The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

I have to admit it. I have never read any of Stephenie Meyer's most famous works: The Twilight Series. Nope, I just can't bring myself to read them. I haven't even watched any of the movies. My daughter Isabella is NOT named for the main female character. (Isabella comes from my mom's aunt and is a name I had picked out long before Twilight was even a thought in Meyers' head.)  I know that as an English teacher, I should be more open minded about literature, but I am not at all interested in reading about a vampire love story. No offence to those of you who do. Just not my thing!

So, when my husband gave me The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer for Christmas, I was a little surprised. He despises anything Twilight related. But, he'd heard good things about the book and it was one of the top picks at Chapters.  He chose it because this book is not at all about vampires. It's an adult fiction book, unlike Twilight which is a teen fiction series.  I read the summary of the book on the inside cover and was instantly intrigued.

It took me much longer to read this novel than I planned. I started the book at the beginning of March and zipped through the first 300 pages quite quickly. Then, we left for our St. Lucia trip. I did not bring The Chemist with me, even though I really wanted to continue it. It's a hard cover book of 520 pages, which meant its weight was not worth it! I did not want to lug around this huge, heavy book on what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. So, I grabbed a small paperback book for our trip and left The Chemist on my headboard. But I went right back to it when we returned to Sudbury.

The Chemist is about, go figure, a chemist (I know: no big surprise there!) who works for a top secret CIA department that doesn't even have a name. This chemist's job is to torture suspected terrorists using unique chemical concoctions in order to retrieve information to take down terrorist acts and organizations. However, when the book begins, she is on the run from this department because her superiors are trying to kill her. She doesn't actually know why they're trying to kill her though. She realizes that she must have heard or learned of something so top secret that everyone involved must be killed, but she has no idea what that something could be.

Because she is on the run, she does not really have a name. She changes her name over and over every time she relocates. For much of the novel, she goes by the name Alex, so I will stick to that name, rather than continuing to just say her and she.

Alex is manipulated into returning to the department for one last information (torture) session. The suspected terrorist, Daniel, however, becomes someone far more complicated than any other suspect she's ever encountered. She is drawn to him and becomes entangled in his life in a desperate attempt to save their lives. For much of the novel, they are on the run from this agency and danger lurks around every corner, no matter how much planning and preparing Alex does.

I do recommend this book, giving it 3/5 stars. It starts out really well. It's intriguing, fast-paced, suspenseful, and unique. Meyers' writing is elevated and clear. The problem is that the book is 520 pages and the second half drags. It becomes predictable and repetitive. So, before the March Break, I would have raved about this book. But since returning, I can't be quite as enthusiastic. But it's still a good book, just not a great one. If you're looking for a plot-driven, suspenseful, quick read, give this one a try. I will certainly give Meyers' other adult fiction novels a try.

Fade Away by Harlan Coben

   

     March Break reading at its best and easiest! I quickly zipped through another Harlan Coben book while in sunny St. Lucia last week. I am a HUGE Coben fan and have read several of this fantastic books. Fade Away by Harlan Coben is one of Coben's early works and it's been on my bed side book table for a long time. It was a great vacation getaway book for the pool side and plane rides.

     Fade Away is another of Coben's Myron Bolitar series. Myron Bolitar is a character Coben has written several books about and recently, Coben created a teen series about Myron's nephew Mickey. Any book by Coben and any book about Myron Bolitar is sure to satisfy. Myron is a former NBA basketball star whose career ended before it really began when he was injured in his first pre-season game. Myron is now a sports agent. Windsor Horne Lockwood III, better known as Win, is Myron's best friend, business partner, and crime-solving master. In any Myron Bolitar book, these two men work together to solve some kind of mystery such as a missing person or murder.

     Myron is an altruistic character who is always trying to right the wrongs of the world. Win is not nearly as caring, though he will defend Myron to his death. In this book, Myron's long-time basketball rival Greg Downing has gone missing. The owner of Greg's NBA team hires Myron to play on the team as a way to "get in good" with Greg's teammates and try to locate Greg. In his search, Myron uncovers a murder, a few affairs, a gambling debt to New Jersey mobsters, and a long list of secrets that no one wants revealed.

     As usual, Myron gets himself caught in a number of dangerous situations, in which Win always manages to save him. As with all of Coben's books, the suspense is intense and the pages quickly turn in Fade Away. His books are difficult to put down because they are action packed and plot-driven. Coben will not likely win any prestigious literary awards in his career. However, I think that's irrelevant because his books are purely entertaining and enjoyable. I'm an unusual English teacher because I don't really care for flowery language and imagery. I like PLOT. I like books that are plot and character driven, not theme or setting driven. I like books that keep my attention for each and every sentence, as Coben always does.

     Coben's characters, particularly Win, are incredibly sarcastic and witty, something I thoroughly enjoy because I have the same wry sense of humour. I am often chuckling or gasping on every page because of Coben's humour and suspense. I always recommend Coben to my students and friends, especially for reluctant readers who just need a book they can't put down.

     While I would normally recommend ANY Coben book to every person, I do not recommend this one to you IF you have never read a Coben book. If you are new to Coben, start with something like Caught, Live Wire, Drop Shot, or Promise Me because they are more recent. Fade Away is a great book; however, because it's set in the early 1990s, the references to car phones, floppy disks, and old-school security systems may not mean anything to a young generation who has never lived with these technologies. However, if you've read Coben, go ahead and grab this novel. You won't be disappointed. I give this novel 4/5 stars. And I give Coben 5/5 stars for his sheer talent!