emily’s Reviews > The Manchurian Candidate > Status Update

plot twist of the century

(1) Marco ran his fingers through his thick hair on both sides of his head. He put his elbows on his knees and covered his face with his hands. Raymond stared down at him, almost tenderly. "Don't be embarrassed if you feel like you're going to cry, Ben," Raymond said gently.

Marco shook his head. Raymond opened another can of beer.

"I swear to sweet, sweet God I think I am going to be able to sleep," Marco said.

oh no :(

chapter 4 went on way too long and my relief at leaving it is palpable. please let’s get to thriller pacing from here on out. this was technically the second longest chapter in the book after chapter 2, but at least chapter 2 is more consistently engaging

“Raymond stood as though someone might have just opened a beach umbrella in his bowels.”

i’m getting slammed in the face every paragraph with these frankly insane similes but this might be the funniest one yet

omg every time i read a crime/procedural novel about cops/soldiers/detectives i will, without fail, get attached to a pair (partnership?) of guys that i know is doomed by the freaking narrative. mick kennedy & richie from broken harbor. mcgrady & ball from five decembers. and now this. raymond & marco, i love u already. and i’ll mourn u when ur gone.

maybe i should just bite the bullet and read sherlock holmes.

til the term “getting laid” dates back to 1950s

the writing style is so… dense. but in a quirky, sardonic way? i’m having to stop and look words up often. it’s not bad, the first chapter is crazy effective at setting up this guy’s character, a masterclass really. but every time i think i’m getting used to the writing i’ll get hit with yet another totally baffling turn of phrase and wind up three links deep in search of a definition that makes sense

I am you and you are me and what have we done to each other?
—The Keener’s Manual

ohhhhhh this just became my all time favorite epigraph. not even page one and i’m already in