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Orient
At the eastern edge of Long Island, far from the hustle of New York City, stands Orient, a village that has been home to a few families for hundreds of years and is now - reluctantly - opening up to wealthy weekenders and artists from the city. On the last day of summer, a young man with a hazy past appears, and not long after comes a series of horrific events that shatter the peace in this isolated community. Fear and suspicion mount until everyone's secrets threaten to be exposed. But who is Mills Chevern? What is his real name and why is he here? As all eyes turn towards the orphan drifter, Mills elicits the support of Beth Shepherd, an Orient native who is hiding a secret of her own...
612 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2016
259 people are currently reading
4209 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Bollen
16 books416 followersChristopher Bollen is a writer who lives in New York City. He regularly writes about art, literature, and culture and is the author of six novels, numerous short stories, articles, essays, and interviews.
His first novel, Lightning People, was published in 2011. His second novel, Orient, was published in 2015. He then wrote The Destsroyers, A Beautiful Crime, and The Lost Americans .
His new novel HAVOC was published December 3, 2024 by Harper.
Describing his novels, The Daily Telegraph notes that "Bollen writes expansive, psychologically probing novels in the manner of Updike, Eugenides and Franzen, but he is also an avowed disciple of Agatha Christie.
His first novel, Lightning People, was published in 2011. His second novel, Orient, was published in 2015. He then wrote The Destsroyers, A Beautiful Crime, and The Lost Americans .
His new novel HAVOC was published December 3, 2024 by Harper.
Describing his novels, The Daily Telegraph notes that "Bollen writes expansive, psychologically probing novels in the manner of Updike, Eugenides and Franzen, but he is also an avowed disciple of Agatha Christie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
November 27, 2016
Audible
BRILLIANT!!!
IF YOU UNDERSTAND/LIKE/APPRECIATE/ESTIMATE A
Audible: 21 hrs 37 min
The reasons I wanted to read this book were:
THIS BOOK IS A FINALIST of the 28th Lambda in the category GAY FICTION.
The reason I chosen an audio book:
Christopher Bollen is an extremely talented writer and he did an excellent job in creating a gripping and paranoia atmosphere of a small community on Long Island. The mystery is outstanding. I am not going to tell a single word about it. You'll have many suspicious, assumptions, guesses. They will be probably ALL wrong. No spoiler from me.
READ IT. That is all I'd like to say.
If you have a possibility to chose an audio book, just do it. Michael Rahhal made this incredible book into a listening experience of the highest perfection.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
August 27, 2018
Più passa il tempo, più mi rendo conto che le mie recensioni hanno dei contenuti ricorrenti, forse sintomi di ossessioni (a loro volta sintomi di senilità?).
Prima ossessione: la lunghezza dei libri.
Non ce la faccio a non scrivere per la milionesima volta che un giallo di cinquecento e rotti pagine è una follia, perché, se la ferrea regola del genere impone di svelare il mistero nelle ultime trenta o cinquanta pagine, allora bisogna trovare il modo di dare un senso a TUTTE le altre quattrocentocinquanta, senza peraltro sbottonarsi troppo, e l'esperienza di lettrice mi insegna che non è possibile.
Certo, non è stato concesso a tutti il dono della meravigliosa capacità di sintesi di Simenon, ma almeno evitare di ripetere decine di volte la tiritera sulla diffidenza dei residenti storici verso i nuovi arrivati dovrebbe essere possibile quasi a chiunque (e comunque, viva le grandi città, dove nessuno conosce i propri vicini e, comunque, tutti se ne fregano della data in cui gli altri sono arrivati).
E' un peccato, perché nel finale, cioè quando l'autore si libera dalla tentazione di imitare Proust e finalmente fa succedere qualcosa, il libro è bello e ruba l'attenzione del lettore senza difficoltà. La scoperta del colpevole non lascia del tutto stupefatti, ma come e perché sia arrivato a fare quello che ha fatto non era prevedibile (almeno, io non lo avevo previsto) e la fine è bella.
Seconda ossessione: le traduzioni.
Una volta mi scandalizzavo quando mi rendevo conto che non era stato reso bene il testo originale, ma erano bei tempi. In questa traduzione potrete trovare le seguenti perle: "se si fosse alzato avrebbe camminato su un modo curvo" (???); "il rame prevenì la ruggine"; "soddisfavano"; "quei scantinati", e c'è dell'altro. Il problema, quindi, non è che il testo originale sia reso male, ma che il testo tradotto non è formulato in termini che possano essere ritenuti accettabili in una quarta elementare. Come sia possibile, non lo so.
Prima ossessione: la lunghezza dei libri.
Non ce la faccio a non scrivere per la milionesima volta che un giallo di cinquecento e rotti pagine è una follia, perché, se la ferrea regola del genere impone di svelare il mistero nelle ultime trenta o cinquanta pagine, allora bisogna trovare il modo di dare un senso a TUTTE le altre quattrocentocinquanta, senza peraltro sbottonarsi troppo, e l'esperienza di lettrice mi insegna che non è possibile.
Certo, non è stato concesso a tutti il dono della meravigliosa capacità di sintesi di Simenon, ma almeno evitare di ripetere decine di volte la tiritera sulla diffidenza dei residenti storici verso i nuovi arrivati dovrebbe essere possibile quasi a chiunque (e comunque, viva le grandi città, dove nessuno conosce i propri vicini e, comunque, tutti se ne fregano della data in cui gli altri sono arrivati).
E' un peccato, perché nel finale, cioè quando l'autore si libera dalla tentazione di imitare Proust e finalmente fa succedere qualcosa, il libro è bello e ruba l'attenzione del lettore senza difficoltà. La scoperta del colpevole non lascia del tutto stupefatti, ma come e perché sia arrivato a fare quello che ha fatto non era prevedibile (almeno, io non lo avevo previsto) e la fine è bella.
Seconda ossessione: le traduzioni.
Una volta mi scandalizzavo quando mi rendevo conto che non era stato reso bene il testo originale, ma erano bei tempi. In questa traduzione potrete trovare le seguenti perle: "se si fosse alzato avrebbe camminato su un modo curvo" (???); "il rame prevenì la ruggine"; "soddisfavano"; "quei scantinati", e c'è dell'altro. Il problema, quindi, non è che il testo originale sia reso male, ma che il testo tradotto non è formulato in termini che possano essere ritenuti accettabili in una quarta elementare. Come sia possibile, non lo so.
April 3, 2015
This novel is a literary mystery, which is simply another way of saying that it is extremely well written, with well rounded characters and a very interesting setting. Orient is a small community outside of New York. Not as exclusive as the Hamptons, the residents who live here year round are still resentful of those who have second homes there – especially artists, who have spread the word and are pushing locals out of the housing market. Two residents straddle both communities. One is Paul Benchley, who grew up in Orient and, although he is now a successful architect who lives in New York, still retains his family home there. The other is Beth Shepherd, an artist who has lost her confidence, who has moved back to her mother’s home with husband, Romanian artist, Gavril. Beth had decided to make a new life away from the city, and start a family; but, when we meet her, she has just discovered she is pregnant and suddenly finds she is not sure that this new start is the one she wants. Meanwhile, Paul Benchley has returned to Orient with Mills Chevron in tow – a young runaway foster boy who he has discovered in his New York apartment building. Seeing Mills is distressed and in need of help, he offers him work clearing out his old home.
The arrival of Mills in Orient causes some of the residents to worry – seeing him as a possible drug taker, or criminal, tongues begin to wag. Then the murders begin and Mill’s finds that he is a suspect. At first, the deaths are simply unexplained, but soon Beth utters the word ‘murder’ and people begin to panic. Both Beth and Mills are outsiders, even though Beth grew up in the town, and the unlikely pair team up to investigate.
