City of Bones (Harry Bosch) by Michael Connelly
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Book Reviews of City of Bones (Harry Bosch)
Book Review: Slow-Moving and Anti-Climactic
Summary: 2 Stars
This is the first Michael Connelly book I have read. I bought it because I had heard very good reviews about his books in general. As an avid reader of crime and detective novels I was initially excited to read this. However, in the end, I found City of Bones to be pretty disappointing.
I will not go into the details of the story's plot as I do not wish to spoil the book for those who are yet to read it, but I will say a little bit about the overall quality of the novel.
The pace of the plot is slow. The story seems to meander endlessly as it follows Detective Harry Bosch while he investigates various leads in his case. Normally, I would not find this problematic, as it is a realistic process in a detective's investigation, however, nothing very interesting happens during this process. The scenarios Connelly sets up offer very little in the way of suspense. Similarly such moments are few and far between. I can't help but feel I spent a majority of my time reading about Bosch filling out paperwork and traveling between different offices and departments within the LAPD. As I read 'Bones' I often found myself waiting...and waiting for something to happen. It never did.
The characters Bosch encounters throughout his investigation seem rather one dimensional and forgettable. Having just finished the book, I remember little about Bosch's love interest in the story. While Connelly may have attempted to develop her character to some extent, he ultimately failed. In the end, I didn't actually care what happened to her one way or another. Other major and minor characters in the book are also poorly developed. Bosch's partner Edgar is over-simplified to the point where it's almost comical, and the potential murder suspects leave very little of an impression, all coming off as rather innocuous.
The murder victim, who we, as readers, should care about if we are to follow a 400 page plus investigation, is given a very superficial examination. His life is covered in only the most minor detail, the situation surrounding his murder is never given its proper explanation, and we are left knowing little about him or why we should care about his death.
This was the first novel I read in Connelly's 'Bosch' series. I was expecting Detective Bosch to be a colorful character with a unique perspective and some interesting insights regarding life and police work (considering a series has been written around him). However, I walk away from City of Bones with very little feeling for detective Bosch. His character was like cardboard and my image of him as a person is very unclear. Moments where Connelly had the opportunity to develop the personal side of Bosch were often squandered in exchange for a flat and uninvolved explanation.
Like I have said, the book moves slowly. As the story's climax finally approaches you may find yourself waiting for everything to 'come together' at last...and it does, although in a way that is not satisfying or clever, or suspenseful. I was annoyed with this part of the book the most. SPOILER ALERT! The murderer of the victim is killed before he even has a chance to describe the situation surrounding the murder. So we, as readers, never get to hear it. Furthermore, the murderer is a minor and undeveloped character the reader has given little in the way of thought or concern. His reason for killing the victim is too simple to be satisfying. And because of his immediate death, we never are offered his perspective on what happened. And finally, the answer to the victim's murder just seems to come out of the blue to the point it is insulting to the reader and the time invested in reading the story up to this point. If Connelly was attempting to convey this sense of emptiness to the reader, as something that real-life detectives often feel, then he succeeded in his efforts. However, if he was attempting to create an engrossing and suspense-driven novel that would satisfy the reader, he did not.
Book Review: An addictive and very fast-paced mystery story
Summary: 4 Stars
One quick look through some of these reviews and I was very surprised with how many people seemed to give away major plot twists and plot points without realizing that this type of thing will ruin the book for anyone who'se considering reading it. I won't do that, except to say that this story is a very well-thought out mystery in the long-running Harry Bosch series, one that involves the constant struggle with the media that police in this country obviously face and how this can lead to corruption. The setup and mystery is definitely not one of the better or more complex ones in the series but it's easily one of the fastest-paced. Centered in here is a love story, which has been a rarity in this series.
It's a breath of fresh air overall, and the plot takes its shocking turns. What stops this from reaching the 5-stars of Harry Bosch novels such as Lost Light are a number of factors...first of all, a very traumatic event happens in around the middle of the book and it's a stunning development...yet Harry Bosch seems to forget this over time. There was a very sad moment involving a note at the end of the story but aside from that, it sort of went the rest of the story without playing a central role, which was a little disappointing. The mystery itself, also, ended with surprising loose ends for a Connelly novel. I'm used to detailed explanations at the end of my Harry Bosch novels but this time it never occurs, leaving the villain's motives totally unexplained (aside from an assumption) and same went for a much-needed explanation of why a cop acted the way they did in the middle of the story....never happens.
Still, though, this is a recommended Harry Bosch novel. Good stuff.
Book Review: Good...not great
Summary: 3 Stars
I won't rehash the plot summary since most reviews do that...I'll just jump right into what I thought of the book. To start, I have to mention that this is the first Harry Bosch novel I have read. I was given the book as a gift, and decided to read it before going out and buying the first in the series. I love that the story involves an investigation that feels "real." There are no over the top clues, and the detectives don't just go out, find things, and wrap up the case in 48 hours which seems to happen in so many stories to keep the action flowing. Harry Bosch is a real detective and his investigation takes some time. Also, Connelly does a superb job in demonstrating to the reader the inner workings of a real cop. He seems to know how they tick. I enjoyed the behind the scenes stuff and inner workings of Bosch more than the plot of the murder.
That being said, the novel left me feeling a little empty inside. For a fascinating setup to a story with a dog digging up a human bone in the woods, I felt let down by the rest of the plot. The ending was totally anti-climactic as other detectives brought down the "bad guy" while we were stuck in Bosch's point of view a distance away from the action, wondering what was going on. Too many strings were left untied, as we never find out what really happened in one of the biggest plot twists and certainly the best action sequence. In addition, there seemed to be some continuity issues in play. Harry cracks a few ribs at the beginning of the book, and it is mentioned a few times as being very painful for him over the next few days. Then, all of a sudden, it is never mentioned again, and he is able to do some incredibly strenuous activities that nobody would be able to do a few days after breaking their ribs. I know it sounds like I'm nit-picking a bit, but a great book should not have those issues.
I finished reading the book about a week ago and I still can't decide if I liked it or not. It kept me engaged throughout, but still left me wanting more from the experience when I was done. Overall, I would probably give the book more like a 3.5 rating. I recommend it for an entertaining read, but don't expect to be blown away. I am going to try to read some of the earlier Bosch novels now, and I suggest other readers do the same first. From what I hear, those are much more engaging.
Book Review: Great Reading
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed reading this book very much, from the very start to the very end. Once I began reading I could not put it down. This happens to me with all of Michael Connelly's books. I highly recommend them ALL.Book Review: Middle of the road
Summary: 3 Stars
Another Connelly book written to justify a publishers advance (my guess). It fares better than A Darkness More Than Light and The Overlook both of which are extremely weak.
But not much better. I figured out the killer right after Bosch interviews the dead boys father and he says he did it.
Bosch resigns at the end of the book and it is totally unconvincing.
Nothing spectacular here. It's readable, sometimes predictable, but also forgettable.
And, my pet peeve about Connelly's writing is back in full swing. His use of the word "nodded". I counted it six times in two pages at one point. His editor really needs to get with it.