Rated of 5
by Debbie M. (grand junction, CO) The Most Dangerous Thing
The Most Dangerous Thing centers on a group of kids entertaining themselves in the neighborhood. One day, while playing in the woods, something happens that affects their lives forever. As adults they are brought together again and find that what they thought had happened was different from what actually happened. Now they must deal with the events and move on. I think most of us can relate to the story. Most of our childhood play was innocent, but did shape our lives in ways we don't always see. In this book the characters might have never realized the impact if they hadn't come together as adults.
Rated of 5
by Shaun- Chicago The Most Dangerous Thing
I was hoping for a gripping and suspenseful Laura Lippmann book but unfortunately this wasn't it. It's a decent character-driven story but I was hoping for a plot twist or an ending you couldn't see coming. I was disappointed that I didn't find the plot engrossing or that I had no trouble putting it down. I usually like Lippman's books and was sorry that this wasn't one of my favorites.
Rated of 5
by Carolyn S. (Decatur, GA) The Most Dangerous Thing
This was my first Laura Lippman book and I was looking forward to expanding my reading horizons. I was disappointed. The plot was weak, the characters sad, and the pace was slow and the back and forth from past to present distracting. We never received enough information about the main character Go Go.
Rated of 5
by Elizabeth W. (Newton, MA) A many-layered treat . . .
My pleasure in reading Laura Lippman's The Most Dangerous Thing grew as the layers of history and competing points of view built up. The story of how five childhood friends became a tightly knit unit that faced both adventures and a final disaster while exploring the woods near their homes is told from the varied perspectives of the young children, the parents of those children, and both groups thirty years later.
At times, the pace of the book is slow, but Lippman's ear for natural dialogue and her ability to choose the perfect descriptive detail made the leisurely pace enjoyable for me. Furthermore, there are interesting plot twists that emerge with each retelling of the story. When I read about the same events from the perspective of the adults, I found richness in already knowing what the children did and thought, but it is the world of the five young friends that is most alive and enticing.
I recommend this book, especially for a time when you can relax and savor its richness.
Rated of 5
by Mary Ann B. (Louisville, KY) You never really know a person
Laura Lippman has written a story that stays with you after reading, because it makes you think about your own life and the people you know or think you know. This book keeps you guessing about not only the children we meet as adults, but their parents as well. Nature vs nurture will always be debated, and Ms. Lippman makes us think about both. If you like her stand-alones, I'd Know You Anywhere, and What the Dead Know, this won't disappoint.
Rated of 5
by Kerry M. (Charlotte, NC) What Lies Beneath
This was my first Laura Lippman novel, although her books have been on my "to read" list for some time. So I did not have any expectations when I began this book. I enjoyed the psychological mystery that basically disclosed the end at the beginning, but then unraveled for us how that came to be. The characters were very realistic and sad, all of them exhibiting some instance of keeping a secret or thought to themselves that over time effected their relationship to the other characters. The device of moving back and forth in time (present to past lives) was well done, although I did find the use of the first person plural in the telling of the story from children's perspective to be a little distracting.
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