The author really makes Orient and its residents come alive. There is small town paranoia; both about the deaths and the nearby US Animal Disease Centre on Plum Island. When bizarre animals are washed up in the bay, people are worrying about medical testing, the water being poisoned and conspiracy theories abound. Meanwhile, Beth discovers a links between the deaths and the Orient Historical Board, which is doing all it can to stop Orient being over developed and maintain the town as it is. Before long, Beth and Mills are dangerously aware of secrets, which abound beneath the seemingly sleepy and safe town – from business rivalry, unhappy marriages and betrayal. Can they stop the killings before public opinion sees Mills arrested or one of them in danger? How well does Beth really know the town she grew up in, or the people who live in it?
This novel has a good paced storyline, with a host of great characters. As well as liking the two main characters, I found many of the supporting cast intriguing – from over protective mother, Pam Muldoon, to her friend, the ruthless Sarakit, sarcastic artist Luz and police detective Mike Gilburn. The excellent cast of characters also gives the reader a good choice of suspects; although I was happy enough not to guess the killer and just enjoy the story. If you like novels by authors such as Joyce Carol Oates or Donna Tartt, you may well find this is a book which will appeal to you. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
May 27, 2016
A bloody good one!
Acute observation of humans, what makes them tick, their fragile hopes, their ugly little thoughts, their petty little deeds, their great endeavours, their little desperate touching of one another, their greed, their love, their hate. Bollen captures us and puts us in a closed-in claustrophobic atmosphere, an atmosphere which turns deadly, where he draws a picture with one hand and furiously rubs it away with the other to create another picture, and another and another until I'm left with . But that's more than OK. Totally enjoyed the journey and this is from one who balks at books who dare have half as much pages as this one had. Here no thought of that, I just read on and on.
Long Island Sound Ferry, Orient Point, Long Island, New York State
November 27, 2015
To maintain such wonder, joy and discovery for over 600 pages, and then to hit the reader with a sledgehammer of an ending it feels like your heart is going to burst from bittersweet agony … Christopher Bollen is either a saint or a devil. Maybe both.
It is a tried-and-tested formula whereby an author casts his omniscient gaze on a specific community and its inhabitants, warts and all. Here Bollen inhabits the real island setting of Orient in New York with a cast of long-time residents and itinerant wannabee newcomers fleeing the rat race of Manhattan for a perceived bucolic idyll.
However, every Eden has to have its apple and its primordial temptation, and in the case of Orient, this is ultimately its own hubris: that it can exist apart from the rest of the world, unaffected by the pull of the tide of world affairs.
Anyone who has ever lived in a small community like that of Orient will recognise the delicate picture that Bollen paints, from the diehards of the Orient Historical Board, who are committed to preserving a nostalgic heritage that they do not realise is so rose-tinted as to be ultimately unattainable, to the influx of immigrant artistes and yuppie property owners, who conveniently ignore the fact that nature is red in tooth
and claw...
Nature’s vengeance soon descends upon Orient when the prototypical Muldoon family is incinerated in their picture-postcard Orient home after a mysterious fire. Ironically, the father campaigned against connecting the island to Manhattan’s water infrastructure, thus limiting the resources available to the local fire department.
Orient’s collective paranoia soon focuses on one of their own sons and his decision to take in a delinquent teenager from New York, who also happens to be gay. A lot of the perspicacity of this novel derives from Bollen casting a queer eye over the affairs of Orient; this places it firmly in the rising firmament of post-gay fiction where sexuality is more a single element than a determinant of the plot. Let alone character. Or destiny.
Bollen has a lot to say about artistic value and integrity in the modern age, particularly as it relates to that much-maligned entity of ‘modern art’. He casts an equally critical eye on family dynamics in the age of constant connectivity, where cellphones and the Internet have eroded true intimacy.
This bounteous, generous and heartfelt novel consistently maintains a very delicate balance between darkness and light, epiphany and despair. It is perfectly paced and calibrated, with a wide range of fully-rounded characters that jump from the page in messy quotidian splendour.
Nothing much happens for so many pages and what seems like an awfully long time, but then the ending is such a gasp-inducing rearrangement of all the myriad plot elements, a lot of which I took for granted up to that point, that the light it casts is coruscating. It lays bare the beating, bleeding heart of this extraordinary novel.
It is a tried-and-tested formula whereby an author casts his omniscient gaze on a specific community and its inhabitants, warts and all. Here Bollen inhabits the real island setting of Orient in New York with a cast of long-time residents and itinerant wannabee newcomers fleeing the rat race of Manhattan for a perceived bucolic idyll.
However, every Eden has to have its apple and its primordial temptation, and in the case of Orient, this is ultimately its own hubris: that it can exist apart from the rest of the world, unaffected by the pull of the tide of world affairs.
Anyone who has ever lived in a small community like that of Orient will recognise the delicate picture that Bollen paints, from the diehards of the Orient Historical Board, who are committed to preserving a nostalgic heritage that they do not realise is so rose-tinted as to be ultimately unattainable, to the influx of immigrant artistes and yuppie property owners, who conveniently ignore the fact that nature is red in tooth
and claw...
Nature’s vengeance soon descends upon Orient when the prototypical Muldoon family is incinerated in their picture-postcard Orient home after a mysterious fire. Ironically, the father campaigned against connecting the island to Manhattan’s water infrastructure, thus limiting the resources available to the local fire department.
Orient’s collective paranoia soon focuses on one of their own sons and his decision to take in a delinquent teenager from New York, who also happens to be gay. A lot of the perspicacity of this novel derives from Bollen casting a queer eye over the affairs of Orient; this places it firmly in the rising firmament of post-gay fiction where sexuality is more a single element than a determinant of the plot. Let alone character. Or destiny.
Bollen has a lot to say about artistic value and integrity in the modern age, particularly as it relates to that much-maligned entity of ‘modern art’. He casts an equally critical eye on family dynamics in the age of constant connectivity, where cellphones and the Internet have eroded true intimacy.
This bounteous, generous and heartfelt novel consistently maintains a very delicate balance between darkness and light, epiphany and despair. It is perfectly paced and calibrated, with a wide range of fully-rounded characters that jump from the page in messy quotidian splendour.
Nothing much happens for so many pages and what seems like an awfully long time, but then the ending is such a gasp-inducing rearrangement of all the myriad plot elements, a lot of which I took for granted up to that point, that the light it casts is coruscating. It lays bare the beating, bleeding heart of this extraordinary novel.
May 11, 2015
Long, long book. Extreme character development. Are all artists starving and drunks? I was hoping for great mystery and some recognition of the town of Orient. The story could have taken place anywhere. I think the author should have spent more time in this town if he names the book after it. Not worth the 609 pages.
August 6, 2016
A literary mystery, heavy on literary with the mystery pulling together the last quarter of the book.
I have never read a novel with such well developed characters. You are privy to personalities, thoughts, psyche. Backgrounds revealed providing comprehensive development. The small close knit town of Orient is fully presented in minute particulars. You'll feel as if you're looming above silently absorbing the residents in the private unaccepting community to outsiders as the epic story unleashes.
I have mixed feelings regarding the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed the literary feel. I had no idea where the story would lead, what characters would be involved, intrigue was plentiful. I vacillated between being utterly absorbed to totally distracted. Parts became long winded and too drawn out. I appreciate details, often plentiful details cause disturbances. Clearly more tell than show serving well but tedious at times. Zero predictability, satisfying conclusion.
Mills served as a wonderful main character, and I liked Beth and her personal struggles. They way these two became friends eliminated the sterile feeling which would would have existed if these two didn't breathe life into Orient and all it holds. Given the number of characters I can't help but feel a few could have been removed. Luz felt like unnecessary filler in an already jammed packed narrative, her absence would not have been missed. There were moments feeling as if too many cooks were in the kitchen, on the other hand, the mix added plausibility and texture to this esoteric hamlet.
