Saint X

I don’t get where these rave reviews are based on. The book I read was like watching paint dry, boring and pointless.

Names for all the characters except the parents…why? What’s the point of that?

No real answer to what happened, just dreams and speculation?

Continuous pages describing the island…we get it…It’s pretty…I believe you…I don’t need a ten page description of every little thing.

This wasnt really the book I thought it would be, based on all the publishing hype. Too bad, because it had a good premise. And it started off well. But none of the main characters were particularly likable. Or even relatable. And it was hard to follow them because just as I was becoming invested in one, the narrative switched to another character, and then another minor character, and another, until pages of nitty-gritty detail later, I no longer cared about the first character. (I dont know why the marketing material describes it as Claires story, because it read like the author was more interested in telling Clives story.) The middle section dragged a bit for me – it felt like there was no story there. Instead, the author substituted descriptions of walks around NYC and a lot of repetitive scenes of stalking. Most of the meat is in the first 25% of the novel, which started off promisingly enough, it sagged through the middle, then picked up again at the 88% mark on my kindle. After all those inner dialogues, street tours, depressing descriptions of life on the fringes of society and minor characters that took up too much story-time only to disappear after one outing, I was looking forward to finally getting to the whodunit part. Lets just say that the denouement was less than satisfying. The big twist felt a bit tacked on and Claires change at the end of the story felt jarring. She started off being super weird and everyone treated her like she was crazy, and then suddenly she was totally normal. In the end, I was left with mixed feelings.

I just finished listening to Saint X and I have such mixed emotions right now. When I first saw the book and all the buzz around it, my mind immediately went to the Natalee Holloway case. Although theres only one comparison that can be made and that is that both girls go missing while on a tropical vacation. Sadly, Natalee Holloway remains missing.

The story-line of Saint X is slowly revealed in the most part by the main character, Claire, a child of seven when her 18-year-old sister Alison disappears on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint X. Alison is soon found deceased with no forensic evidence and a fairly sketchy cause of death. The last two men shes seen with are residents of the island and employees of the resort that Alison and Claire are staying at.

As a young adult, Claire who now goes by her middle name, Emily, happens upon Clive Richardson one of the accused and known as Gogo by his friends – driving a cab in NYC and soon becomes obsessed with him, she begins to follow him and haunts his steps searching for answers to what happened the night her sister died. There are parts we hear from Gogo, about his childhood on the island and what brought him to NYC. The effect that Alisons death had on both him and Edwin, the other man last seen with Alison, and the island as a whole.

A big part of Saint X is exploring the depths that grief can take a person; a parent, a sister, a friend or someone accused of a crime guilty or not. Lives are changed irrevocably by one tragic moment in time. Although time passes, Alisons ghost is always there, often idolized and anglicized by her parents often tormenting Claire with the possibilities of what might have been. Mostly viewed by Claires perspective; it is with an unreliable and often skewed observation that we see the events unfold so its up to the reader to decipher what seven-year-old to 30-something Claire is telling us and this works for the story.

This is a powerful story that takes its time in the telling but its one that I really enjoyed. A big thank you to MacMillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was amazing! The writing style, the depth of the characters, the knowledge of Island life….all wrapped up in a perfect story to treasure like that prefect souvenir you find at that quaint, authentic shop…different from all the typical t shirt and flip flop joints. That’s my analogy. Like the Caribbean….this book has it all, and even when you’ve moved on to the next…a little piece remains with you, to be cherished! Can’t wait to see what’s next from this amazing author! I am not worthy…..Buy it now! Do not wait. Do not add it to a list. Buy it, read it, and thank me later!

I really have never gotten so interested in a stranger story line. The words were written with precision to keeping you the reader interested in a great mixture of well formulated characters. There is a basic level in understanding a storyline. As to the author’s ability to keep you untested, is truly amazing. Several times I asked myself why I am I still listen. Yes, I had control but so captivated by the story telling. That is how the story is portrayed each view of the book story line is told by the a handful of major characters. I was indeed interesting in each character. Over all the story was a very different, actual whom would ever think about how it actually ends. I’m still capacitive of how the author influence with words. Now, my next book will be chosen by this intriguing interest to understand why I continue to the end. This story was a interesting on I can say. As to why I couldn’t say no more kinda boring, I stayed committed over all I chose this book due to the reviews. This author has me curious, on to read something else by Alexis Schaitkin. I must find out how she captured me with words. True mind blowing, skills by this author. The book is good but, a bit boring. You be the judge.

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