Rating: Summary: Disappointed Review: Like several of the other reviewers, I have always loved Lindsey's novels and I was very excited to see he had released a new one. This one is not like any of his others. By the time anything interesting happened, I was so fed up with the ridiculous characters that I could barely force myself to finish the book. For the most part, the book consisted of rehashing the feelings of the characters for each other over and over, with no action or suspense.
Rating: Summary: Animosity Review: My first mistake was buying this book; the second was to finish it after reading halfway through. I've always enjoyed Lindsey's books and have looked forward to his latest, however, this is the worst book I've read in a long time. What a disappointment! Does he have a ghost writer?
Rating: Summary: When first we practice to deceive Review: Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Well, particularly if you are female and land in the pages of Mr. Lindsey's books? Drama meets deceit in this compelling story that amazingly (and quite gracefully) moves between Paris and the Texas hill country. Sculptor Ross Marteau is stabbed by an angry lover at the beginning of the story and little do we know that his women problems will only escalate. This was a very captivating "can't put it down" kind of book, with an excellent sense of place. Definitely a man's story, with much emphasis on the female form and diabolical scheming of the gender. And the truly terrifying part is that there really ARE people like this out there, people who understand only lies and passion and folly. Grippingly good in a seamy sort of way.
Rating: Summary: When first we practice to deceive Review: Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Well, particularly if you are female and land in the pages of Mr. Lindsey's books? Drama meets deceit in this compelling story that amazingly (and quite gracefully) moves between Paris and the Texas hill country. Sculptor Ross Marteau is stabbed by an angry lover at the beginning of the story and little do we know that his women problems will only escalate. This was a very captivating "can't put it down" kind of book, with an excellent sense of place. Definitely a man's story, with much emphasis on the female form and diabolical scheming of the gender. And the truly terrifying part is that there really ARE people like this out there, people who understand only lies and passion and folly. Grippingly good in a seamy sort of way.
Rating: Summary: What a disappointment! Review: One of my favorite writers has come up with a real mess. This doesn't even read like the David Lindsey I know. Bring back Stuart Haydon and his fascinating home in Houston. Even the hill country seemed unfamiliar to me. Are we sure he really wrote this?
Rating: Summary: Animosity Review: One of the most distasteful novels I've read. Not only are the characters one-dimensional, they are odious. I skimmed portions of the book that were upsetting and macabre. Astonishing that Lindsey found a publisher for this mediocre and forgettable work.
Rating: Summary: AN EXTRAORDINARILY INTENSE, AND EERIE READING EXPERIENCE Review: Ross Marteau is a world renowned sculptor whose works of art depict the sensual side of rich and famous women. But, as he can use his hands to bring beauty, and sensuality to the sculptures of his clients, he can do nothing to save his own long-term relationship from falling apart. After a bitter breakup, Ross heads back to his hometown of Texas to try and get peace of mind, but everything is disturbed when he meets Celeste Lacan. Celeste introduces herself, and asks him to take on a new project...create a sculpture of her sister Leda. Only seeing a photo of Leda's beautiful face intrigues Ross enough to take on the job, and his attraction to Celeste is an added bonus, but when he meets Leda in person he is shocked by her physical deformity. Consumed by Leda's beautiful face, as well as her unique body, Ross works hard to bring the contrasts to life in his sculpture, but slowly he realizes Leda is somewhat disturbed, and his relationship with big sister Celeste is pushing her further over the edge. Ross, unaware of the strange bond between the two sisters, will be drawn into the dark world of the Lacan girls, and a shocking murder will be the proof of how sinister these sisters are. 'Animosity' is unlike anything you have ever read; it is beautifully written, eerie in plot, fast-paced, elegant, and ultimitely creepy. David Lindsey has always written good thrillers, but with 'Animosity' he outdoes himself, it is packed with suspense, and includes an ending so shocking, that no reader will expect it, or forget it. Nick Gonnella
Rating: Summary: Hell Hath No Fury..... Review: This is a very different suspense novel with a particularly unusual character and relationships based upon scorn, selfishness and lust. Sculptor Ross Marteau meets Celeste,a beautiful woman who hires him to sculpt her sister Leda, in what turns out to be one of his greatest challenges. Leda's body overwhelms him with curiosity and fascination while at the same time feeling aversion and disgust. Once he agrees to work with Leda, the entanglement of the relationships between the characters becomes the heart of the story. In fact, I think the age-old saying, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" becomes the underlying plotline that drives the story to a very satisfying conclusion. Although this is not one of Lindsey's best, it still satisfied my requirements for it to be recommended: unique characters, realistic dialogue, and a plot that holds interest, has surprises, and makes me think after I close the book for the last time.
Rating: Summary: Diabolique without the Twist Review: This is the first Lindsay book I have read and based on the characterizations I am not apt to pick up another one except perhaps to explore the Stuart Haydon character many of the other reviewers mention with true reverance. This tale of a moody sculptor living the high life in Paris and at his retreat in the Hill Country of Texas leaves much to be desired---most of all I needed to like the characters a lot better than I did. I understood that Ross, the artist had sold out and was producing nudes that needed perhaps some degree of expertize to churn out but little imagination or even emotional output from the artist. When Leda, the beautiful/ugly enigma walks into his life chaperoned by her more than mysterious sister, Celeste, I understood immediately why Ross would want to devote everything to capturing Leda's yin/yang of beauty versus ugliness in a 3-dimensional portrayal. But after many other seemingly disengaging affairs with willful, mysterious women, I had to wonder just why he would want to stick his neck into such a jumble of psychological innuendo.
Lindsey moves the story along at a quick pace, but again he seems to skim the character's surface---the only intense semi-dimensional personage is Leda and she only appears for a portion of the book. Celeste, albeit mysterious, seems a little too sad; Ross, jaded and too detached--so much so you continue to wonder why he does the things he does for these women.
I would have liked to see the plot include Ross's rich male friend, but this unfortunately does not happen and the climactic scene occurs at the plot's halfway mark instead of at the near end when it should. The supposed killer ending simply doesn't satisfy unless we view the whole adventure as a morality tale where anyone playing with fire ends up being burnt like he/she deserves. Call me an optomist but I don't read to ultimately feel fatalistic.
The scenario involving the two women weavng a web motivated by revenge and passion is an old one used many times before---this one has all the makings of something familiar yet still interesting, especially in terms of Ross' excitement over the sculpture he is creating, but then falls flat without the needed climatic twist. Recommended as only a quick read.
Rating: Summary: Mercy Review: Though not one of Lindsey's best novels, this one does have suspense and it builds to an interesting climax. Lindsey seems to be trying something new with this novel. It has less of a deliberate pace than his other works. Ross Marteau is more naive and corrupted than the usual Lindsey protagonist, which makes the ending all the more interesting. Lindsey is known for his articulate prose and peculiar characters, and with the latter he out does himself in this novel. Mr. Lindsey has set a very high bar for himself so when he writes a solid novel, but not a great novel one cannot help but be a little disappointed. I do recommend you not make this your first Lindsey book. Try Mercy or In the Lake of the Moon.
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