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No Such Creature (2008)

by Giles Blunt(Favorite Author)

3.3 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0679314318 (ISBN13: 9780679314318)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Random House Canada

review 1: I'm a big fan of the author's Cardinal series, but this isn't that. Indeed, I'm not sure what this is. It starts off as a caper book, but it's not intricate or funny enough to be that. It has a gangster in it, but it's really not a gangster book. There's no mystery whatsoever. It's a family relationship book, but I don't care about the relationship or the people in it, and the big reveal is telegraphed from early on. It's competently written in many ways (though it smells a little bit of "American road trip justified for tax purposes with a book to legitimize deductions," if the Canadian tax system works that way), but...it's really not a good book or even an okay book, I'm sorry to say.
review 2: Interesting that just out of pure happenstance, I read this book... more after I read The Sister's Brothers. Both about criminal families in different eras.Owen is young man orphaned and brought up by his thespian great uncle, who's love and knowledge of Shakespeare is vast. However, lovable Uncle Max is more than just a failed actor; he's a master thief and has schooled Owen in the art of robbery. Their M.O. up to very recently has been to uses disguises and to never use violence. But something is not quite right with Max lately, he has become forgetful and has terrifying night visitations from various infamous criminals and has for the first time in his long law breaking career, actually shot somebody. Owen has his own issues, besides dealing with Max, with wanting to pursue his own acting career, and falling too quickly in love with the bitter and beautiful daughter of another vintage gangster. A well written novel, that is in turn funny and heartbreaking. Recommended. less

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