Literary fans will love the burst of mystery Bollen masterfully crafts. A read meant to be enjoyed slowly with its keen details. Quite a little town with plenty of intrigue, inhabitants full of secrets and conniving ideas.
I have never read a novel with such well developed characters. You are privy to personalities, thoughts, psyche. Backgrounds revealed providing comprehensive development. The small close knit town of Orient is fully presented in minute particulars. You'll feel as if you're looming above silently absorbing the residents in the private unaccepting community to outsiders as the epic story unleashes.
I have mixed feelings regarding the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed the literary feel. I had no idea where the story would lead, what characters would be involved, intrigue was plentiful. I vacillated between being utterly absorbed to totally distracted. Parts became long winded and too drawn out. I appreciate details, often plentiful details cause disturbances. Clearly more tell than show serving well but tedious at times. Zero predictability, satisfying conclusion.
Mills served as a wonderful main character, and I liked Beth and her personal struggles. They way these two became friends eliminated the sterile feeling which would would have existed if these two didn't breathe life into Orient and all it holds. Given the number of characters I can't help but feel a few could have been removed. Luz felt like unnecessary filler in an already jammed packed narrative, her absence would not have been missed. There were moments feeling as if too many cooks were in the kitchen, on the other hand, the mix added plausibility and texture to this esoteric hamlet.
Literary fans will love the burst of mystery Bollen masterfully crafts. A read meant to be enjoyed slowly with its keen details. Quite a little town with plenty of intrigue, inhabitants full of secrets and conniving ideas.
June 4, 2015
Ok. So folks are describing this as a "literary thriller," right? I found it to be only marginally literary and hardly thrilling. Tedious is more like it. And the only "literary" thing here is that it's populated by a bunch of artists.
The prose is forced to the point of being almost unbearable at times. But that's not the worst of it. The worst of it is the inane plot. Hasn't the author ever read a thriller? Does he ever watch TV or go to a movie? Does he have no idea of how to put a credible crime story together? There is nothing here that bears even the remotest scrutiny. At first he can get some leeway on the idea that a small-town cop has no idea how to run a murder investigation but after -- god, how many was it? four, six, whatever? -- let's call it multiple murders, surely a professional would have taken over.
Hardly good enough to merit an extra star but I'll give it 2 out of charity here.
The prose is forced to the point of being almost unbearable at times. But that's not the worst of it. The worst of it is the inane plot. Hasn't the author ever read a thriller? Does he ever watch TV or go to a movie? Does he have no idea of how to put a credible crime story together? There is nothing here that bears even the remotest scrutiny. At first he can get some leeway on the idea that a small-town cop has no idea how to run a murder investigation but after -- god, how many was it? four, six, whatever? -- let's call it multiple murders, surely a professional would have taken over.
Hardly good enough to merit an extra star but I'll give it 2 out of charity here.
May 25, 2015
I picked up Orient at random, having never heard of it before, but being lured in by the description of it being “The Great Gatsby meets Donna Tartt.” I’ve read a few crime thriller type books recently, and this seemed like just the kind of thing that I wanted to stay with. Small town, creepy things happening, page turner.. you know. I devoured a John Connolly book a few weeks ago, which is going to stick with me for a long time. It’s also set in a small town with an insular population, murder, strange things, locating the killer, etc.. that book was brilliant. And it’s book 13 of a crime thriller type series. I almost expected more from Orient, but it totally failed to hit the mark for me, on both the crime/thriller, and the literature fronts.
Orient is a long book, and I spent the first 300 or so pages unable to decide whether to continue reading or not. I wasn’t gripped or drawn in at all, until I was so close to the end that I just wanted to know who did it. It was both predictable and ridiculous – the ‘year rounder’ characters were like cardboard cut outs. It felt almost like Brady Bunch level character building, with the exception of Mills and to a degree, Beth and Paul. Most characters were too wooden and formulaic, and there was so long spent on introducing everybody that I lost patience and interest.
Parts of the book were reminiscent of Jonathan Franzen, but more in the ‘inspired by’ than ‘on the level of’ sense. Franzen’s characters stay with me for months, sometimes years – but this book was a pale comparison. Without including any spoilers, the ends are all tied in the last 100ish pages. Much of the ‘reveal’ happens through clunky, unrealistic dialogue – someone talking through their thought process to tie everything in a neat bow for the reader. ‘Oh, so when this happened, that’s when you were doing that thing. And I should’ve noticed when this happened that it was connected to this other thing. You are an arsehole, I didn’t realize that your motivation was tied to that event that I will now run through to demonstrate my realization.’
The first 2/3 of the book was so slow going and painful, so much scene setting and character introduction, that I was just itching for something to actually happen. And I’m happy to read a 1000 page tome with no plot to speak of – it’s not the lack of action that was missing. It was the lack of action, in a book that failed to grip me for any other reason. I didn’t find it particularly well written, and only kept reading to get to the redeeming part of the book, because it seems to have received wonderful praise and reviews.
Orient is a long book, and I spent the first 300 or so pages unable to decide whether to continue reading or not. I wasn’t gripped or drawn in at all, until I was so close to the end that I just wanted to know who did it. It was both predictable and ridiculous – the ‘year rounder’ characters were like cardboard cut outs. It felt almost like Brady Bunch level character building, with the exception of Mills and to a degree, Beth and Paul. Most characters were too wooden and formulaic, and there was so long spent on introducing everybody that I lost patience and interest.
Parts of the book were reminiscent of Jonathan Franzen, but more in the ‘inspired by’ than ‘on the level of’ sense. Franzen’s characters stay with me for months, sometimes years – but this book was a pale comparison. Without including any spoilers, the ends are all tied in the last 100ish pages. Much of the ‘reveal’ happens through clunky, unrealistic dialogue – someone talking through their thought process to tie everything in a neat bow for the reader. ‘Oh, so when this happened, that’s when you were doing that thing. And I should’ve noticed when this happened that it was connected to this other thing. You are an arsehole, I didn’t realize that your motivation was tied to that event that I will now run through to demonstrate my realization.’
The first 2/3 of the book was so slow going and painful, so much scene setting and character introduction, that I was just itching for something to actually happen. And I’m happy to read a 1000 page tome with no plot to speak of – it’s not the lack of action that was missing. It was the lack of action, in a book that failed to grip me for any other reason. I didn’t find it particularly well written, and only kept reading to get to the redeeming part of the book, because it seems to have received wonderful praise and reviews.
April 15, 2017
Character driven literary crime novel - one with a whole plethora of intriguing characters. One I picked up on a whim whilst in Waterstones, it was very excellent.
Fuller review to follow.
Fuller review to follow.
November 18, 2015
My 5th book in my second Mr B's Reading Year.
Ok, let's start with a couple of simple points. This book is long and the pace is slow. It is character and landscape driven. So if you are looking for a fast paced thriller move on.
Having said that, I loved it. I think it helped that I was on holiday and able to devote the time to it. I was beguiled by the characters and the town of Orient. I could see it and then so clearly and was fascinated by the various relationships. Mills and Beth, I particularly enjoyed. To the extent that at times I forgot it was a mystery.
In the end the pace intensifies and the last third has bits which had me going no! The ending, whilst not being a total surprise was exciting and nicely twisty.
Definitely worth a read but give yourself some time.
Ok, let's start with a couple of simple points. This book is long and the pace is slow. It is character and landscape driven. So if you are looking for a fast paced thriller move on.
Having said that, I loved it. I think it helped that I was on holiday and able to devote the time to it. I was beguiled by the characters and the town of Orient. I could see it and then so clearly and was fascinated by the various relationships. Mills and Beth, I particularly enjoyed. To the extent that at times I forgot it was a mystery.
In the end the pace intensifies and the last third has bits which had me going no! The ending, whilst not being a total surprise was exciting and nicely twisty.
Definitely worth a read but give yourself some time.
May 2, 2018
There is something incredibly appealing in this book. Not only did I feel completely taken with the ripping good mystery plot that was fabulous roller coaster of unexpected events, but also with a lot of believable, well rounded characters, and the haunting sense of time and place. I literally felt glued to the pages, I just couldn’t stop reading even for a second. I was so into the story that chapters just seemed to fly by.
The wonderful thing about it was that I really didn't know "who done it" until the very end of the book. The actual motive for the crimes is somewhat unexpected and a bit unusual.
Yes, it goes into tremendous detail about the lives of its characters, but that really gave me a sense of the town, and made me care for the people. Mills, a gay teenager raised in foster homes and coming off of drugs, was a thoroughly enjoyable character, I wish things worked out better for him. The prose itself flows beautifully and contains countless quotable moments.
Yes, it's long, but always interesting. The open-ended conclusion was quite satisfying, preferable to a usual, neat ending that would ring false. The book starts out at the end and 600 pages later I had to read the beginning again to find out for sure how it all ends.
All in all, this is my type of s good mystery- busy, small town community, secrets swirl, shocking murders happen. And as an extra, mysterious monsters float up on the beach. It also provides an insider's view of the current art world, as well as a view of the culture clash between old and new values. The prose can be slightly overworked at some moments, but even these do little to diminish Bollen's overall achievement. I definitely recommend it. The audio would be a perfect option.
`4,5`
The wonderful thing about it was that I really didn't know "who done it" until the very end of the book. The actual motive for the crimes is somewhat unexpected and a bit unusual.
Yes, it goes into tremendous detail about the lives of its characters, but that really gave me a sense of the town, and made me care for the people. Mills, a gay teenager raised in foster homes and coming off of drugs, was a thoroughly enjoyable character, I wish things worked out better for him. The prose itself flows beautifully and contains countless quotable moments.
Yes, it's long, but always interesting. The open-ended conclusion was quite satisfying, preferable to a usual, neat ending that would ring false. The book starts out at the end and 600 pages later I had to read the beginning again to find out for sure how it all ends.
All in all, this is my type of s good mystery- busy, small town community, secrets swirl, shocking murders happen. And as an extra, mysterious monsters float up on the beach. It also provides an insider's view of the current art world, as well as a view of the culture clash between old and new values. The prose can be slightly overworked at some moments, but even these do little to diminish Bollen's overall achievement. I definitely recommend it. The audio would be a perfect option.
`4,5`
December 4, 2016
Definitely one of my best read of 2016.
This book is a gripping thriller, but also a first-rate cross section of today's American society and the fear of difference opposed to the desire to feel included.
And the writing is exceptional
Thanks Lena and Sofia for the advice!
This book is a gripping thriller, but also a first-rate cross section of today's American society and the fear of difference opposed to the desire to feel included.
And the writing is exceptional
Thanks Lena and Sofia for the advice!
April 28, 2015
This was a great book for people that love realistic characters and little suspense. Actually, Orient had a lot of suspense. I could barely put it down, and chewed all my nails off in anticipation for what would happen next.
Orient is a town close to New York. It’s year round residents have come to pride themselves as being such. The newer residents, mostly artists from New York city, are slowly taking over. The year rounders don’t want to give these newbies an inch and even have a board that helps the people decide on how to use the land and who should occupy the spaces. Beth is an Orient native that left and came back. She is an artist and recently discovered she is pregnant. Her neighbor Paul is also a native who left and came back. Paul has brought a stranger with him named Mills. Mills is a seemingly “dangerous” drifter and his presence is unwanted. When native Orient members of the Historical Board start dying, Mills is the one the locals want to pin it on. Beth and Mills set off to find out the truth of who or what is behind the deaths. Off of the sound strange creatures are washing up to Orient beaches. There is an island where Animal Disease testing takes place about to close down that may be to blame. There is much more to this town and it’s residents then meets the eye. The mystery of who or what is behind the strange happenings will take unlikely friends Beth and Mills on an adventure to uncover the truth.
If that seems long and complicated, well sorry. This book is long, and I am surely not going to be able to sum up 640 pages in one paragraph. This book gave us so much delicious insight into the town of Orient and it’s inhabitants, I am now feeling a bit of loss now that the book is over for me. It never felt like too much information, surprisingly. I can’t recall the story dragging at any point either. This book was very well written. I have nothing to complain about really. This book maintained 3rd person narrative and I really loved the writing style. It was almost voyeuristic learning all about the people in the town of Orient.
I loved that this book gave me insight into the lives of the characters without giving away all their secret thoughts. Beth and her husband Gavril, both artists, have a really frustrating relationship. Early in the story she finds out she is pregnant, and then she doesn’t know if she really wants a baby. This caused me so much angst. Like really, I couldn’t wait for this girl to make up her mind. Then there is Mills, the foster kid who gets picked up by Paul to help clean up his parent’s mansion. Mills is odd, and introverted. He is just enough awkward to seem devious. I didn’t really make up my mind on whether to trust him or not until half way through the story. That is 300 pages in just in case you weren’t paying attention. I read a ton of books and I can’t recall the last time it took me over 300 pages to figure out a character!
The mystery in this book really kept me guessing. Getting to learn so much about the residents in the town made many characters suspect, but I didn’t have a really good theory on who-done-it even as the mystery unraveled for me. This was really superb storytelling. Literary fiction at it’s best, in my opinion. I feel privileged that I was able to devote the time to read this and get to know Orient for myself.
Orient is a town close to New York. It’s year round residents have come to pride themselves as being such. The newer residents, mostly artists from New York city, are slowly taking over. The year rounders don’t want to give these newbies an inch and even have a board that helps the people decide on how to use the land and who should occupy the spaces. Beth is an Orient native that left and came back. She is an artist and recently discovered she is pregnant. Her neighbor Paul is also a native who left and came back. Paul has brought a stranger with him named Mills. Mills is a seemingly “dangerous” drifter and his presence is unwanted. When native Orient members of the Historical Board start dying, Mills is the one the locals want to pin it on. Beth and Mills set off to find out the truth of who or what is behind the deaths. Off of the sound strange creatures are washing up to Orient beaches. There is an island where Animal Disease testing takes place about to close down that may be to blame. There is much more to this town and it’s residents then meets the eye. The mystery of who or what is behind the strange happenings will take unlikely friends Beth and Mills on an adventure to uncover the truth.
If that seems long and complicated, well sorry. This book is long, and I am surely not going to be able to sum up 640 pages in one paragraph. This book gave us so much delicious insight into the town of Orient and it’s inhabitants, I am now feeling a bit of loss now that the book is over for me. It never felt like too much information, surprisingly. I can’t recall the story dragging at any point either. This book was very well written. I have nothing to complain about really. This book maintained 3rd person narrative and I really loved the writing style. It was almost voyeuristic learning all about the people in the town of Orient.
I loved that this book gave me insight into the lives of the characters without giving away all their secret thoughts. Beth and her husband Gavril, both artists, have a really frustrating relationship. Early in the story she finds out she is pregnant, and then she doesn’t know if she really wants a baby. This caused me so much angst. Like really, I couldn’t wait for this girl to make up her mind. Then there is Mills, the foster kid who gets picked up by Paul to help clean up his parent’s mansion. Mills is odd, and introverted. He is just enough awkward to seem devious. I didn’t really make up my mind on whether to trust him or not until half way through the story. That is 300 pages in just in case you weren’t paying attention. I read a ton of books and I can’t recall the last time it took me over 300 pages to figure out a character!
The mystery in this book really kept me guessing. Getting to learn so much about the residents in the town made many characters suspect, but I didn’t have a really good theory on who-done-it even as the mystery unraveled for me. This was really superb storytelling. Literary fiction at it’s best, in my opinion. I feel privileged that I was able to devote the time to read this and get to know Orient for myself.
