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The Paris Diversion


A pulse-pounding thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The ...
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For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Created: 01/14/20

Replies: 19

Posted Jan. 14, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter Forsyth isn't able to see his relationship with Colette clearly. For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is he so blind to this reality? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?


Posted Jan. 18, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 548

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter is so wealthy that he has begin to feel entitled and above the law. We certainly see this effect on some politicians or people who are powerful and important in their area of business. Hunter is also blinded by his lust.


Posted Jan. 19, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
julianna

Join Date: 10/10/13

Posts: 41

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Agree Hunter is blinded by his lust. Hunter is so self absorbed he is unable or unwilling to give serious thought to or empathize with the lives of those around him.


Posted Jan. 19, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
barrye

Join Date: 07/20/14

Posts: 50

RE: such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter was envious of what he perceives other wealthy men are able to accomplish when it comes to women. Yet many women go for the Hunter like guys. Collette seemed smarter or as it turns out was part of the plot.


Posted Jan. 19, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
deeh

Join Date: 03/03/12

Posts: 239

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter is a typical narcissist in that he cannot imagine his feelings not being reciprocated by Colette. Colette seems to be a realist who puts up with his demands because he pays her well and makes no sexual demands on her. I love the fact that she never returned to the office after the kidnapping.


Posted Jan. 19, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
barbarao

Join Date: 10/18/12

Posts: 29

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter’s character was a stereotype. Successful and smart but tripped up by his lust for a married woman. I was surprised he never suspected that. Ollette could have played him.


Posted Jan. 20, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
christineb

Join Date: 10/13/11

Posts: 120

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

There is the old adage about not seeing the forest for the trees ;same thing for misplaced love. I think many of the characters in this book misunderstood their relationships because of their own internal conflicts.


Posted Jan. 20, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
acstrine

Join Date: 02/06/17

Posts: 438

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

It is about the monstrously tall heels that make her legs look spectacular! And another brilliant man goes down at the hands (or legs) of an even more brilliant woman!

I think that Hunter is a legend in his own mind. He sees himself as having everything, being everything--who wouldn't feel honored to be chosen by him? His life has worked out perfectly; his entire family has been in the right place at the right time. I do not think it has ever occurred to him that someone would not give him something he wanted.

I think there is a lot of misunderstanding in Kate and Dexter's relationship, as well as in Julia and Bill's. Julia has even made arrangements that Bill knows nothing about depending on the level of risk she has assigned to different outcomes of their plan.


Posted Jan. 20, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alycet

Join Date: 04/23/12

Posts: 182

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

He is so fond of himself that he feels everybody feels that way.


Posted Jan. 20, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joanw

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 61

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

He loves himself so much he cannot understand why everyone doesn't feel the same.


Posted Jan. 21, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paulagb

Join Date: 08/16/17

Posts: 173

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Lust and narcissism are not uncommon in the ultra wealthy. I think we might be surprised how common they are in the less wealthy as well.


Posted Jan. 23, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lisaw

Join Date: 01/04/20

Posts: 4

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

I believe that many men, particularly older powerful men, are delusional when it comes to women. They project their feelings onto their object of desire and never realize it might not be reciprocated. The more narcissistic they are, the less likely they are to question the attentions of a beautiful woman. Colette put on a wonderful act...as least as described through Hunter’s eyes and he just assumed she adored him. Very realistic I believe in the real world.


Posted Jan. 24, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
marks

Join Date: 02/25/19

Posts: 112

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

I agree with just about everything in lisaw's comment, including (sadly) the notion that this is realistic and more common than we generally like to admit. There is an assumption in the narcissists' mind that the object of desire will obviously share the incredibly inflated opinion they have of themselves. I loved how Colette played it at the end, and I enjoy thinking that Hunter might be more shocked by that than he was by the rest of the events of that day.


Posted Jan. 24, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
vivianh

Join Date: 11/14/11

Posts: 160

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Look at Prince Andrew- wealthy, insulated by wealth & privilege, narcissistic, clueless, believes the world revolves around him.


Posted Jan. 25, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorinned

Join Date: 10/13/14

Posts: 176

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

I have to agree with deeh that Hunter is a narcissist who thinks any woman will immediately fall for him because he's so wonderful, and with deeh's other remarks about Collette and her strength and wisdom in resisting him.

Also I agree with acstrine's comments about Kate and Dexter's and Julia and Bill's misunderstanding of their relationships and in fact the real mystery to me - I just don't see how a husband and wife could do this - the nondisclosures of their business dealings to each other!


Posted Jan. 29, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pnelson384

Join Date: 05/13/19

Posts: 47

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

I met many Hunters working in the financial services industry in the 80s-90s. The entitlement and narcissism is classic. It isn't that he's blind. He just never was introduced to the concept that a woman might not want him. Many of the relationships in this story are not ones that I would ever aspire to. Most are very disfunctional.


Posted Jan. 30, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliep

Join Date: 04/07/12

Posts: 250

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter is a narcissist who thinks that every woman is going to desire him. Men like him can be very savvy as far as business goes, but totally mess up their lives when it comes to sex. Most of the relationships in the book are pretty dysfunctional - Kate not trusting Dexter and keeping secrets from each other; Julia not really caring that much about whether Bill makes it out alive or not.


Posted Feb. 04, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cathyoc

Join Date: 04/26/17

Posts: 247

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

I think extreme wealth and extreme narcissism has made Hunter unaware of the selflessness required for true love. The fact that he didn’t even know about the life of Collette and her husband and child makes you realize he is not in love with her, but with the idea of a beautiful woman in love with him.


Posted Feb. 05, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Junebug

Join Date: 01/25/20

Posts: 21

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter only wants the physical perfection he feels Colette represents. She is another trophy for him to obtain.


Posted Feb. 09, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
djcminor

Join Date: 03/14/19

Posts: 208

RE: For such an accomplished businessman who is in general so sharp, why is Hunter so blind with regard to Colette? Do other characters misunderstand their own relationships?

Hunter is self-absorbed. He sees the world as turning around him. He desires Celeste, but at first, he sees her only as a servant---someone who will do his bidding. In fact, Celeste anticipates his wants before he completely articulates them himself.


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