Should have been written as a short story. Part one was good but after that it was slow, with boring characters, and a slow, and wandering storyline. I also did not bond with any of the characters in the book, as they were just not that likable. I have no doubt some people will enjoy it, I did not. ( )

Should have been written as a short story. Part one was good but after that it was slow, with boring characters, and a slow, and wandering storyline. I also did not bond with any of the characters in the book, as they were just not that likable. I have no doubt some people will enjoy it, I did not. ( )

Book Club Read February 2012 -
Interesting read, good build up to a climax about half way thru the book.. then it took a nose dive and never recovered.. left feeling empty. Not sure what really happened in the end. After about 80 pages really got thrilling.. but just didn't deliver feels like she added too many opinions on current issues that lost track of what the topic was then ran out of time and had to finish for print. Disappointment for sure! ( )

There was every reason to like this book - I'd heard Ms. Brundage at reading a few years back and found her articulate and engaging. I liked her earlier 'Somebody Else's Daughter.' The backdrop of Hollywood, screenwriting, large studios, and the Iraqi War was intriguing. Sadly for me, the story line of the frustrated would-be screenwriter kidnapping the studio executive was just too brutal for me to enjoy. This would definitely be a great book for someone less squeamish than I. Brundage's own background at NYU's Film School, as well as a screenwriter with the American Film Institute, is evident. Her pacing and plotting are assured and fast-moving. The tension levels rarely drop. She is also a fabulous writer, crafting beautiful sentences and dialogue. Some people might find her shifting from the third to second persons in perspective hard to follow. I thought voicing the kidnapped woman in the second person gave it even more immediacy. Wish I could have carried this book through to the end. Violence against women is a hard topic for some, me included. ( )

This seemed like it would be right up my alley - a thriller with shades of The Day of the Locust. Not so much. I tried four times before I gave up. ( )