Dance books like Roadside Crosses.
September 12, 2015
I have read most of Jeffery Deavers books and have always felt that if I want a good strong reliable novel to read then he is a place to start. However I found this book a real torture and only my stubbornness made me complete it.
I kept checking the cover to check it really was a Deaver book and not someone with a similar name. The book is an experiment to see if he could write a good novel in reverse, well for me the answer is he can't. Not only was the concept flawed but this book lacked all the things we take for granted with a Jeffery Deaver novel, excellent plot, strong characters and lots of intrigue. I appreciate his efforts to try something new but much prefer his award winning Lincoln Rhymes novels.
I kept checking the cover to check it really was a Deaver book and not someone with a similar name. The book is an experiment to see if he could write a good novel in reverse, well for me the answer is he can't. Not only was the concept flawed but this book lacked all the things we take for granted with a Jeffery Deaver novel, excellent plot, strong characters and lots of intrigue. I appreciate his efforts to try something new but much prefer his award winning Lincoln Rhymes novels.
December 11, 2013
I'm actually surprised by how scathing most of the reviews I'm reading are. I went in to this book knowing the premise- a backwards book- and knowing it would be a challenging read. Challenging it most certainly was! I really didn't enjoy reading it, at all, until I was about halfway through. I didn't understand who the characters were and so I felt very little attachment to what was going on. However, I forced myself to stick with it, and found myself invested in the story as I started piecing together little details and clues that were referenced in sequential chapters. You, as the reader, have to pay close attention to the little threads and weave the fabric of the story together. I found myself excited as the story moved along backwards and I was successfully following what had happened. When I finished the book, I immediately turned back to the beginning (chapter 36) and reread through the first 5 or so chapters, and it was actually quite clever the second time around, looking at those threads again that the author wove throughout the book. It was an avant-garde writing attempt and I really appreciate it now that I'm through. It will never be my favorite book, but I like that the author tried something different.
My criticisms are: The plot itself, if you read it chronologically forward would have been pretty limp, wet noodle-y. I can understand why the people who opted to read it that way hated it. I wish there was a bit more character development/introduction at the beginning of the book (chapters 36-30). I don't think it would have hurt the chronology to flesh out the characters a bit to give the reader something to care about.
My recommendation to other readers: Stick with the book and pay attention to details, don't read it back to front. It's a quick read and it's confusing, but it does come together eventually. Re-read the chronological end after you get to the end of the book. I think this book is probably not a good recommendation for the casual reader who is looking for an enjoyable read, it will sit better with a reader who can appreciate the art and craftsmanship that went in to telling a story backwards.
My criticisms are: The plot itself, if you read it chronologically forward would have been pretty limp, wet noodle-y. I can understand why the people who opted to read it that way hated it. I wish there was a bit more character development/introduction at the beginning of the book (chapters 36-30). I don't think it would have hurt the chronology to flesh out the characters a bit to give the reader something to care about.
My recommendation to other readers: Stick with the book and pay attention to details, don't read it back to front. It's a quick read and it's confusing, but it does come together eventually. Re-read the chronological end after you get to the end of the book. I think this book is probably not a good recommendation for the casual reader who is looking for an enjoyable read, it will sit better with a reader who can appreciate the art and craftsmanship that went in to telling a story backwards.
October 16, 2021
Brilliant. Mind Boggling.
I'm so excited that I can't form the words to say how good it is.
An experimental book in reverse, yet Jeffery Deaver pulled off his trademark twists and turns.
It's damn good.
Don't dnf, complete it, re read it, you'll get to know how brilliantly Deaver has plotted the October List.... Highly recommended.
I'm so excited that I can't form the words to say how good it is.
An experimental book in reverse, yet Jeffery Deaver pulled off his trademark twists and turns.
It's damn good.
Don't dnf, complete it, re read it, you'll get to know how brilliantly Deaver has plotted the October List.... Highly recommended.
December 29, 2017
The concept of writing a novel backwards by chapter is an interesting one, requiring a wordsmith of the calibre of author Ian McEwan to pull it off successfully. Unfortunately, we are given three days of dumb characters reciting dumber lines in New York City. The only one of interest is the psychopathic kidnapper, Joseph. The other characters appear to believe they are dealing with someone rational enough to negotiate terms; which does not seem to be the case.
