Eighteen-year-old Alexandra O'Connor and Rosie Shaw are backpacking in Thailand for three months. But when they don't contact their families as scheduled, panic ensues. They are reported missing, and journalist Kate Waters begins covering the case as well. But this one feels especially close to her heart, as she can't help but think of her own son, Jake, who has been overseas traveling for two years. As it quickly becomes clear that there's more to Rosie and Alex's case than meets the eye, Kate will soon be drawn to into their world.
For some reason, I must have forgotten that this was another Kate Waters book, so I was really excited when I started reading and realized that both she and DI Bob Sparkes were back in this one. I really liked Barton's previous two books featuring Kate and Bob, THE WIDOW and The Child, and this one was no exception. By this point, they are starting to feel like old friends.
The story is told via short chapters from various points of view: Kate, Bob, and Alex's mother, Lesley. We also get flashbacks to Alex in Bangkok. It's all very effective, as the result is very easy-to read. The story moves along steadily, and it kept me very interested and wondering what had happened to the girls. I also found the story a little frightening and, as many thrillers do, it made me quite frightened for my children to grow up and leave the house!
Kate was her usual self--I just always find myself drawn to her. She's determined and tough, yet vulnerable. I don't know much about the press, especially not in the U.S., but Barton's take on Kate always seems really authentic to me. This makes sense, considering Barton is a former U.K. journalist: it shows. I always enjoy how focused Kate is: ready to do nearly anything to get her story. What's great about this novel is that Barton throws in a compelling personal aspect for both Kate and Bob; for Kate, it really shakes up her take on reporting, which is truly her one constant in life. While it's not easy for her (or for me, really, since I have grown to care for her), I found it interesting to watch her grapple with this. Kate also has to look at the truth and how she might present it when it's more personal for her. It's a stark dilemma, and made the book more fascinating.
"Being a reporter is touchy-feely...We're not here to observe the news happening through a telescope--or Google. You've got to plunge yourself into this job so you can feel things, see things up close, understand them. You've got to get your hands dirty. Right up to the elbows."
At the core, though, there's a very intriguing plot here: what happened to Alex and Rosie? I found the book to be really interesting, and I was sucked up along with Kate and Bob, trying to piece together the various clues as to what had happened. There are several great twists and turns thrown in: a few I guessed at, several that really surprised me. The book does a great job at exploring how the media can put a person on trial, as well as the way we portray ourselves on social media versus what's really happening behind the scenes. All the various shades of truth being presented in different facets--all quite interesting.
Overall, this one was a winner for me. It featured some characters that are old favorites, a compelling mystery, and some intriguing personal elements for said characters. I certainly hope Bob and Kate make a return appearance in another Barton book.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
If there’s any particular genre i’m particularly keen too, it’s science fiction. Books, movies, television, comics, you name it. I’ve been watching the old school versions of ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Outer Limits’ since I was like 5 years old (that could explain quite a few things actually). As far as movies? That’s going to lead only to the past, the future, other dimensions, etc. If you had to nail it down even further within the genre of science fiction, I’d have to go right to anything revolving around time travel. That’s where today’s film for your consideration comes in. This one in particular doesn’t seem to be getting the credit it deserves and although it’s a bit rough around the edges, I think it also deserves a shot.
‘Curvature’ is a 2017 science fiction/thriller film (released on February 23rd of this year) written by Brian DeLeeuw and directed by Diego Hallivis. The film stars Lyndsy Fonseca, Noah Bean, Glenn Morshower, Zach Avery, Alex Lanipekun, and Linda Hamilton (yes … THEE Linda Hamilton as in ‘Sarah Conner’).
Helen (Fonseca) is grieving the lose of her husband Wells (Bean) in the aftermath of his suicide. Not long after, Wells’s colleague Tomas (Morshower) seeks her out and asks for her blessing to continue the research project that he and Wells were involved in. Being an engineer and a scientist herself, she agrees and not long after returns to work trying to confront the grief as best she can with the guidance and help of her mentor Florence (Hamilton). Without warning, Helen succumbs to a blackout and awakens several days later. Upon awakening at home, she learns that several days have passed and receives a phone call …. from HERSELF. Helen warns herself to get out of the house as soon as possible as a man in a black BMW is coming to the house to kill her. In the confusion that follows, she manages to barely escape and seek out her friend Alex. What follows is a story of deceit, betrayal, and a conspiracy that goes beyond what Helen could imagine where she can’t trust anyone … not even her future self.
Obviously, i’m biased her being partial to the genre. That being said .. this movie is was, is, and will be excellent. 4 out of 5 stars. What impressed me about the film was how well the writing went with the talent of all the actors involved. My only real complaint, is that I wish they had incorporated more dialogue into the 90 minute movie. It’s almost like they sacrificed time between characters for the special effects which I will say, were absolutely awesome for an independent film. The film fell somewhere between a movie and a television episode as far as the experience. I would’ve preferred it to be one or the other and not in between if that makes any sense. However, I was still blown away by the film and will gladly watch it again and add it to my library at the first opportunity. Not to give too much of the film away, one thing I found unique about this particular time-travel film is how the writer came up with the concept that the nature of the ‘experiment’ allowed for someone to only go back so far into the past between a few hours and a few days limiting how far back you could alter history so-to-speak. The intent wasn’t necessarily to save because too much time had passed … but to ‘stop’. As for the ‘star power of the film’, I saw it as a tip of the hat to other films in the time travel genre. This film definitely deserves a place in the science fiction/time travel library. Take my suggestion and give it a look.
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