essjay's Reviews (635)

This is one that the more I think about it, the less I liked it. I *got* it, I just didn’t think it was anything special. Not darkly clever or funny or anything else I see in other reviews.  

I know for lots of people, three stars is practically a bad rating, but for me it means I liked it enough to continue reading a series. In this case, this is the highest I've rated a Hollows novel in several books, and the first that left me a little excited about where it could go. 

I did not expect to like this as much as I did, nor did I expect the title to be a pun (which delighted me when I realized). 

Delightfully weird and poignant. 

30ish years ago, I went through a phase of devouring medical and political thrillers, mostly because they were always available. Tattered paperbacks on sale for 25¢ at a yard sale, or stacks of Cook, Cornwell, Crichton, and Sheldon "borrowed" from my mom's friends (they usually said I could keep them cos they didn't really re-read). I can't even say that I always necessarily liked them but they were eminently readable, perfect to knock out one after the other on summer afternoons.

Child Zero reminded me so much of those thrillers I ate up in junior high, and it made me laugh to see Mateo reading one of them - at the same age I was during my obsession.

...except I actually really loved this one.  Which is no surprise, bc I've been a big fan of Holm's work since first reading his Collector series a decade ago, but still. Spending the weekend reading his newest took me back to some of the happiest moments of my childhood (honestly, memories of reading are almost all I hold dear), and I can. not. wait. to see this adapted for the big screen. 

All the stars. 

I think about this book at least twice a week since first reading it, and have therefore bumped up its rating by half a star.