This book received mixed reviews but for me it failed at every level, binning it after 70+ pages. I hoping his other books are less trash (pulp fiction) and something more cerebral.
This book received mixed reviews but for me it failed at every level, binning it after 70+ pages. I hoping his other books are less trash (pulp fiction) and something more cerebral.
October 17, 2013
I’m not quite sure where to start with this review, do I begin at the beginning or do I jump straight to the end and work my way back, just like Jeffery Deaver? I’m still confused!
Reading a book that defies all logic, beginning with a final scene that makes absolutely no sense at all, is without doubt a huge challenge for both reader and writer. It goes against the grain and everything you learn as a reader. Everyone starts at the start, chapter one. These are the rules; there have been – up until now – no deviation from these rules – simple as that. Although an unwritten one it’s what everyone expects, save for those readers who are impatient and read the final chapter first to see what happens. The October List, for the first third of the book, makes absolutely no sense at all!
It does take some getting used to, I found myself trying to figure out the ending of a chapter so that the previous one made sense, that’s not something you’d encounter normally. That’s where the book is so confusing, a character is mentioned in a scene, sometimes pivotal, yet we have no idea how Gabriel knew him and how he came to be in that situation. Two chapters later we find out how that character is connected to the story and it begins to make sense, until another similar situation occurs in the following chapter!
There’s a lot of re reading previous chapters – for me at least – and this did hinder the flow a little but given the style of this book I can’t at this moment think of a better way of approaching it.
When you read a book with regular chronology – i.e. forwards – then you have time to grow with the characters, you learn about their background, personality and what makes them tick. You don’t have that luxury here. Having said that, that’s what makes the reveal work at the end. The format will definitely be akin to vegemite, some will love it, some will hate it.
The clever thing with The October List is that you’d think knowing the outcome that the book would be bereft of shocks and surprises. I can safely say there’s plenty here to keep you going and like a lot of books there’s a sweet spot when things unravel and start to make sense – for me it was five chapters from the end.
I really did enjoy how it all unravelled, why it was done and the engineering of the plot. If this book had been written as a regular book then the storyline wouldn’t have been overly complex and the plot would have been fairly formulaic. However because of the nature of this book the ending is brilliant and very well thought out. I can guarantee that once you’ve finished the book you’ll re read the first chapter (the true ending of the book) to see what happened.
The writing itself is typical Deaver, accomplished and tight. You don’t appreciate the style when you are reading because you are concentrating so hard but once it’s all over you can sit back and say “that was clever” or “aha, now I understand”. I’d highly recommend reading the book for a number of reasons but by far my number one reason – it’s different.
This format undoubtedly makes you work harder. As I’ve mentioned it’s not a fluid or easy read. It’s very technical and not at all what you would expect. Mr Deaver should be applauded for coming up with something fresh and new. Will it catch on? I’m not so sure. Is it entertaining? It most certainly is. Stick with it, you will be rewarded at the end.
3.5 out of 5
Reading a book that defies all logic, beginning with a final scene that makes absolutely no sense at all, is without doubt a huge challenge for both reader and writer. It goes against the grain and everything you learn as a reader. Everyone starts at the start, chapter one. These are the rules; there have been – up until now – no deviation from these rules – simple as that. Although an unwritten one it’s what everyone expects, save for those readers who are impatient and read the final chapter first to see what happens. The October List, for the first third of the book, makes absolutely no sense at all!
It does take some getting used to, I found myself trying to figure out the ending of a chapter so that the previous one made sense, that’s not something you’d encounter normally. That’s where the book is so confusing, a character is mentioned in a scene, sometimes pivotal, yet we have no idea how Gabriel knew him and how he came to be in that situation. Two chapters later we find out how that character is connected to the story and it begins to make sense, until another similar situation occurs in the following chapter!
There’s a lot of re reading previous chapters – for me at least – and this did hinder the flow a little but given the style of this book I can’t at this moment think of a better way of approaching it.
When you read a book with regular chronology – i.e. forwards – then you have time to grow with the characters, you learn about their background, personality and what makes them tick. You don’t have that luxury here. Having said that, that’s what makes the reveal work at the end. The format will definitely be akin to vegemite, some will love it, some will hate it.
