Review by Tamorie21 -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell

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Tamorie Hargro
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Review by Tamorie21 -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell

Post by Tamorie Hargro »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Pancake Money" by Finn Bell.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Finn Bell’s Pancake Money—an action-packed thriller laden with atypical religious themes, culture, family, and tradition—follows a week in protagonist Bobby Ress’s life in which all hell breaks loose. Juggling life as a student, officer, and husband, Bobby and his partner, Pollo, are carried along on a chilling thriller, challenged by a series of murders so gruesome and well-planned that it takes everything they have, body and soul, to solve.

Before I was even finished reading Pancake Money, I had already realized that it would be one of my favorites—the kind I re-read a couple times over. The story begins on a high note in which readers are introduced to the human condition by someone who suffers terribly. It’s a very short scene that literally managed to remain in my mind throughout the entirety of the book, randomly signaling its significance. I was already 100% hooked by the book the moment it began. Bell’s writing style is certainly something to appreciate! Using strong fragments and deeply psychological phrases (which could totally be quoted) helped to bring the horror of the characters’ situations to life.

On that note, I enjoyed the highly psychological nature of the story very much. Bell interlaced mind-boggling lessons with reality in a clever and appealing manner. To put it simply, the book was deep—essentially, as a reader, you don’t just leave the story having gotten nothing out of it. I was also taken with Bell’s skill in characterization and making the characters and events seem realistic, relatable, and simply enjoyable. None of Bell’s characters seemed out of place or useless; they were well-placed and served a purpose each time they appeared, adding symbolic and/or thematic value to an already fascinating book. The dialogues exchanged between the characters—those featuring Pollo, especially—were hilarious as well as notably important, constantly keeping me excited and curious.

The last couple of major things I enjoyed were Finn Bell’s ability to write the thriller element complete with action, mystery, and tons of conflict to keep me on my toes until the very last sentence of the book. Secondly, the way Bell incorporated a clear and vast knowledge about the history and culture of New Zealand and its Māori peoples was extremely well-done and educational.

I could hardly find anything about the book that I didn’t like—however, there’s alwayssomething. At some points in the novel, characters spoke for a little too long. It got to the point where I was forcing myself not to skim through the characters’ speech-like dialogues. Personally, I can’t even listen to someone speak for so long, let alone read it!

However, this wasn’t a big enough problem to warrant any other rating than a full 4 out of 4 stars. Pancake Money was so intriguing and rich in psychology, family, tradition, culture, and a twisted backdrop on religion that not only thriller lovers would love this book. I think readers looking for a powerfully educational, yet highly entertaining book should consider giving Pancake Money a read.

******
Pancake Money
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Jackie Holycross
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Post by Jackie Holycross »

It sounds like a great psychological mystery thriller. I may try it.
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Tamorie Hargro
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Post by Tamorie Hargro »

teacherjh wrote: 11 Oct 2018, 20:23 It sounds like a great psychological mystery thriller. I may try it.
I think giving it a try would be very worth it. The story is so thrilling. If you do read it, please share how you liked it~ :)
J.K. Rowling - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban wrote:Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. 🔥
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