Helpful Score: 2
Once again, Nevada Barr takes me to the scene in a way few other of my favorite authors do. You ARE in Big Bend Nat'l Park! You are there with the silly college students, and the newborn baby. You are hiding from the sniper and trying to escape the elements and live another day. As usual, you will not know who the bad guy/s is/are until the very end. This is a must read!
Helpful Score: 2
First Line: Wailing cut through the perfect darkness.
Sometimes it doesn't pay to let a few days go by before I write a review. When I finished this book and wrote the details down in my book journal, I rated it a B. Now that Borderline is fully digested, I changed the B to a C. This hurts because this is one of my favorite mystery series, and Anna feels like an old buddy of mine.
In this book, Anna is still trying to recuperate from all the horrendous doings up at Isle Royale in Winter Study. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, she's basically told to take a vacation. The good thing about this is that she's able to take her vacation with her husband, Sheriff Paul Davidson. This is good for both Anna and the readers of this series because Davidson is a good guy and an interesting character but gets precious little "air time".
The two of them decide to go on a rafting trip down the Rio Grande and through Big Bend National Park in Texas. Big Bend has had its share of troubles post- 9/11 since it's right on the border. The Rio Grande is running high and strong due to storm run-off, and the raft Anna's group is on is swamped. While trying to recover supplies from the swift water, a young, very pregnant Hispanic woman is found caught in a snag. Anna can't save the young woman, but she does manage to save the baby before shots start being fired and members of the rafting party start dying. Anna and Paul have to get everyone-- including a newborn baby-- to safety. With young people along, it's not easy:
"The twins were resilient but Lori and Chrissie had not been taught to face adversity. They were products of the Barney generation where everybody always wins, trophies are given all around regardless of which team wins and playground insults are dealt with by the courts. They had been trained to passivity and entitlement, skills that were useless in the present situation. Had they also been trained to obedience it would have helped, but in Barney's world everyone was a leader, regardless of ability."
Now comes the part where I have to explain why I downgraded this book. The book was schizophrenic. The first part was excellent. The young people in the rafting party all came to life, and having Anna in charge of a baby and teenagers was a stroke of genius. The suspense was first-rate; I had no idea how many of them would make it out of the canyon, and I kept wondering who was taking shots at them.
Once they were out of the canyon and effectively rescued, it almost felt as though I'd started reading an entirely different book. Anna's observations of the dead Hispanic woman coupled with the Texan politicos on the scene made it all too easy for me to figure out whodunit. Me...the person who never sets out to solve the mystery!
This is a must-read for anyone who's a Nevada Barr fan. The first part of the book is just too strong, and being able to see Anna interact with a baby and young people is something not to be missed. Just don't expect it to be one of the strongest books in the series. Of course...this is my opinion only, and your mileage may definitely vary. If you've read the book and really enjoyed it, please leave a comment and tell me. I always want to hear differing viewpoints!
Sometimes it doesn't pay to let a few days go by before I write a review. When I finished this book and wrote the details down in my book journal, I rated it a B. Now that Borderline is fully digested, I changed the B to a C. This hurts because this is one of my favorite mystery series, and Anna feels like an old buddy of mine.
In this book, Anna is still trying to recuperate from all the horrendous doings up at Isle Royale in Winter Study. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, she's basically told to take a vacation. The good thing about this is that she's able to take her vacation with her husband, Sheriff Paul Davidson. This is good for both Anna and the readers of this series because Davidson is a good guy and an interesting character but gets precious little "air time".
The two of them decide to go on a rafting trip down the Rio Grande and through Big Bend National Park in Texas. Big Bend has had its share of troubles post- 9/11 since it's right on the border. The Rio Grande is running high and strong due to storm run-off, and the raft Anna's group is on is swamped. While trying to recover supplies from the swift water, a young, very pregnant Hispanic woman is found caught in a snag. Anna can't save the young woman, but she does manage to save the baby before shots start being fired and members of the rafting party start dying. Anna and Paul have to get everyone-- including a newborn baby-- to safety. With young people along, it's not easy:
"The twins were resilient but Lori and Chrissie had not been taught to face adversity. They were products of the Barney generation where everybody always wins, trophies are given all around regardless of which team wins and playground insults are dealt with by the courts. They had been trained to passivity and entitlement, skills that were useless in the present situation. Had they also been trained to obedience it would have helped, but in Barney's world everyone was a leader, regardless of ability."
Now comes the part where I have to explain why I downgraded this book. The book was schizophrenic. The first part was excellent. The young people in the rafting party all came to life, and having Anna in charge of a baby and teenagers was a stroke of genius. The suspense was first-rate; I had no idea how many of them would make it out of the canyon, and I kept wondering who was taking shots at them.
Once they were out of the canyon and effectively rescued, it almost felt as though I'd started reading an entirely different book. Anna's observations of the dead Hispanic woman coupled with the Texan politicos on the scene made it all too easy for me to figure out whodunit. Me...the person who never sets out to solve the mystery!
This is a must-read for anyone who's a Nevada Barr fan. The first part of the book is just too strong, and being able to see Anna interact with a baby and young people is something not to be missed. