AND I’m back with yet another blog tour… and my
oh my, you’re in for an absolute treat with this book. Today’s book tour follows The Method by
Shannon Kirk, a suspenseful thriller which follows the story behind the
kidnapping of pregnant teenagers.
My feelings towards this one are actually
pretty bizarre, considering the subject matter and the darkness involved. This
book is incredibly funny, twisted and thrilling- in all the right ways.
Personally, if I was a teenager, pregnant and kidnapped and thrown into the
back of a van, I’d say that my chances of survival would be pretty bleak. I’d
probably give up about about ten minutes as I definitely don’t have the
physical strength to fight for my survival. Introduce a female, 16 years old
with exactly the opposite chain of thoughts: she sees her kidnapping as a
puzzle, and plans her escape in a manipulative, thought out and methodical way.
She sees everything in the room where she is stowed as an “asset,” mercilessly
using every possible minute to put these assets to full use. Our teenager has
allowed herself to become completely detached from the situation she finds
herself in and this helps her entirely: she is cold and calculated, using every
possible opportunity to save herself and her unborn child. This story is
incredibly suspenseful and to be frank, I didn’t ever consider the fact that
the victim might actually be in danger: her decision making was so effortless
and clear that the only danger seems to be aimed at the kidnappers. Was that
the case? You’ll have to read to find out.
The reasons behind her kidnapping are clear
from the offset- they only have one use for her and that use is to grow her
baby for them. They tell her that once she has delivered, that’s the end for
her: she’ll be dumped in a quarry and her baby will be sold on to an ever so
appreciative family. Simple. Kirk is very clear throughout her tale about what
is happening and why, which made it all the more surprising when, about three
quarters of the way through the book, a massive plot twist unveiled itself. I
did not see it coming in the slightest and by gosh, it was a good one. It made
so much sense upon reveal and made the book all the more intriguing, satisfying
and in a way, mischievous. I enjoyed the continuous shift between character
perspectives, although I must admit that I preferred the chapters concerning
Agent Liu, the inspector assigned to find the missing teenager, to those of our
protagonist. I think the FBI agent’s perspective really added to the story and
allowed for a small break from the madness. I loved how every character’s
involvement in the story was crucial to its finale.
To sum up in a few words: buy this book. It is
absolutely fantastic: I got through it over the course of a few days, amongst a
busy schedule, but I could have easily finished it in a single sitting if I’d
have had the time. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before, which is most
definitely a good thing. I found mysef traumatised by some of the scenes,
laughing my way through others, and sickened throughout. It really made me
consider my own situation and how I’d deal with this kind of scenario (answer:
badly). I’d probably recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of crime fiction
or psychological thrillers – in fact, I’ve already recommended it to a few
people- and I’ll be sure to keep checking Shannon Kirk out. I’m CERTAIN that
she’s going to be adding even more to the Crime fiction world and I cannot wait
until she does!
Thanks to Little, Brown for providing me with a free review copy of the book! You can grab your own NOW on Amazon, Waterstones, etc.
4.5/5
