Chasing Dreams
I enjoyed reading "The Face Thief". It was an interesting story that looked at people's greed, motives and lies all wrapped up in a mystery. These themes are universal and easily relate-able. The characters were well drawn and the book was an easy read, so many people would like this book.
Rated of 5
by Jen W. (Denver, CO)
The Steam Engine
One of the best sounds of impending excitement or suspense is that of a steam engine getting ready to launch off. It starts out with a slow, chug, chug and builds to a whistling hum. Reading the Face Thief, I kept thinking about this metaphor. This book has all the right parts. An interesting plot, really well designed characters and a strong writing style. I started chugging along in this book and was drawn into the different characters, wondering how they would converge together. Each character had their own distinct level of intrigue. Thinking about the connections between them at first created momentum into the story. But, the book never really got whistling. Perhaps because it alternates perspectives, the author never crafted enough coherence to make the story live up to its potential. The characters would sometimes carry from one chapter to the next, but would ultimately lose its steam as it shifted perspectives. The writer left off with a cliffhanger of sorts at the end of the chapters, but this became more predictable than intriguing. The book as a suspenseful thriller is one of "almost". It almost gets going, but not quite.
Rated of 5
by Shirley F. (Franksville, WI)
Thief of my time
I thought this book would be a fast and exciting study of a sociopathic female. Although the premise of face reading is a little out dated, just like the yoga retreat for sex, the "psychological thriller" aspect kept me going back to the book. For me, however, the aura of mystery presented in the beginning never got off the ground and the characters never really came to life. The story lacked momentum - while there were some background details, the reactions of the characters felt disconnected and most were never explained. By the end of the book, I still had a lot of questions, and it felt like the author had to hurry to finish the story so he introduced a bunch of possible endings to let the reader come to his/her own conclusions.
Rated of 5
by David M. (Glendale, CA)
Great premise…but the storyline never got momentum
The notion of Bernie Madoff as a femme fatale was interesting; however, the plot never moved much off the ground. The book focuses on Margot, a beautiful swindler who uses her sexual allure and ability to “read faces” as a way to cheat her male victims out of their investments. However, the story and the characters became increasingly bland as the book moved to a mild ending.
Rated of 5
by Kelly P. (Monterey, TN)
Intriguing concept, blah execution
The Face Thief is a book crafted from an interesting concept, engaging language, and three fully formed characters. Unfortunately, the result of these excellent ingredients is an unsatisfying read. The two primary reasons for this dissatisfaction are the disjointed flow of the book and the abrupt ending. The narrative structure, with the shifting between the character’s perspectives between chapters, is not to blame for the disjointed flow. The fault lies with the inclusion of an extraneous character, Dan France, during Margot’s chapters. The author never provides a believable back story and purpose for Dan. So, this character’s constant inclusion in Margot’s section breaks up the flow of her story without anything that seems to justify his inclusion. Then, when the end does come it feels incomplete; it is almost as if there is a chapter missing. Overall, the book left me with the feeling of a great concept gone to waste.
Rated of 5
by Kathryn W. (Beaumont, TX)
Nobody to Like
This book reads quickly due to a smooth writing style, but the structure is confusing and complicated. There is really no one in this book to like or with whom one might make a connection. And at the end of the book, I was unsure what had really happened. Maybe it is me, but deliberate obfuscation seems pointless.
Rated of 5
by Michael F. (Providence, RI)
A premise unrequited
There is an art to writing a short novel; every word and every character must matter. Unfortunately, the FACE THIEF is filled with characters that are undeveloped and with language that is inelegant, often clumsy. The protagonists do not inspire sympathy or empathy from the reader, and they often act or speak in ways that are just not believable. Most importantly, the promise of a first-rate mystery is never fulfilled. Instead, the story line merely feels disjointed, vague, and unprovocative. The novel reads like a first draft that, with a strong editorial hand, could have been developed into something more interesting.
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