The clever thing with The October List is that you’d think knowing the outcome that the book would be bereft of shocks and surprises. I can safely say there’s plenty here to keep you going and like a lot of books there’s a sweet spot when things unravel and start to make sense – for me it was five chapters from the end.
I really did enjoy how it all unravelled, why it was done and the engineering of the plot. If this book had been written as a regular book then the storyline wouldn’t have been overly complex and the plot would have been fairly formulaic. However because of the nature of this book the ending is brilliant and very well thought out. I can guarantee that once you’ve finished the book you’ll re read the first chapter (the true ending of the book) to see what happened.
The writing itself is typical Deaver, accomplished and tight. You don’t appreciate the style when you are reading because you are concentrating so hard but once it’s all over you can sit back and say “that was clever” or “aha, now I understand”. I’d highly recommend reading the book for a number of reasons but by far my number one reason – it’s different.
This format undoubtedly makes you work harder. As I’ve mentioned it’s not a fluid or easy read. It’s very technical and not at all what you would expect. Mr Deaver should be applauded for coming up with something fresh and new. Will it catch on? I’m not so sure. Is it entertaining? It most certainly is. Stick with it, you will be rewarded at the end.
3.5 out of 5
January 10, 2024
"Promettere. Che parola assurda. Non puoi fidarti di una parola così. O almeno non dovresti. E lo stesso vale per fidarsi".
Lo dico subito: questo thriller entra di diritto tra i miei preferiti di sempre! Storia davvero spettacolare anche se, all'apparenza, non proprio originale: una donna, a cui hanno rapito la figlioletta, ha poco più di due giorni per recuperare una misteriosa lista. Tutto qui? E invece no… perché, ed è questo che mi ha fatto "amare" il romanzo, la storia è raccontata all'incontrario, quindi partendo dalla fine e procedendo verso l'inizio della vicenda vera e propria dove, con una serie di colpi di scena, si scoprirà come siano andate veramente le cose e chi siano davvero i personaggi del libro.
October List, uscito nel 2014, non è il "solito" romanzo su Lincoln Rhyme o Kathryn Dance ma, per il povero lettore è, comunque, una gran bella "gatta da pelare" perché, andando a ritroso con la storia, dovrà mettere insieme i pezzi del puzzle, anche aiutandosi con le foto contenute all'inizio di ogni capitolo, per arrivare alla soluzione del mistero prima che l'ultimo capitolo (che in realtà è il primo) ci sveli l'incredibile verità.
[https://lastanzadiantonio.blogspot.co...]
Lo dico subito: questo thriller entra di diritto tra i miei preferiti di sempre! Storia davvero spettacolare anche se, all'apparenza, non proprio originale: una donna, a cui hanno rapito la figlioletta, ha poco più di due giorni per recuperare una misteriosa lista. Tutto qui? E invece no… perché, ed è questo che mi ha fatto "amare" il romanzo, la storia è raccontata all'incontrario, quindi partendo dalla fine e procedendo verso l'inizio della vicenda vera e propria dove, con una serie di colpi di scena, si scoprirà come siano andate veramente le cose e chi siano davvero i personaggi del libro.
October List, uscito nel 2014, non è il "solito" romanzo su Lincoln Rhyme o Kathryn Dance ma, per il povero lettore è, comunque, una gran bella "gatta da pelare" perché, andando a ritroso con la storia, dovrà mettere insieme i pezzi del puzzle, anche aiutandosi con le foto contenute all'inizio di ogni capitolo, per arrivare alla soluzione del mistero prima che l'ultimo capitolo (che in realtà è il primo) ci sveli l'incredibile verità.
[https://lastanzadiantonio.blogspot.co...]
November 4, 2013
It seems Deaver is hardly content to write a straight novel anymore, what with his recent country-music storybook (with music CD for sale!) and now this novel written backwards. We remember being clueless about a movie we saw done that way once, and this book wasn’t much better. We actually hated the constant receding in time, and were it not for the incredible twist at the end (or the beginning!), we would have barely recommended “List” at all. Supposedly the leading character Gabriela’s daughter has been abducted, and she and a “friend” are in a panic to assemble both the ransom money as well as a (“The October”) list of “questionable” clients of an investment firm. She winds up shooting someone and being pursued by the police, so it is difficult as time regresses to maintain a sane understanding of the story line.
