The Poet

Rating:
Summary: Loved it...
Review: Wow, what a difference of opinion in most of the reviews here! Well you can't please everyone, but obviously there's plenty of people who loved 'The Poet'. I am one of them. The fabulous-though-flawed hero engaged me in the adventure of a chase for a serial killer, while I also had the benefit of the parallel story looking into the world of the one hunted. There were so many twists and turns in this novel and they were all so cleverly constructed that they were believable. Plenty of hold-your-breath excitement and suspense, plus a very clever ending with a double twist. Warning! If you start it, you might not be able to put it down...

Rating:
Summary: The Poet
Review: Story was great until the plot took an unrealistic turn at the end as the author revealed the identity of the Poet. I felt cheated by this fabrication.

Rating:
Summary: Did Anyone Notice Discrepencies?
Review: This is the second time I'm reading this book, though I did not realise it when I picked it up from a second-hand bookstore. Anyway, in Chapter 8, according to the Times article, Chicago detective John Brooks was supposed to to have killed himself on March 13 approximately one year prior to Sean McEvoy's death (in 1995). So why is it that in chapter 22, in the preliminary Victimology Report, it states Brooks' date-of-death as October 30 1993? And how can Brooks' death be 1 year old if according to chapter 11, Bobby Smathers, the murder Brooks was investigating, died in March 1994 ("A one-year anniversary noted with flowers.")? The author obviously did not give too much thought to the time-line in his story. Either that or he simply did not care enough or thought his readers too stupid/careless to notice. And by the way, is a Glock 19 (chapter 22) and a .38 Special (chapter 8) the same gun? 'Cos they're both supposed to have been used in Brooks' death.

Rating:
Summary: Full of Suspense and Intrigue
Review: The Poet is the 6th book review from the CORBEL Book Club. This book probably would have been rated higher, but 1 member in our group really did not enjoy the descriptiveness regarding the mutilation of human bodies (what does that say about the rest of us!) The author does a great job keeping your attention - a real page-turner. We found the twist of characters surprising. Many stated they did not like the ending - a little too much stage-setting for the next book perhaps... Overall a good read that keeps your interest.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Unimportant, Unnecessary Characters
Review: The first 100 pages do keep me stay on the book. But after that, 1 or 2 new characters are introduced about every chapter. I start become annoying about memorizing who they are, what they did...etc. The chapters after are just repeating the same incidents, only revising with some more "facts." The crime committed by the poet make me feel disguesting and horrible. It is a book annoying me.

Rating:
Summary: Good Read
Review: This was a good read- better than average, some elements were a bit far fetched, and the ending seened to be thrown together, but I would definetly reccomend it. I like this guys writing very much!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully written!
Review: This is my first shot at reading a Connelly novel, and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised with it. I don't understand some people who criticize the book for ending the way it did, I thought everything was very well thought out, finely honed and elegantly written. Writers are players, and Connelly is a pro in this game from what I've seen. He had an ace hidden up his sleeve, and threw it down at the precise moment. It's a book full of great twists and turns and believable characters. I think it is unfair to compare this to Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs because each book is unique in its own special way. I do think that The Poet would look quite well on screen if it were to be adapted. Kudos to Michael Connelly on a superb job, a crowning achievement to a great storyteller.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Read
Review: This was my first Connelly novel, but it will not be my last. The Poet totally blew me away! It is the best psycological thriller I have ever read, and this includes Silence of The Lambs. Michael Connelly is the MAN.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: This book was a 'page turner' from the beginning right up to the last page. I agree with the other reviewer who took issue with the ending, but the book was still GREAT anyway! I read it in two days. Couldn't put it down! I will read Michael Connelly's other books now.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ
Review: THIS WAS MY FIRST, BUT DEFINETLY NOT MY LAST CONNELLY NOVEL. DEFINETLY A PAGE-TURNER FROM START TO FINISH. I FOUND IT VERY EASY TO FOLLOW THE PLOT WHILE CONNELLY SHARES GRAPHIC DETAILS AND SUBTLE CLUES ABOUT A KILLER ON THE LOOSE. MANY READERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE BOOKS CONCLUSION, BUT I FOUND IT QUITE INTERESTING. I HAVE FOUND A NEW AUTHOR TO FOLLOW IN MY PURSUIT OF CRIME-THRILLERS.