I have read and enjoyed Deborah O'Connor's previous novels but oh my word she has completely outdone herself with her awesome third novel, The Captive. With an ingenious plot, blisteringly fast pacing and a gripping narrative, The Captive is completely unputdownable and absolutely brilliant.
The government has come up with a solution for overcrowded prisons which sees The Captive set in a future where victims of crimes play host to the criminals who ruined their lives. This is absolute genius! It's not only a fantastic storyline, but it's also so very thought provoking. I can completely understand that victims of most crimes wouldn't want to ever see their culprit again, never mind inviting them into their own home for twenty years or so. You often hear people saying 'put me in a room with them' when one of their family has been the victim of crime but imprisoning criminals in victims houses is for reparation not retribution.
Hannah is still grieving when a prison cell is constructed in her kitchen for Jem who, despite irrefutable proof to the contrary, professes his innocence. I loved peeling back the layers of these two main characters, especially Jem who is clearly hiding something. I could feel Hannah's every emotion about her home invasion and it was amazing to see her evolve over the course of the book.
The Captive is hugely inventive, highly original and completely captivating. The whole book is simply brilliant; I honestly couldn't put it down. The Captive is Deborah O'Connor's best novel yet and it is sure to be a huge hit in 2021; it deserves to top all of the charts and I think it's THE book to read this year. Very highly recommended and unquestionably a 5 star read.
The government has come up with a solution for overcrowded prisons which sees The Captive set in a future where victims of crimes play host to the criminals who ruined their lives. This is absolute genius! It's not only a fantastic storyline, but it's also so very thought provoking. I can completely understand that victims of most crimes wouldn't want to ever see their culprit again, never mind inviting them into their own home for twenty years or so. You often hear people saying 'put me in a room with them' when one of their family has been the victim of crime but imprisoning criminals in victims houses is for reparation not retribution.
Hannah is still grieving when a prison cell is constructed in her kitchen for Jem who, despite irrefutable proof to the contrary, professes his innocence. I loved peeling back the layers of these two main characters, especially Jem who is clearly hiding something. I could feel Hannah's every emotion about her home invasion and it was amazing to see her evolve over the course of the book.
The Captive is hugely inventive, highly original and completely captivating. The whole book is simply brilliant; I honestly couldn't put it down. The Captive is Deborah O'Connor's best novel yet and it is sure to be a huge hit in 2021; it deserves to top all of the charts and I think it's THE book to read this year. Very highly recommended and unquestionably a 5 star read.