June 8, 2019
Det er noget af en rejse Christopher Bollen tager læseren med på i Orient. Det er en fantastisk karakterdrevet roman, der med en støt stigende spændingskurve fastholder læseren fra første side.
Karakterbeskrivelserne er simpelthen fantastiske! Sjældent møder man en bog med så veludviklede karakterer og sjældent møder man en forfatter med så stor indsigt i menneskers drivkraft. Og Christopher Bollen deler denne indsigt med læserne og efterlader dem med grundig forståelse af karakterernes motiver, tanker, personligheder og baggrunde.
Den lille by Orient fungerer glimrende som ramme for fortællingen, for selv små byer kan gemme på store intriger og hemmeligheder. Selve byen, og naturen omkring den, beskrives fantastisk – og naturen ender med at spille en større rolle end først antaget. Med uventede begivenheder, kollektiv paranoia og et smukt sprog, indhylder Christopher læseren i en verden af intriger, der gør det svært at slippe bogen.
Der er mange facetter i bogen, og den bør læses langsomt for ikke at misse nogle af disse. De skiftende fortællere kræver stor opmærksomhed, men det er det hele værd. Christopher Bollen har tydeligvis meget på hjerte, og f.eks. den truede familie-samhørighed i en verden af mobiltelefoner og internet behandles.
En meget velskrevet fortælling, der med sit store fokus på de vigtige detaljer næsten sætter krimidelen i baggrunden. En solid psykisk thriller med et velskruet plot.
Karakterbeskrivelserne er simpelthen fantastiske! Sjældent møder man en bog med så veludviklede karakterer og sjældent møder man en forfatter med så stor indsigt i menneskers drivkraft. Og Christopher Bollen deler denne indsigt med læserne og efterlader dem med grundig forståelse af karakterernes motiver, tanker, personligheder og baggrunde.
Den lille by Orient fungerer glimrende som ramme for fortællingen, for selv små byer kan gemme på store intriger og hemmeligheder. Selve byen, og naturen omkring den, beskrives fantastisk – og naturen ender med at spille en større rolle end først antaget. Med uventede begivenheder, kollektiv paranoia og et smukt sprog, indhylder Christopher læseren i en verden af intriger, der gør det svært at slippe bogen.
Der er mange facetter i bogen, og den bør læses langsomt for ikke at misse nogle af disse. De skiftende fortællere kræver stor opmærksomhed, men det er det hele værd. Christopher Bollen har tydeligvis meget på hjerte, og f.eks. den truede familie-samhørighed i en verden af mobiltelefoner og internet behandles.
En meget velskrevet fortælling, der med sit store fokus på de vigtige detaljer næsten sætter krimidelen i baggrunden. En solid psykisk thriller med et velskruet plot.
April 27, 2015
Orient is definitely not a book that you will be able to read in an afternoon. Coming is at over 650 pages, it does seem like an intimidating book. From the synopsis, I was hoping for an intriguing, not able to put down read. I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I struggled to finish it. I did finish it though and it ended up just being OK for me. Basically, people in the town of Orient are dying in what seem to be accidents until an entire family is wiped out in a deliberately set house fire. Newcomer Mills and town native Beth are convinced that someone is committing murder.
I wasn't quite sure what this book was trying to be. Was it a mystery or was it a neighborhood saga?
There were long winded passages in the story that probably could have been left out. Leaving them in kind of made me forget I was reading a mystery, I just felt like I was reading about unlikable neighbors who were fighting over land and ended up skimming in places. For me, the book didn't pick up until the last 25% and ended in a very unsatisfying way. There were a couple of twists, but no clear justice in the end. I don't like open ended endings. I said that I struggled with this, because it was kind of boring and there was no thriller feeling. I know that this book has gotten stellar reviews, so you'll have to judge for yourself.
I wasn't quite sure what this book was trying to be. Was it a mystery or was it a neighborhood saga?
There were long winded passages in the story that probably could have been left out. Leaving them in kind of made me forget I was reading a mystery, I just felt like I was reading about unlikable neighbors who were fighting over land and ended up skimming in places. For me, the book didn't pick up until the last 25% and ended in a very unsatisfying way. There were a couple of twists, but no clear justice in the end. I don't like open ended endings. I said that I struggled with this, because it was kind of boring and there was no thriller feeling. I know that this book has gotten stellar reviews, so you'll have to judge for yourself.
Read
June 18, 2015I was wildly delighted by this smart, sexy mystery set in Orient in Long Island. Orient is a small town populated by old school locals and nouveau riche New Yorkers. Under Orient’s quiet facade hide scandals, crimes, affairs, and shady dealings. The locals are struggling to keep their town from being bought up by millionaires; there’s a secretive government facility that might be the cause of the strange dead creature that washed up on the beach; and the accidental deaths of two residents may not have been so accidental. When a stranger arrives for the summer to help a resident fix up his home, he quickly falls under suspicion when a horrific crime is committed, and that’s all of Orient’s hidden ugliness starts bubbling to the surface.
This is one of those incredibly well-written mysteries that have such a great narrative and attention to detail that the mystery almost seems secondary. And it has a “No way did that just happen…OMG IT DID” moment that had me reeling. This book is nasty and delicious and I loved it! — Liberty Hardy
from The Best Books We Read In May: http://bookriot.com/2015/06/02/riot-r...
This is one of those incredibly well-written mysteries that have such a great narrative and attention to detail that the mystery almost seems secondary. And it has a “No way did that just happen…OMG IT DID” moment that had me reeling. This book is nasty and delicious and I loved it! — Liberty Hardy
from The Best Books We Read In May: http://bookriot.com/2015/06/02/riot-r...
September 8, 2015
One of the worse mystery books I have read in awhile. Very long and wordy drawn out book. 609 pages Ugh and I plunged through. I was awaiting a bit more excitement involving the mystery element of my neighboring town of Orient but not so. The ending was terrible. I certainly do not recommend this read. Really should of rated it 1/2 star or 0.
November 29, 2015
I discovered this on my kindle today and began it not knowing anything about it and that's quite an interesting way to go into a novel. Set in a tiny community on Long Island, there's sinister doings afoot--which could be linked to the very close proximity of Plumb Island, the US government's secret biological experimentation lab. Interesting character development and good writing. I'll update when done.
Finished.
Finished.
March 16, 2019
Small-Town Murder Mystery (TW attempted homophobic attack/ addiction/ pedophile/ talk of suicide)
This was a great mystery perfect for literary fans. Set in an isolated town in Long Island there’s a culture clash amongst the residents, between the locals and the new residents coming from New York and new money. There’s a war with a nearby research facility that’s surrounded by plenty of rumors. And one of the residents has brought a nineteen-year-old gay man home with him to help around the house. When the town caretaker is found dead the already heightened emotions get cranked up even higher, with many pointing a finger at the newest “resident.” A town filled with new and old rich, secrets, affairs, conservatives and liberals, and a push for a historic village, it’s only a matter of time before this small-town is no longer safe to be in…
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
This was a great mystery perfect for literary fans. Set in an isolated town in Long Island there’s a culture clash amongst the residents, between the locals and the new residents coming from New York and new money. There’s a war with a nearby research facility that’s surrounded by plenty of rumors. And one of the residents has brought a nineteen-year-old gay man home with him to help around the house. When the town caretaker is found dead the already heightened emotions get cranked up even higher, with many pointing a finger at the newest “resident.” A town filled with new and old rich, secrets, affairs, conservatives and liberals, and a push for a historic village, it’s only a matter of time before this small-town is no longer safe to be in…
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
June 14, 2018
Troppo, troppo, troppo lungo. Non sono una lettrice che disdegna i tomi con centinaia e centinaia di pagine, ma devono avvincermi, cosa che non mi è capitata con questo romanzo. Digressioni su digressioni senza mai arrivare da qualche parte. O che interrompono inutilmente la narrazione. Un esempio su tutti il capitolo 33 (in tutto sono 35): sei lì, finalmente con l'ansia di arrivare a scoprire il colpevole, e zac, il filo viene interrotto da un flashback su come si sono conosciuti due dei personaggi principali anni prima. Flashback che occupa tutto il lungo capitolo.