We’ve read the author’s entire bibliography, but wish he would rather stick to his knitting than give us such “clever” departures from his normally suspenseful tales. If he’s just bored, like a lot of writers we follow through a very lengthy booklist, we almost wish he’d just quit.
We’ve read the author’s entire bibliography, but wish he would rather stick to his knitting than give us such “clever” departures from his normally suspenseful tales. If he’s just bored, like a lot of writers we follow through a very lengthy booklist, we almost wish he’d just quit.
October 14, 2013
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
NetGalley ARC - thank you, NetGalley : )
3.5 Stars
Gabriela is your average woman – a single mother who works as an office manager. Two days ago she found her life turned upside down. Her boss apparently had been working on some not so legitimate projects which left the company raided by the police, her employer vanished and a document called “The October List” (that a very bad man wants) missing. Now Gabriela’s daughter has been kidnapped. She has 30 hours to pay the kidnapper $500,000 and deliver the “October List” if she ever wants to see her daughter again.
Wheeeeeeeee! This ended up being MUCH more fun than I thought it would. Honestly, I kind of HATED this book when I started. “The October List” jumps in at full throttle speed, but with no action to justify the tempo. A mystery written using forward motion doesn’t throw you right into the deep end with no life jacket. Just because this one runs in reverse it shouldn’t have to either. That being said, by the halfway point (and this isn’t a long book - getting 50% in is pretty easy) I was used to the pace and comfortable with the reverse sequencing. I settled in and started enjoying myself. By 75% the thrill ride REALLY started and by the end my mind was almost officially blown. I had not read Jeffrey Deaver before, therefore I had zero expectations when I started. After reading “The October List” I’ll definitely add more of his books to my TBR list.
NetGalley ARC - thank you, NetGalley : )
3.5 Stars
Gabriela is your average woman – a single mother who works as an office manager. Two days ago she found her life turned upside down. Her boss apparently had been working on some not so legitimate projects which left the company raided by the police, her employer vanished and a document called “The October List” (that a very bad man wants) missing. Now Gabriela’s daughter has been kidnapped. She has 30 hours to pay the kidnapper $500,000 and deliver the “October List” if she ever wants to see her daughter again.
Wheeeeeeeee! This ended up being MUCH more fun than I thought it would. Honestly, I kind of HATED this book when I started. “The October List” jumps in at full throttle speed, but with no action to justify the tempo. A mystery written using forward motion doesn’t throw you right into the deep end with no life jacket. Just because this one runs in reverse it shouldn’t have to either. That being said, by the halfway point (and this isn’t a long book - getting 50% in is pretty easy) I was used to the pace and comfortable with the reverse sequencing. I settled in and started enjoying myself. By 75% the thrill ride REALLY started and by the end my mind was almost officially blown. I had not read Jeffrey Deaver before, therefore I had zero expectations when I started. After reading “The October List” I’ll definitely add more of his books to my TBR list.
June 25, 2017
Who doesn't like a great tale with a messed up chronology? Why, some of the best movies have employed that storytelling technique with some degree of genius. October List, alas, shows no genius and uses the reverse chronology as a mere trick to elevate otherwise utterly pedestrian supermarket rack quality thriller. And I'm usually very lenient and forgiving when it comes to audio books, but this one had some strikingly embarrassing writing along the lines of...sensual boat steering. The sort of cheesy ludicrousness, garish implausibility and cardboard characters an author might produce for a quick paycheck targeting the audiences of the low hanging fruit variety. Koontzian method if you like. The only thing that saves this hyperbolic drivel from being total crap is the reverse timeline with it's slew of plot twists piled toward the end, which is really the beginning. And I didn't care for the narrator either. I normally prefer male readers for audiobooks and have some favorites, but in some cases a book calls for a female narrator. This wasn't such a case, the main protagonist was a female, but the story was told in third person and every other character was male, so it just sounded silly and occasionally weirdly shrillish if that's a word and if it isn't, then aurally discordant. So at best it was mildly entertaining and reasonably brief, only 6 discs, and did pass the time.
