"Deve ser reconfortante estarmos apaixonados por nós próprios. Não há o medo da rejeição - nunca."O'Connell conta-nos uma história sobre um assassino de crianças, ao mesmo tempo que faz uma análise, mais ou menos profunda, do comportamento humano.Duas raparigas desaparecem: uma filha de importantes figuras políticas e outra filha de uma família normal. Ambas mais perspicazes e criativas que as crianças da sua idade. Na investigação deste caso destacam-se o policia Rouge Kendall e a psicóloga forense Ali Cray. Ele é assombrado por memórias de uma tragédia distante e ela apresenta uma cicatriz facial que marca um acontecimento longínquo, resultado de um trauma de infância que mantém em segredo.Os eventos presentes estão ligados ao passado de Kendall, o que torna a investigação pessoal. O mesmo acontece com Cray. Ambos descobrem um padrão e pensam conseguir apanhar o assassino certo, que já devia ter sido preso há muitos anos atrás, não tivesse sido cometido um erro.A par da investigação, O'Connell oferece-nos uma visão privilegiada das duas raparigas, do local onde estão presas e dos perigos e dificuldades que enfrentam ao tentar escapar. Achei interessante o recurso a algumas referências cinematográficas - por exemplo, os filmes "A Mosca" e "Dr. Jekyll e Mr Hyde" - para melhor visualizarmos os cenários.O'Connell mantém-se imparcial durante a narração, não catalogando as suas personagens como boas ou más. Todas assumem contornos bastante reais, principalmente um rapaz de 10 anos que é demasiado tímido para falar.Apesar de tudo, o enredo perde grande parte do seu fascínio pela escassez de diálogos. O'Connell tem uma boa capacidade para descrever e chegar até nós, mas senti a falta de expressão dos envolvidos nesta história, que nada tem de tranquila ou normal. Outro aspecto que me desiludiu, mas este já é de foro pessoal, foi o cliché em relação às personagens principais. Os "heróis" têm mesmo de ter um passado muito muito trágico? Não podem haver "heróis" normais? Mais uma vez, tenho saudades do Kurt Wallander e do seu problema com os diabetes. "Todas as mulheres transportam dinamite; era-lhes entregue à nascença, juntamente com muitas caixas de fósforos para acenderem os rastilhos."
I have the strange feeling I have already read this book... but can't be sure. It's not in my Kindle library - so maybe not?!? I digress... I find myself at a loss. I am not really sure what to say. I liked the plot, but it all seemed a bit too shallow for me. You never really got deep into anything... things were just left dangling - like say David, mono-zygotic twins, the "shadow" under the bed, the whole story about the scar... and did they say they "buy" kids for scholarships?? It all seemed to be explained, but in a way that left you wondering if that was all there was to it. I feel like I missed A LOT about this book that should be important. It's like something evil this way comes, then bibbity, bobbetiy, boo! It's all fixed or just disappears all together - not to be mentioned again.I did get the last twist... I had that pegged. Again, that feeling I had read this before. I do not really understand the dynamic between all the doctors or the doctors and Allie. Now, I did listen to this book - so maybe I just zoned out and missed something crucial, but after reading this in other reviews, I tend to lean toward my first instincts about the book. I think I may need to listen to the last few chapters again. As for the audio version... the narrator verged on annoying, especially in the presentation of the "doctors".
What do You think about Judas Child (1999)?
Carol O'Connell amazes me she writes stories and creates character who are amazing and full of surprises. I always have to be in a good place to read her stories for they are dark and show the worst and best in us humans. This story centers on a serial child killer but it centers on survival and on the incredible human mind and spirit to keep on going and to fight for survival. I think what I find wonderful about her books is that I cannot predict what will happen or that I know how these characters will react and what secrets they carry.
—Nancy K
Two 10-year old girls disappear one afternoon from a small, upstate New York village town. The investigation resurrects the lives of those involved in a similar case from 15-years ago and involves local, state and federal law enforcement departments and agencies. This is an extraordinary story with vividly drawn characters and venues. Heroes aren't always completely virtuous and morally challenged individuals can't be tossed aside. It's a tough subject matter that can be disturbing at times. I found the tension surrounding the children, whether they were still alive or not, to be almost unbearable at times. There were astonishing twists at the end of the story that I'm still thinking about. I consider this to be a provocative and well written story. It's a standalone with characters you'd like to see again. Just be prepared to be uncomfortable if you find it difficult to deal with the possibility of cruel things happening to children.
—Jonetta
I was actually surprised by how much I liked this book. I have found that some of O'Connells other novels have been lacking something but this was actually very well constructed with well developed characters. I also really liked the twists which come out at the end - the wrong suspects, the truth about the scar and what really happens in the cellar! I dont think I really expected anything which occurred in the final stages of the novel, which to me is a really well written crime novel.I will be looking to see if there are any more of O'Connells novels based around Rouge Kendell as I thought he was a really interesting main character with much potential for other novels.Overall, I really enjoyed this and is has certainly changed my opinion of O'Connells writting. I will be keeping my eyes open for more of her stuff to make a firm conclusion.
—Sam Woodfield