Così anche le sorprese e rivelazioni finali perdono di mordente perché davvero uno non ne può più.
Così anche le sorprese e rivelazioni finali perdono di mordente perché davvero uno non ne può più.
April 16, 2025
Complex, character-driven thriller.
June 18, 2015
This is a mystery told by a teenager on the run, who has only lived in foster homes. He is befriended by a man he hardly knows and given a place to live in the small tourist community of Orient. The temporary home is in return for the teen helping clean out the old homeplace. He is unknown in a close community and someone turns up dead, drowned, perhaps an accident except that his feet are tied together. Then an old woman dies. A fire, determined to be arson, consumes the house next door. The teenager is always a suspect but his friend, the owner always supports him and so does an artist with whom he has become friends. There are many secondary stories, many deaths, much suspicion and all along the poor teen just wants to feel at home somewhere. He is innocent of everything EXCEPT wanting to be a part of the community. The end is shocking and the teen has figured out who is doing the killing and why. A must read for mystery lovers.
March 29, 2019
Molto più romanzo che giallo. Ho trovato convincente e intrigante l'ambientazione in un piccolo paesino sulla costa del Long Island. I personaggi - soprattutto quelli secondari - sono interessanti e ben tratteggiati; mi è piaciuto che l'autore spendesse sempre almeno qualche paragrafo per inquadrarli tutti, senza "buttar via" neanche una comparsa.
Quello che mi ha convinta meno è l'intreccio: indizi (troppi) affastellati alla rinfusa e ricordati fino alla nausea per tutto il libro; la rincorsa alla soluzione solo nell'ultimo capitolo; un protagonista un po' scialbo; e infine, almeno per me, un movente incomprensibile..
Come giallo non vale, a mio parere, e non è neanche il grande romanzo americano; però l'ambientazione insolita e la descrizione del mondo degli artisti newyorkesi possono intrigare.
Quello che mi ha convinta meno è l'intreccio: indizi (troppi) affastellati alla rinfusa e ricordati fino alla nausea per tutto il libro; la rincorsa alla soluzione solo nell'ultimo capitolo; un protagonista un po' scialbo; e infine, almeno per me, un movente incomprensibile..
Come giallo non vale, a mio parere, e non è neanche il grande romanzo americano; però l'ambientazione insolita e la descrizione del mondo degli artisti newyorkesi possono intrigare.
Read
November 13, 2017Bollen is a terrific stylist, and there were many points at which I would have underlined a passage or turn of phrase - had the book not been from the library.
The book is about 1/3 too long, however. The thrillerish aspects to the story are stifled by too much atmospherics. I also found the resolution unsatisfying and a little preposterous. There's not a lot of humor in the book - and it would have helped.
The book is about 1/3 too long, however. The thrillerish aspects to the story are stifled by too much atmospherics. I also found the resolution unsatisfying and a little preposterous. There's not a lot of humor in the book - and it would have helped.
February 21, 2016
The writing was trying too hard. I should have stopped early on when a female character described her boobs as looking like suction cups but I couldn't resist the familiar setting.
March 14, 2022
Questo libro mi ha dato una sensazione di infinito. Nel senso che pareva non finire mai: leggevo e leggevo e mi sembrava che l’indicatore del kindle fosse sempre inchiodato allo stesso punto. In cartaceo sono circa 690 pagine, percepite 2000.
Pesante, pesantissimo, tanti omicidi e misteri, e nonostante ciò non mi sono sentita mai coinvolta; un po’ di curiosità mi è venuta solo quando ormai la lettura era al 75%, il che, per un thriller/giallo non è proprio l’ideale. Divagazioni che ho trovato inutili e che hanno appesantito la lettura, tante descrizioni così sopra le righe da far sembrare Bollen la parodia dello scrittore che ci prova troppo (m’è rimasta molto impressa quella degli occhi scuri come capelli nello scarico della doccia), un paio di quelli che a naso mi paiono errori di traduzione, ma non avendo letto l’originale non posso esserne certa.
E poi
Posso dire almeno che l’atmosfera insopportabile di una piccola comunità in apparenza ideale, ma piena di rancori, ipocrisie e pregiudizi, è resa alla perfezione.
“Un crimine bellissimo”, sempre di Bollen, mi era piaciuto molto: romanzo denso, ma non pesante personaggi interessanti e sfaccettati, ottima scrittura, ambientazione veneziana magnificamente resa; gli ho dato cinque stelline. Per fortuna ho letto prima questo, perché se il primo approccio a Bollen fosse stato “Orient”, forse non gli avrei dato altre possibilità.
Pesante, pesantissimo, tanti omicidi e misteri, e nonostante ciò non mi sono sentita mai coinvolta; un po’ di curiosità mi è venuta solo quando ormai la lettura era al 75%, il che, per un thriller/giallo non è proprio l’ideale. Divagazioni che ho trovato inutili e che hanno appesantito la lettura, tante descrizioni così sopra le righe da far sembrare Bollen la parodia dello scrittore che ci prova troppo (m’è rimasta molto impressa quella degli occhi scuri come capelli nello scarico della doccia), un paio di quelli che a naso mi paiono errori di traduzione, ma non avendo letto l’originale non posso esserne certa.
E poi
Posso dire almeno che l’atmosfera insopportabile di una piccola comunità in apparenza ideale, ma piena di rancori, ipocrisie e pregiudizi, è resa alla perfezione.
“Un crimine bellissimo”, sempre di Bollen, mi era piaciuto molto: romanzo denso, ma non pesante personaggi interessanti e sfaccettati, ottima scrittura, ambientazione veneziana magnificamente resa; gli ho dato cinque stelline. Per fortuna ho letto prima questo, perché se il primo approccio a Bollen fosse stato “Orient”, forse non gli avrei dato altre possibilità.
April 7, 2018
Orient è la tipica piccola città sulla costa orientale dove tutti si conoscono.
O almeno era così prima che fosse presa d'assalto da ricchi newyorkesi, artisti soprattutto, alla ricerca di una pittoresca location per i loro weekend e le vacanze.
Si, Orient non è più quella di volta, soprattutto perché qualcuno continua ad uccidere i suoi abitanti...
Quasi settecento pagine non è una scelta comune per un giallo, dove la narrazione è spesso stringata e concentrata principalmente sui "fatti".
Scoprire l'assassino, però, non è il vero cardine su cui si regge Orient di Christopher Bollen: è la città con le sue dinamiche ad essere il fulcro di tutto.
Ecco così le vecchie famiglie che si vedono pian piano sottrarre la terra, i nuovi arrivati guardati con sospetto, se non addirittura con astio, il tuttofare sempre ubriaco che potrebbe aver scoperto chissà cosa, l'anziana allevatrice d'api che non si lascia convincere dall'idea di una semplice casualità...
Christopher Bollen si concede il lusso di 700 pagine per descrivere tutto questo e molto più, concentrandosi soprattutto su Beth e Mills, investigatori improvvisati, loro malgrado sempre più coinvolti nei delitti che continuano a insanguinare Orient, dapprima bollati come semplici incidenti, ma che piano piano assumono i connotati di un macabro disegno, realizzato da qualcuno che, inesorabilmente e spietatamente, continua indisturbato a muoversi nell'ombra, seminando morte e panico.
Beth è tornata da poco nella sua città natale. Dopo anni a NewYork, dove aveva cercato di intraprendere, senza successo, la carriera di artista, ha deciso di abbandonare ogni velleità e di limitarsi al ruolo di moglie di un artista. Suo marito, Gavril, è infatti sulla cresta dell'onda, e i due si sono trasferiti a Orient, nella casa della madre di Beth, per mettere su famiglia, considerandolo un ambiente molto più sicuro rispetto alla caotica metropoli.
