Fingers Murphy

This was an interesting novella to read because for me, it was an illustration of how one responds to the way a piece of fiction is interpreted before reading.

Prior to reading this novel, I thought it was going to be a rip-snorting crime novella, when it is actually more of an in-depth character study of the lead character.

The book opens with an incarcerated young man speaking to a counselor upon his pending release from prison. The book is told in flashbacks and slowly divulges how and why this young man ended up where he is at.

For others, my three star rating is probably low. The reason I only gave the book three stars is because of my own response to the story and how it was portrayed prior to reading.

It really is a well written, in depth look at how a person behaves and why, but it did not resonate with me because I kept waiting for the novella to explode and it never did because it is not that kind of a story.

… (més)

It's a long time since I've read any Grisham-type lawyer novels. There's only one left in my bookcase although I've consumed many. They all started to read the same. Follow the Money was a breath of fresh air by comparison.

Fingers' first person narrator did a good job of placing me right within the story. Strong pace kept me turning the page. I also found his settings very evocative, in strong contrast to wet and windy Ireland. The sleazy bars, desert towns, palatial mansions, it was all very real. The main character is very human, makes mistakes, isn't always cool. He's lifelike. I was angry with him, sorry for him, urging him on.

If I have a complaint it's only that there wasn't more of it. I look forward to Ollie Olson's next adventure and trust Fingers not to fall into the Grisham repetition trap.… (més)