WHAT'S THE DEAL? Pilgrim is an agent who got out of the game when the players changed that awful day in 2001. However, he had one last hurrah by writing a book on the unsolved crimes he came across during his time in service under a pseudonym. Flash forward a few years and Pilgrim is at a very familiar feeling crime scene and suddenly he finds himself back in the world he desperately wanted to leave because he was right: the players have changed and this is a whole other ball game.
ANY GOOD? Woah, what a ride! Perhaps I was so taken with it because it's not like my usual reads? Still, it was well written and most importantly consistently engaging (and mind boggling and a little scary in places)!
So much is covered but the chapters aren't too long so it's easy to dip in and out, which made it perfect for commuting. Pilgrim was a great main character. A hero but not your cookie cutter kind nor your grumpy, reluctant kind or your frantic, Carrie from Homeland kind. He was just cool.
The way all the plots weaved together was very clever. Going backwards and forwards in time and place can be confusing if in the wrong hands but Terry Hayes was in control of his writing the whole time. I'm sure it could've easily gotten out of hand and unbelievable but it didn't, which is what made it quite chilling. Overall, it was a great insight into the shadows of our world and one hell of a ride.
ADD TO BASKET? Yes, get it now! Even if you don't usually like thriller/spy novels.
WHAT'S THE DEAL? It's almost Christmas and Georgie finds herself in a make-or-break situation where both her marriage and career are concerned. Filled with confusion she flees back to the comfort of the family nest, filled with familiar surroundings from her youth. It is amidst her memorabilia that she finds a way to confront her past and her future.
ANY GOOD? I said this in my YA Buccaneers challenge round-up but I absolutely loved this book and most of all because of Georgie McCool. Best character name of the year by far. Also one of the best characters of the year so far, for sure. Having said that, all of the supporting characters were brilliant in their own ways too. From Georgie's writing partner and BFF Seth (did anyone else picture a James Marsden type?), to her mother, step-father, and sister with all their suburban drama. Then there was Neal. Neal who could have seemed like the villain but managed to come out as probably the most sympathetic character, despite not actually being present for most of the novel. Rainbow Rowell just has a knack for writing relatable, lovable, and genunine characters going through the things that everybody goes through.
I'm not married but that doesn't mean I couldn't feel for Georgie and Neal as she dissected their relationship and they confronted emotions that had built up over the years masked by the daily grind. All the themes touched upon in Landline are experienced by us at some point in our life - resentment, sacrifice, forgiveness, to career or not career? (not just a question for women anymore), and fate. Family is also central to Landline (as with all of Rainbow Rowell's other books).
Final quick thoughts because I could go on forever: I love the sprinkles of cuteness such as Noomi's "meow's"; it had a real 90's rom-com feel - or even The Family Stone. Why don't they make films like that anymore? In terms of ranking the books now, I think Landline is my second favourite - Attachments being my favourite - so obviously it seems as though I prefer Rainbow Rowell's adult offerings. However, Fangirl wasn't really YA and it didn't feel like NA either, I'm sure it would've not looked out of placed in the general Fiction section of a bookstore. I also want to know if Neal knows Lincoln...
ADD TO BASKET? Yes, if you like coms a bit rom and your fiction full of heart.
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