Mills viene da Modesto, in California. Abbandonato alla nascita dai genitori, la sua infanzia, così come la sua adolescenza, è stato un continuo passare da una famiglia affidataria all'altra. Alla ricerca di qualcosa di diverso, lascia tutto e si trasferisce A New York, dove finisce però schiavo delle droghe. A 19 anni sembra già non avere più un futuro. L'incontro con Paul sembra essere la svolta tanto attesa: l'uomo gli offre un tetto sopra la testa e gli propone di seguirlo ad Orient, dove deve far ordine nella vecchia dimora di famiglia. Il resto degli abitanti della città, però, non vede di buon occhio quel ragazzo senza famiglia che nasconde chissà quale oscuro passato. Non aiuta neanche il fatto che Mills sia gay e che nutra un certo interesse per il figlio dei vicini, Tommy, finendo nel mirino dell'oppressiva e intransigente Pam, la perfetta moglie-madre-casalinga americana, sempre alla ricerca di una crociata da portare avanti.
L'arrivo di Mills coincide anche con l'inizio della catena di omicidi che getta Orient in un incubo senza fine.
Sia Beth sia Mills si sentono dei pesci fuor d'acqua in quella città tanto chiusa, nonostante la prima sia nata lì; i due non ci mettono molto a stringere amicizia, e il loro legame viene rafforzato dal trovarsi casualmente a sapere ben più di quanto dovrebbero sui delitti e su chi potrebbe trarne vantaggio; anzi, Beth è la prima, dopo essere stata messa in guarda dalla vecchia Magdalena, a sospettare la mano di un unico assassino dietro a tutte quelle morti inaspettate.
Però, oltre all'indagine, ci sono anche tanti problemi personali da affrontare.
Beth è incinta, ma non è più tanto sicura di volere il bambino, nonostante la sua sia una gravidanza fortemente cercata; non l'ha ancora detto a suo marito, né tantomeno a sua madre, ossessionata dalla chirurgia plastica, dai debiti e dal desiderio di diventare nonna.
Mills sogna di essere adottato da Paul, e spera di aver finalmente trovato una casa; peccato non si possa dedicare solo a quello: ci sono anche le turbe ormonali dell'adolescenza, e quello strano rapporto che si instaura con Tommy, il tutto complicato dalla diffidenza della gente di Orient.
Quando finalmente è a tutti chiaro che c'è un assassino a piede libero, chi potrebbe essere un migliore capro espiatorio?
Il meccanismo della paura e del sospetto, anche nei confronti di chi si conosce da una vita, una volta innescato, non può più essere fermato: il vicino diventa un possibile omicida, e non c'è più nessuno di cui potersi fidare. Tutti sospettano di tutti, e segreti tenuti nascosti per tanto, tanto tempo cominciano ad affiorare.
C'è del marcio ad Orient, e pare che nessuno possa davvero dirsi senza uno scheletro nell'armadio, e mentre la lista dei papabili killer si allunga, lo fa anche quello delle vittime.
Il ritmo della narrazione è molto buono: non ci sono sbavature e tutto appare avere il suo perché, anche le digressioni sul passato di alcuni personaggi. Le pagine sembrano chiedere di essere divorate quanto più velocemente possibile.
Se ci limitiamo solo all'aspetto "giallo", capire chi sia il responsabile dei delitti non è poi così difficile; il lettore di narrativa poliziesca sa che quando ci sono tanti sospettati, il colpevole non può che essere colui che, per qualche ragione, si era tenuto al di sopra di ogni sospetto, soprattutto se i primi cominciano a morire l'uno dopo l'altro.
Ci sono diversi colpi di scena, alcuni forse un po' scontanti, altri, purtroppo, del tutto inattesi e che fanno male.
La soluzione finale, infatti, non dà il senso di catarsi che ci si aspetterebbe: lungo la strada si è smarrito troppo perché la verità possa davvero essere una consolazione.
Orient è un romanzo spietato, che lascia ben poco alla speranza (solo un piccolo, piccolissimo barlume). Non vuole rassicurare né illudere: l'ordine è stato perso per sempre e non potrà essere ristabilito; il ritratto che emerge della provincia e del sogno americano, ormai infranto da tempo, è così efficace e veritiero da lasciare attoniti.
Un romanzo sicuramente da consigliare.
O almeno era così prima che fosse presa d'assalto da ricchi newyorkesi, artisti soprattutto, alla ricerca di una pittoresca location per i loro weekend e le vacanze.
Si, Orient non è più quella di volta, soprattutto perché qualcuno continua ad uccidere i suoi abitanti...
Quasi settecento pagine non è una scelta comune per un giallo, dove la narrazione è spesso stringata e concentrata principalmente sui "fatti".
Scoprire l'assassino, però, non è il vero cardine su cui si regge Orient di Christopher Bollen: è la città con le sue dinamiche ad essere il fulcro di tutto.
Ecco così le vecchie famiglie che si vedono pian piano sottrarre la terra, i nuovi arrivati guardati con sospetto, se non addirittura con astio, il tuttofare sempre ubriaco che potrebbe aver scoperto chissà cosa, l'anziana allevatrice d'api che non si lascia convincere dall'idea di una semplice casualità...
Christopher Bollen si concede il lusso di 700 pagine per descrivere tutto questo e molto più, concentrandosi soprattutto su Beth e Mills, investigatori improvvisati, loro malgrado sempre più coinvolti nei delitti che continuano a insanguinare Orient, dapprima bollati come semplici incidenti, ma che piano piano assumono i connotati di un macabro disegno, realizzato da qualcuno che, inesorabilmente e spietatamente, continua indisturbato a muoversi nell'ombra, seminando morte e panico.
Beth è tornata da poco nella sua città natale. Dopo anni a NewYork, dove aveva cercato di intraprendere, senza successo, la carriera di artista, ha deciso di abbandonare ogni velleità e di limitarsi al ruolo di moglie di un artista. Suo marito, Gavril, è infatti sulla cresta dell'onda, e i due si sono trasferiti a Orient, nella casa della madre di Beth, per mettere su famiglia, considerandolo un ambiente molto più sicuro rispetto alla caotica metropoli.
Mills viene da Modesto, in California. Abbandonato alla nascita dai genitori, la sua infanzia, così come la sua adolescenza, è stato un continuo passare da una famiglia affidataria all'altra. Alla ricerca di qualcosa di diverso, lascia tutto e si trasferisce A New York, dove finisce però schiavo delle droghe. A 19 anni sembra già non avere più un futuro. L'incontro con Paul sembra essere la svolta tanto attesa: l'uomo gli offre un tetto sopra la testa e gli propone di seguirlo ad Orient, dove deve far ordine nella vecchia dimora di famiglia. Il resto degli abitanti della città, però, non vede di buon occhio quel ragazzo senza famiglia che nasconde chissà quale oscuro passato. Non aiuta neanche il fatto che Mills sia gay e che nutra un certo interesse per il figlio dei vicini, Tommy, finendo nel mirino dell'oppressiva e intransigente Pam, la perfetta moglie-madre-casalinga americana, sempre alla ricerca di una crociata da portare avanti.
L'arrivo di Mills coincide anche con l'inizio della catena di omicidi che getta Orient in un incubo senza fine.
Sia Beth sia Mills si sentono dei pesci fuor d'acqua in quella città tanto chiusa, nonostante la prima sia nata lì; i due non ci mettono molto a stringere amicizia, e il loro legame viene rafforzato dal trovarsi casualmente a sapere ben più di quanto dovrebbero sui delitti e su chi potrebbe trarne vantaggio; anzi, Beth è la prima, dopo essere stata messa in guarda dalla vecchia Magdalena, a sospettare la mano di un unico assassino dietro a tutte quelle morti inaspettate.
