Publisher: Atria Books
Date of publication: June 27, 2017
In this riveting new novel by the New York Times bestselling
author of the Chet and Bernie mystery series, a deeply damaged female soldier
home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl,
gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the
combat zone.
LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan as a rising star in the
military, and came back a much lesser person, mentally and physically. Now
missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred, she can barely remember
the disastrous desert operation that almost killed her. She is confused, angry,
and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it.
Shattered by one last blow—the sudden death of her hospital
roommate, Marci—LeAnne finds herself on a fateful drive across the country,
reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar,
recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, her weakened body.
Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington State that Marci had called
home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has
vanished. When a stray dog—a powerful, dark, unreadable creature, no one’s idea
of a pet—seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something
shifts inside her. As she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter,
LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark and
menacing as her last Afghan mission. This time she has a strange but loyal
fellow traveler protecting her blind side.
Enthralling, suspenseful, and psychologically nuanced, The
Right Side introduces one of the most unforgettable protagonists in
modern fiction: isolated, broken, disillusioned—yet still seeking redemption
and purpose—LeAnne takes hold of the reader and never lets go.
Visit the
publisher’s website for more information about The Right Side,
including a Reading
Group Guide.
I'm not sure who wrote the synopsis for The Right Side.. I definitely didn't get the book the synopsis implied. I thought this would be a good gripping mystery, but it really wasn't. I'm a bit conflicted about my feelings on the story.
I did like the portrayal of LeAnne's PTSD. The story is told through her eyes. At times, the narrative felt chaotic and confused, much like it was probably in her brain. She loses time, thoughts and says things that don't make sense. She isn't really a very likable character, but I found myself sympathizing with her. She went through something horrifying in the war and was left broken. Through flashbacks, we get to see how she became so tough and what led her to be in the Army as well as what happened over in Afghanistan.
What I didn't really care for was the overall story. It takes over half the book before she even gets to the town. I didn't really understand her motivation for going to Marci's hometown. I never got the sense that they were particularly close from their time at the hospital. I also never got the sense that she was obsessed with finding Marci's daughter, Mia. There is another "mystery" but that was pretty easy to figure out before anyone else in the book. The ending was pretty open ended. I didn't get a sense of closure or the feeling that LeAnne would be OK.
I'd recommend giving this one a shot. I think it's one of those books you have to read and decide on for yourself. It is well written, I just was expecting a different story.
I did like the portrayal of LeAnne's PTSD. The story is told through her eyes. At times, the narrative felt chaotic and confused, much like it was probably in her brain. She loses time, thoughts and says things that don't make sense. She isn't really a very likable character, but I found myself sympathizing with her. She went through something horrifying in the war and was left broken. Through flashbacks, we get to see how she became so tough and what led her to be in the Army as well as what happened over in Afghanistan.
What I didn't really care for was the overall story. It takes over half the book before she even gets to the town. I didn't really understand her motivation for going to Marci's hometown. I never got the sense that they were particularly close from their time at the hospital. I also never got the sense that she was obsessed with finding Marci's daughter, Mia. There is another "mystery" but that was pretty easy to figure out before anyone else in the book. The ending was pretty open ended. I didn't get a sense of closure or the feeling that LeAnne would be OK.
I'd recommend giving this one a shot. I think it's one of those books you have to read and decide on for yourself. It is well written, I just was expecting a different story.
Purchase Links
About Spencer Quinn
Spencer Quinn is the #1 New York Times bestselling
author of the ongoing Chet and Bernie mystery series, as well as the
bestselling Bowser and Birdie series for middle grade readers. He lives on Cape
Cod with his wife Diana—and dogs Audrey and Pearl. Keep up with him by visiting SpenceQuinn.com.
Spencer Quinn’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, June 19th: Books
and Bindings
Tuesday, June 20th: Books
a la Mode – author Q&A
Wednesday, June 21st: Reading
Reality
Thursday, June 22nd: Helen’s
Book Blog
Monday, June 26th: Chick
Lit Central
Tuesday, June 27th: Mockingbird
Hill Cottage
Wednesday, June 28th: No
More Grumpy Bookseller
Thursday, June 29th: Write Read Life
Monday, July 3rd: Thoughts
on This ‘n That
Wednesday, July 5th: A
Bookaholic Swede
Thursday, July 6th: Kahakai
Kitchen
Monday, July 10th: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, July 11th: Just Commonly
TBD: Books
and Spoons
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book for the tour.
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