The Killer

Rating:
Summary: Flat Hard-Boiled Wannabe
Review: From the very beginning this struck me as a movie masquerading as a book. The transformation of a knockabout used-car salesman in suburban Sao Paolo into a respected killer-for-hire takes all of a chapter or so in this deadpan story. The killer starts his newfound career by shooting a local bully in the back, and quickly works his way up in the world (a la Scarface) by be drawn into spearheading a neighborhood protection racket. He's a rather unpleasant guy,..., and pretty much bullying people who get in his way. Although he keeps making noises about wanting to settle down, it's never clear what that means to him, or which women that means being with. The distanced tone makes the whole story sort of flat, and it fails to connect with the reader in any meaningful way. It's a decent attempt at Brazilian hard-boiled-...--but it doesn't quite work.

Rating:
Summary: excellent writing
Review: i think the reviewer who gave this book 3 stars missed the point of this book. this is not a crime novel. it is literature! this book has a lot of different levels- the Library Review comparing it to Tarantino is right on in that it has that surreal, making-fun-of-itself quality. its not meant to be realism! i found her writing really refreshing and the main character fascinating (especially knowing that this book was written by a woman).

Rating:
Summary: excellent writing
Review: i think the reviewer who gave this book 3 stars missed the point of this book. this is not a crime novel. it is literature! this book has a lot of different levels- the Library Review comparing it to Tarantino is right on in that it has that surreal, making-fun-of-itself quality. its not meant to be realism! i found her writing really refreshing and the main character fascinating (especially knowing that this book was written by a woman).

Rating:
Summary: O matador
Review: Para as pessoas que sabem curtir a adrenalina, este é, sem dúvidas, um exelente livro. A vida de um cara normal que de repente se torna um serial killer é retrada com dinamismo, fazendo com que o leitor questione se o personagem principal é um bandido. Tive a oportunidade de conhecer pessoalmente a escritora, que me recebeu com os bracos abertos mesmo sem nunca ter me visto antes. Ela é tão marcante quanto o próprio livro, se identificam simultaneamente. Entreterimento parecido com os livros de Rubem Fonseca só que com uma dose extra de seducão.

Rating:
Summary: O matador
Review: Para as pessoas que sabem curtir a adrenalina, este é, sem dúvidas, um exelente livro. A vida de um cara normal que de repente se torna um serial killer é retrada com dinamismo, fazendo com que o leitor questione se o personagem principal é um bandido. Tive a oportunidade de conhecer pessoalmente a escritora, que me recebeu com os bracos abertos mesmo sem nunca ter me visto antes. Ela é tão marcante quanto o próprio livro, se identificam simultaneamente. Entreterimento parecido com os livros de Rubem Fonseca só que com uma dose extra de seducão.