Time for another review! The Passenger by Lisa Lutz (not to be confused with Passenger by Alexandra Bracken) is an adult thriller that was just released in the past couple of weeks. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy from the library!
This is the kind of book that you might need to think about for a moment before giving an honest review. It's been several days since I finished it, and I have found that my opinions have fluctuated a lot during that short time period. The thing is, the book leaves you with a lot to chew on. The structure and the narration, which kind of bored me, makes a bit more sense once you look at it as a whole. It might be worth it, but that's ultimately up to you to decide. You might find it harder to put down than I did.
It got hard for me to consistently hear about how sneaky Tanya had to be with her money, her ID, the places she spent time in, and the people she kept at a distance. It kept happening throughout the book and it felt repetitive. Looking at it from the finish line, it obviously makes sense. She's on the run. We are running with her. This is her life, as she has seemingly chosen it, and so we have to read about her on the road, dying her hair, and stealing money more than once. Still, frustration set in.
The best part about this book was that it wasn't predictable. It's one thing to write a thriller that's slow AND you basically can guess what's going to happen or what the outcome is (ahem, Vanishing Girls), but to at least keep the suspense up is a commendable thing. That is something I very much appreciated.
Synopsis
"In case you were
wondering, I didn’t do it. I didn’t have anything to do with Frank’s
death. I don’t have an alibi, so you’ll have to take my word for it...
Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?" (From the Goodreads description)
Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?" (From the Goodreads description)
Expectations and Initial Thoughts
There's no denying that the synopsis of this story is super intriguing - why is this woman on the run? Can she be trusted? Is she running from someone or should people be running from her? These kinds of questions had me primed with high expectations for a fast-paced thriller filled with twists, turns, and secrets galore. The high expectations were my doing (though reviews are excellent for this book), I think that was why I came out a little disappointed.
Characters
The characters, especially our narrator (who goes by several names throughout the book but who I will just call Tanya), are super important to the story. When Tanya is running, we are attempting to figure out or what happened to her. Her need to escape is what drives the story. In fact, with a life so lonely and unattached to the world, we really only have Tanya (with the occasional friendly reprieve aside from her connection with Blue) to keep us company. What's frustrating about this is that we are meant to feel for Tanya. Whether you like her or not, we are meant to be on her side. Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the need to confide in her audience until later in the book, and by that point I just kept thinking: WHY ARE YOU MAKING SUCH POOR DECISIONS? JUST GIVE ME THE REASON!
Blue has a lot of potential but we are, again, never really given a deep glimpse into her life.
I can't help but feel that many people would love this book if it were from her side.
I can't help but feel that many people would love this book if it were from her side.
The Story
This is the kind of book that you might need to think about for a moment before giving an honest review. It's been several days since I finished it, and I have found that my opinions have fluctuated a lot during that short time period. The thing is, the book leaves you with a lot to chew on. The structure and the narration, which kind of bored me, makes a bit more sense once you look at it as a whole. It might be worth it, but that's ultimately up to you to decide. You might find it harder to put down than I did.
It got hard for me to consistently hear about how sneaky Tanya had to be with her money, her ID, the places she spent time in, and the people she kept at a distance. It kept happening throughout the book and it felt repetitive. Looking at it from the finish line, it obviously makes sense. She's on the run. We are running with her. This is her life, as she has seemingly chosen it, and so we have to read about her on the road, dying her hair, and stealing money more than once. Still, frustration set in.
The best part about this book was that it wasn't predictable. It's one thing to write a thriller that's slow AND you basically can guess what's going to happen or what the outcome is (ahem, Vanishing Girls), but to at least keep the suspense up is a commendable thing. That is something I very much appreciated.
Overall...
I'm settling on a rating of 3/5 stars. I won't be steering anyone away from this because I'd love to hear some reviews from people who end up loving it. I just might not be quick to recommend it above other thrillers. If you're interested in reading it, don't let my iffy feelings hold you back. I'm so curious to hear other readers' thoughts.
If you'd like to see a spoilery review, I have one posted on my Goodreads.
Once you've read the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts and feelings!
Comments
Post a Comment