Book Review: The Collaborator by Gerald Seymour

The Collaborator by Gerald Seymour

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Not sure if I can give this five stars or not.  But this really was a great read.  It was amazing in some ways... but it's not a book that makes you feel fluffy and lovely inside.  This is about hostage situations, containing violence and torture.  It's smelly, bloody and grim.  The author really put you in Eddie's place and it read like hell (poor Eddie). 



To me, it was grim in places, as this is about an Italian clan (mafia), and gets a bit graphic in how they punish people, torture etc.  I think it was quite graphic early on, and I was worried it was going to get worse, considering poor Eddie and what he's got himself into (and that's not a spoiler because it's on the blurb on the back) but actually it didn't... well, it was bearable or readable depending on how you look at it.  (I think I can read vampire blood and gore, and not really be affected because in my mind vampires aren't real.  But this comes across as very real... I'm wary of going to Naples!).



It's just edge of seat reading, whether Eddie will survive or not.  And I can't say any more than that otherwise it will spoil it.



It's told in third person, from many character perspectives, but enough to build the story and their characters and the tension.



And I actually liked the ending.  A lot.  Not how I expected it some sense, but the author did a good job in satisfying my mind.  It's left open, yet there is some finality to it.  I was satisfied.



I can't stand it when there really isn't an ending and it's left open for the reader to decide.



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Right, now I might go read some thing light and fluffy, because that was heavy going in some sense.  Great read though!

28 books down.... 12 more to go!