Però, oltre all'indagine, ci sono anche tanti problemi personali da affrontare.
Beth è incinta, ma non è più tanto sicura di volere il bambino, nonostante la sua sia una gravidanza fortemente cercata; non l'ha ancora detto a suo marito, né tantomeno a sua madre, ossessionata dalla chirurgia plastica, dai debiti e dal desiderio di diventare nonna.
Mills sogna di essere adottato da Paul, e spera di aver finalmente trovato una casa; peccato non si possa dedicare solo a quello: ci sono anche le turbe ormonali dell'adolescenza, e quello strano rapporto che si instaura con Tommy, il tutto complicato dalla diffidenza della gente di Orient.
Quando finalmente è a tutti chiaro che c'è un assassino a piede libero, chi potrebbe essere un migliore capro espiatorio?
Il meccanismo della paura e del sospetto, anche nei confronti di chi si conosce da una vita, una volta innescato, non può più essere fermato: il vicino diventa un possibile omicida, e non c'è più nessuno di cui potersi fidare. Tutti sospettano di tutti, e segreti tenuti nascosti per tanto, tanto tempo cominciano ad affiorare.
C'è del marcio ad Orient, e pare che nessuno possa davvero dirsi senza uno scheletro nell'armadio, e mentre la lista dei papabili killer si allunga, lo fa anche quello delle vittime.
Il ritmo della narrazione è molto buono: non ci sono sbavature e tutto appare avere il suo perché, anche le digressioni sul passato di alcuni personaggi. Le pagine sembrano chiedere di essere divorate quanto più velocemente possibile.
Se ci limitiamo solo all'aspetto "giallo", capire chi sia il responsabile dei delitti non è poi così difficile; il lettore di narrativa poliziesca sa che quando ci sono tanti sospettati, il colpevole non può che essere colui che, per qualche ragione, si era tenuto al di sopra di ogni sospetto, soprattutto se i primi cominciano a morire l'uno dopo l'altro.
Ci sono diversi colpi di scena, alcuni forse un po' scontanti, altri, purtroppo, del tutto inattesi e che fanno male.
La soluzione finale, infatti, non dà il senso di catarsi che ci si aspetterebbe: lungo la strada si è smarrito troppo perché la verità possa davvero essere una consolazione.
Orient è un romanzo spietato, che lascia ben poco alla speranza (solo un piccolo, piccolissimo barlume). Non vuole rassicurare né illudere: l'ordine è stato perso per sempre e non potrà essere ristabilito; il ritratto che emerge della provincia e del sogno americano, ormai infranto da tempo, è così efficace e veritiero da lasciare attoniti.
Un romanzo sicuramente da consigliare.
December 11, 2015
I really liked this book.
I saw a blurb about it on Towleroad and wanted to pick it up, not knowing until I started it that it was over 600 pages. This coming off of the 1000 page City on Fire and I was still reeling from the heft of that. I was a little intimidated by the average review on Goodreads though, not that high. As I read it I was really enjoying it and came back a couple of times to glance at the reviews, like "Am I missing something?" or "Should I not be enjoying it this much?" I think the answer is some like it, some don't, and there doesn't seem to be much in the middle, causing the middling review amalgamated score. Like Fates and Furies, some people seem to love it and I hated the stupid thing. The reverse is true here.
The story is well played out. A 47 year-old man, Paul, brings a troubled 19 year-old gay youth, Mills, to the small community of Orient to get him on a better footing for a while, away from the temptations of Manhattan. The small and close-knit community flips out and the idea of not trusting outsiders and small town life is presented very well here. There's also a level of foreshadowing that keeps you turning the pages as you explore the town and these characters and once the events started to unfold I was hooked.
For a thriller you think of madly turning pages but this is more of a literary thriller. There is no skimping on character or location here in service of the pace of the mystery and that may have bothered some. I was quite content to sip my coffee and take my time, like the pace of life in Orient itself, enjoying the ride along the way.
The ending may be controversial in that it's not traditional but good for the author for taking a chance. Let Hollywood tie everything up in a perfect bow, authors should be given some leeway.
I saw a blurb about it on Towleroad and wanted to pick it up, not knowing until I started it that it was over 600 pages. This coming off of the 1000 page City on Fire and I was still reeling from the heft of that. I was a little intimidated by the average review on Goodreads though, not that high. As I read it I was really enjoying it and came back a couple of times to glance at the reviews, like "Am I missing something?" or "Should I not be enjoying it this much?" I think the answer is some like it, some don't, and there doesn't seem to be much in the middle, causing the middling review amalgamated score. Like Fates and Furies, some people seem to love it and I hated the stupid thing. The reverse is true here.
The story is well played out. A 47 year-old man, Paul, brings a troubled 19 year-old gay youth, Mills, to the small community of Orient to get him on a better footing for a while, away from the temptations of Manhattan. The small and close-knit community flips out and the idea of not trusting outsiders and small town life is presented very well here. There's also a level of foreshadowing that keeps you turning the pages as you explore the town and these characters and once the events started to unfold I was hooked.
For a thriller you think of madly turning pages but this is more of a literary thriller. There is no skimping on character or location here in service of the pace of the mystery and that may have bothered some. I was quite content to sip my coffee and take my time, like the pace of life in Orient itself, enjoying the ride along the way.
The ending may be controversial in that it's not traditional but good for the author for taking a chance. Let Hollywood tie everything up in a perfect bow, authors should be given some leeway.
October 24, 2015
Barely out of his teens, modern day hobo Mills is rescued from the streets of New York by homely Paul. Paul takes him along to the small town of Orient on Long Island, as a foster kid or maybe a stray dog. Folks are naturally suspicious, Mills included, but he does his best to adapt to village life. For Mills, that means giving the neighbor's son a blow job and teaming up with another neighbor, Beth, to solve some murders. Which is what we'd all do, considering there isn't much else to do for fun in Orient unless you're an artist, in which case you'd be busy being self-important and dramatic.
Beth is a former artist, now an artist's wife, and she too is bored out of her mind, despite her colorful husband (not ze GARAGE! Diz iz where I worrrk! It iz a SACRED space!). She and Mills make a friendly, if not terribly efficient, team of amateur sleuths. To be fair, the village has too many murders and hidden schemes for two laymen to figure it all out, but they still do a better job of it than the police.
This being a literary thriller, the going is slow and character development takes up a fair chunk of pages. This was perfectly all right with me, but a reader expecting unbearable suspense may find it drags. The mystery part was intriguing for sure, although the killer's confession at the end was so elaborate I felt like the book abandoned realism and veered into Sideshow Bob territory. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The writing is good and there are some terrific scenes I'll remember for a long a time (that fire, jeez). I'm a sucker for amateur sleuths and artists' colonies, so that worked out great for me. Finally, what sealed the deal were the mutant animals à la Dr Moreau, washing up on shore in an incongruous mixture of body parts. Just wonderful.
Beth is a former artist, now an artist's wife, and she too is bored out of her mind, despite her colorful husband (not ze GARAGE! Diz iz where I worrrk! It iz a SACRED space!). She and Mills make a friendly, if not terribly efficient, team of amateur sleuths. To be fair, the village has too many murders and hidden schemes for two laymen to figure it all out, but they still do a better job of it than the police.
This being a literary thriller, the going is slow and character development takes up a fair chunk of pages. This was perfectly all right with me, but a reader expecting unbearable suspense may find it drags. The mystery part was intriguing for sure, although the killer's confession at the end was so elaborate I felt like the book abandoned realism and veered into Sideshow Bob territory. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The writing is good and there are some terrific scenes I'll remember for a long a time (that fire, jeez). I'm a sucker for amateur sleuths and artists' colonies, so that worked out great for me. Finally, what sealed the deal were the mutant animals à la Dr Moreau, washing up on shore in an incongruous mixture of body parts. Just wonderful.
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