December 17, 2014
WOW!! What a great audio book! Jeffery Deaver has done it again. When I first started listening to this book I kept thinking that I should start from chapter 1, but the audio book started from chapter 36. I know it’s strange, but that’s where it started. So I went with it. Can you imagine listening/reading a book from the end to the beginning? You get all of the action from the beginning (ending) as it builds to the ending (beginning). If you like JD and a twist of suspense, then you will like this book. I highly recommend it and if at all possible, please listen to it.
May 20, 2018
I am a great fan of Jeffery Deaver, loved all his books. His twisted plots are amazing. But this one is definitely not my favourite.
I totally love the whole idea of the book. Starting with the end and going back to the beginning? What a great idea! So innovative and totally unexpected! I haven't met with this in any other book.
But the problem with this story is that it is not really interesting. It's just boring for most of the time. The story just didn't grab my attention, I wasn't really into it. And even though the book is quite short, it took me a while to finish it.
Also, to be totally honest, if you read some books by Jeffery Deaver, you know what to expect. And this is a quite standard story from this author. It is not that hard to predict the twists and turns. Including the ending, unfortunately.
It's a pretty nice read for those who haven't read too many other books from Jeffery Deaver. And, as I said, the whole idea of the book is very refreshing and innovative. I believe that this book would make a great movie.
I totally love the whole idea of the book. Starting with the end and going back to the beginning? What a great idea! So innovative and totally unexpected! I haven't met with this in any other book.
But the problem with this story is that it is not really interesting. It's just boring for most of the time. The story just didn't grab my attention, I wasn't really into it. And even though the book is quite short, it took me a while to finish it.
Also, to be totally honest, if you read some books by Jeffery Deaver, you know what to expect. And this is a quite standard story from this author. It is not that hard to predict the twists and turns. Including the ending, unfortunately.
It's a pretty nice read for those who haven't read too many other books from Jeffery Deaver. And, as I said, the whole idea of the book is very refreshing and innovative. I believe that this book would make a great movie.
January 25, 2016
I love movies that have a fractured timeline, where the past is revealed as the story is told - I find them more interesting, and I find that they don't insult the intelligence of the audience. I didn't feel that the book format worked, though. I think that it's a function more of authors not understanding how their audience reads than how they're written. It's not that they're overestimating the intelligence of their readers, it's that they're overestimating their own knowledge of their readers.
When you're watching a movie, you have the benefit of (normally) watching it all in one sitting. Very few have that luxury when reading a book. In my case, where I can only commit to 15 to 30 minutes a night before bed, I often found myself lost, spending a good portion of the time that I had available trying to catch up. That ends up feeling like wasted time, and it takes me twice as long to read it as it otherwise would. Fortunately, I had a couple of hours one day to dedicate to the book, so I could read it the way that the author intended, but again, that just highlighted for me that he didn't get me (and readers like me). That's why I only gave it 2 stars: I didn't want to pick it up because I couldn't remember the characters, or what had happened, and just ended up feeling frustrated.
When you're watching a movie, you have the benefit of (normally) watching it all in one sitting. Very few have that luxury when reading a book. In my case, where I can only commit to 15 to 30 minutes a night before bed, I often found myself lost, spending a good portion of the time that I had available trying to catch up. That ends up feeling like wasted time, and it takes me twice as long to read it as it otherwise would. Fortunately, I had a couple of hours one day to dedicate to the book, so I could read it the way that the author intended, but again, that just highlighted for me that he didn't get me (and readers like me). That's why I only gave it 2 stars: I didn't want to pick it up because I couldn't remember the characters, or what had happened, and just ended up feeling frustrated.
October 17, 2021
An experimental, but incredibly structured book. It's an example of backward storytelling - rather than the conventional forward one. So, it's all about connecting dot-to-dot as we move closer to the origin (chapter 1). Deaver does it pretty well, making significant plot points as the pages pass through, as well as saving the twists and turns for the last along with his incredible writing. It's basically a layered story that works best when told in reverse, or rather it was structured like that.
