Primed for Vengeance
by Gill D. Anderson
Released August 3, 2021
★★☆☆☆
This action-packed novel is a psychological thriller, crime investigation and case file wrapped up in one!
A young man seeks vengeance against those that abandoned him after years of struggles and hardship. In his bid to exchange suffering, he pushes to punish those responsible. Will he be able to calm the voice inside? Or is he on an irreversible path to mutual destruction?
I had the privilege to speak to the author over Facebook and receive an ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The opinions within this article are my own.
Gill brings her history as a social worker to the page in this novel focused on the Australian child care system, psychological effects of child trauma and how bad a situation could get when dealing with multiple negative factors. She provides in-depth insight to what can cause someone to spiral - and a keen sense of how simple one action can create an everlasting and negative ripple effect.
I honestly didn't know what to expect, as this is my first chance at reading one of Gill's novels. I have always been interested in crime thrillers and I gravitate to crime dramas on TV and in books. With my background in criminal law under the Canadian justice system and my own experience with childhood trauma and the foster system in Canada, I was drawn to the synopsis of this book.
Unlike most crime books that bring a "who-dunnit" flare to the story, the reader is immediately introduced to the main perpetrator: Butch. You get a feeling of how unstable he is as the prologue is told through his point of view. He is erratic, intense, and knows that his personality and appearance are off-putting to others.
As you progress into the chapters of the book, the point-of-view narrative shifts from Butch to others. Gill works to establish a history of events, which lends to a slow start. Much of the memories come across as clinical rather than free prose, making it hard to differentiate the story and what feels like a case file. Characters are abruptly introduced - some focused on in-depth at the beginning only to never mention them again.
I think one of the most difficult aspects I experienced while reading was the constant shift of perspective. You might be living with Sarah's point-of-view for a time when it brusquely shifts to another, insignificant person's perspective - usually in the middle of a paragraph and without warning. There are many examples of when an inconsequential character - usually a passenger on a train or a random individual walking by - is given focus to their thoughts or actions. This was jarring and caused great distraction when reading.
Another aspect that made it harder to get through was the seemingly unorganized structure and character motivations. The narrative jumps between scenes that sometimes hang loose and separate from the main plot. There are times when other characters suddenly think of the main antagonist in the lead up to catastrophic events, but there is no rhyme or reason pointing to why it was a relevant thought other than the fact that he was about to do something to them. There are times when characters external to the basic plot are suddenly aware of names or events, despite not being connected to them.
The ending seemed a bit lacklustre and "easy". Without going too far into the events, I did feel like the conclusion felt like an easy way out. The epilogue provided some insight into the characters' lives after the events, but I felt that it was largely detached and more of filler, with the events seen in the epilogue as inconsequential compared to the crux of the story.
I do think Gill has a great premise. This is a great survey into the effects of neglect in children and the long-term issues that could arise from Butch's situation. I do believe that, with refinement and concise direction of plot and characters, that it could be an absolutely stupendous read. She has all of the facts, the experience and the intention - it just felt like some polish and motivations were lacking.
This book would be a great addition to readers that enjoy probing into human psychology. Some content is mature, so this would be better aligned with a more mature audience.
Comentários