5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
They're Back!, 1 Oct 2011
By Joy - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Remain in Light (Kindle Edition)
"Conquering Venus" is one of those books I hated to see end because I had grown so attached to the characters. So I am thrilled that Kelley has brought them back with the same skill and inspiration as before. A great read!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Harkens Back to the Work of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, 17 Oct 2011
By Rochelle Weber - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Remain in Light (Kindle Edition)
Remain in Light is a complex book with very real characters. It harkens back to the work of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, leaving the Champs Elysee and prowling the back streets of Paris. It starts with Martin Paige stuck in traffic because of an accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in the wee hours of August 31, 1997 and getting home late. Being stuck in traffic because of Princess Diana's accident, however, is not the point--it's his restlessness, his disenchantment since the loss of his lover, David. Diane Jacobs arrives that day, as well.
The plot is full of twists and turns, dark corners and alleyways of both Paris and the human psyche. If you're looking for a light, fluffy read, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a book you can sink your teeth into, re-read and find things you missed the first time, then I highly recommend Remain in Light.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review--Remain in Light by Collin Kelley, 17 Oct 2011
By Randall Weiss - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Remain in Light (Kindle Edition)
Remain in Light, the second novel in Collin Kelley's Conquering Venus Trilogy, started off slowly for me. I struggled through the first 20 pages or so, which revisits the first novel more than drives this one forward. For readers who are joining this saga in the middle, it may help, but it bogs things down. Thankfully, this hiccup is slight and Kelley begins the story at hand.
He introduces several new characters and lays multiple narrative layers atop each other. There's a lot going on here. For some writers, this complexity would be too much, but he uses it to his advantage. Just when I feel like resolution is around the bend, something changes, or we find out something new about a character we thought we knew well. Suspense is always increasing.
As much as I enjoy the suspense, character development is Kelley's primary achievement. Most suspense novels I've read focus on two or three main characters, leaving everyone else in two dimensions. Not here. Kelley gives us a large cast, then brings them to life, a full life. I don't find myself loving certain characters while hating others; I find myself seeking to understand them all and finding that I can't quite get there. But I'll keep trying when the third book comes out.
Any suspense author can keep you turning pages with exciting action. Few can teach you about humanity along the way, but Kelley does just that. I give Remain in Light 4 of 5 stars.
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