This is my first Deaver (and, I might re-read this one again) and boy, am I looking forward to his Lincoln Rhyme series. *____*
This is my first Deaver (and, I might re-read this one again) and boy, am I looking forward to his Lincoln Rhyme series. *____*
December 11, 2018
Deaver ist speziell und dieses Buch ist kompliziert. Weiß gar nicht richtig wie ich das bewerten soll.
Die Story beginnt mit dem eigentlichen Ende und wird rückwärts erzählt. Das Tempo ist die ganze Zeit hoch und der Stil ist gar nicht schlecht wenn man sich erstmal daran gewöhnt hat.
Aber irgendwie war es nicht meins.
Die Figuren bleiben blass, nur Gabriela, die anfangs hilflos erscheint, wird total gut dargestellt.
Immer muss man neu nachvollziehen was jetzt vorher passiert ist und die Zusammenhänge neu verknüpfen, ist als definitiv nichts zum Abschalten.
Spannend wird es nur stellenweise, wobei es ab der Mitte deutlich besser wird, da kommen die Deaver-typischen Wendungen und Zusammenhänge auf.
Alles in allem ist es ok, die Idee des "Rückwärts-Erzählen" ist auch gelungen aber man muss es nicht gelesen haben.
Die Story beginnt mit dem eigentlichen Ende und wird rückwärts erzählt. Das Tempo ist die ganze Zeit hoch und der Stil ist gar nicht schlecht wenn man sich erstmal daran gewöhnt hat.
Aber irgendwie war es nicht meins.
Die Figuren bleiben blass, nur Gabriela, die anfangs hilflos erscheint, wird total gut dargestellt.
Immer muss man neu nachvollziehen was jetzt vorher passiert ist und die Zusammenhänge neu verknüpfen, ist als definitiv nichts zum Abschalten.
Spannend wird es nur stellenweise, wobei es ab der Mitte deutlich besser wird, da kommen die Deaver-typischen Wendungen und Zusammenhänge auf.
Alles in allem ist es ok, die Idee des "Rückwärts-Erzählen" ist auch gelungen aber man muss es nicht gelesen haben.
October 8, 2013
I had no idea what to expect when I got this book. Of course I expected nothing less than classic Deaver twists and turns. I got all that and way more. Since I first heard about this book I had read a few descriptions, and it never registered that it was described as a novel in reverse. I was thrown off when I opened the book and instead of a title page or copyright page I just saw Chapter 36. The book nerd in me was really excited when I flipped to the back of the book and there was all the copyright pages and titles pages as well as a table of contents with titles for each picture before each chapter.
That's right I said pictures before each chapter. Jeffery Deaver took his camera and did some photo journalism to go along with the story. I would highly recommend not reading the titles for the pictures becasue it does give away what each chapter is about. Since the table of contents is in the back I don't think that will be a problem unless you cheat. The pictures do reveal their own clues if you can figure them out. Some of the pictures I think only Deaver knew what they meant, because I couldn't figure it out even after reading the chapter.
When you are reading a book in reverse the story can be a bit disjointed. You read a chapter and events move forward, but then the next chapter takes you back an hour or so before what you just read. Then as you read further you catch up to what you just read. It was an adjustment, but after a few chapters I definitely got the hang of it.
Here's what makes reading this book in reverse so interesting. You know what happens but not how or why it happened. Here's an example, and I'm not giving anything away. The main character Gabriela is said to keep wiping blood from the corners of her mouth, and she is holding her side. That's all you know when you start reading this. I kept trying to figure out what kind of injury could possibly cause her to cough up blood, and why she would be holding her side. I kept reading just so I could fill in those types of gaps. This fact alone made this a book I really couldn't put down. Deaver's level of suspense was so intense that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened before what I just read. I know this doesn't make any sense but know that Deaver makes this work.
I want to say so much more about how amazing this book is, but I am afraid I will give something away, and I can't ruin the fun for any future readers out there. Even if I did include spoiler alerts in this post it would go on and on for pages. All you really need to know is that this book is absolutely amazing. I am giving this a full 5 out of 5 stars and would even give this a 6th if possible. This is one of my favorite books, and I am suffering a massive book hangover. I never wanted this one to end. To anyone who likes to read you need to check this book out.
That's right I said pictures before each chapter. Jeffery Deaver took his camera and did some photo journalism to go along with the story. I would highly recommend not reading the titles for the pictures becasue it does give away what each chapter is about. Since the table of contents is in the back I don't think that will be a problem unless you cheat. The pictures do reveal their own clues if you can figure them out. Some of the pictures I think only Deaver knew what they meant, because I couldn't figure it out even after reading the chapter.
When you are reading a book in reverse the story can be a bit disjointed. You read a chapter and events move forward, but then the next chapter takes you back an hour or so before what you just read. Then as you read further you catch up to what you just read. It was an adjustment, but after a few chapters I definitely got the hang of it.
Here's what makes reading this book in reverse so interesting. You know what happens but not how or why it happened. Here's an example, and I'm not giving anything away. The main character Gabriela is said to keep wiping blood from the corners of her mouth, and she is holding her side. That's all you know when you start reading this. I kept trying to figure out what kind of injury could possibly cause her to cough up blood, and why she would be holding her side. I kept reading just so I could fill in those types of gaps. This fact alone made this a book I really couldn't put down. Deaver's level of suspense was so intense that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened before what I just read. I know this doesn't make any sense but know that Deaver makes this work.
I want to say so much more about how amazing this book is, but I am afraid I will give something away, and I can't ruin the fun for any future readers out there. Even if I did include spoiler alerts in this post it would go on and on for pages. All you really need to know is that this book is absolutely amazing. I am giving this a full 5 out of 5 stars and would even give this a 6th if possible. This is one of my favorite books, and I am suffering a massive book hangover. I never wanted this one to end. To anyone who likes to read you need to check this book out.
September 26, 2013
First, the required part: Thanks to Netgalley for letting me have a copy for a fair and honest review!
Okay, on to the nitty gritty.
I liked this book. I really did. I'm shocked that I did, actually. I mean, what kind of an author does it take to pull of such a gimmicky idea and actually do it well? It's damn near impossible, really. Well, Jeffery Deaver did it.
The beginning was a little slow -- which is expected. You immediately see the endgame, but you know nothing about the players. Each chapter has events that, chronologically, happen AFTER later chapters but end up serving as GREAT teasers or foreshadowings to events. Especially considering this was a THRILLER, and thrillers rely on chapter cliffhangers with huge events or new evidence or crazy happenings to move the story forward, I wasn't sure that Deaver would pull it off... and he did, with ever-increasing flying colors. The farther the book went, the more I wanted to read "just one more chapter" to get to that final ending.
I think what I really loved most about this book was that the ending had just what you expected, that twist that would make you disappointed in the book had that been the ONLY twist... but it then twisted yet again... then one more time.
I had been putting off reading any Deaver (this was my first of his novels) as I'm in the middle of so many series right now... but I'm glad I took a friend's recommendation (Hi, Patrice!) and requested this from Netgalley. Taking a chance can pay off... and now I'm more excited than ever about jumping into the Lincoln Rhyme books, just as soon as I can finish some of these series I'm in the middle of now!!!
Okay, on to the nitty gritty.
I liked this book. I really did. I'm shocked that I did, actually. I mean, what kind of an author does it take to pull of such a gimmicky idea and actually do it well? It's damn near impossible, really. Well, Jeffery Deaver did it.
The beginning was a little slow -- which is expected. You immediately see the endgame, but you know nothing about the players. Each chapter has events that, chronologically, happen AFTER later chapters but end up serving as GREAT teasers or foreshadowings to events. Especially considering this was a THRILLER, and thrillers rely on chapter cliffhangers with huge events or new evidence or crazy happenings to move the story forward, I wasn't sure that Deaver would pull it off... and he did, with ever-increasing flying colors. The farther the book went, the more I wanted to read "just one more chapter" to get to that final ending.
I think what I really loved most about this book was that the ending had just what you expected, that twist that would make you disappointed in the book had that been the ONLY twist... but it then twisted yet again... then one more time.
I had been putting off reading any Deaver (this was my first of his novels) as I'm in the middle of so many series right now... but I'm glad I took a friend's recommendation (Hi, Patrice!) and requested this from Netgalley. Taking a chance can pay off... and now I'm more excited than ever about jumping into the Lincoln Rhyme books, just as soon as I can finish some of these series I'm in the middle of now!!!
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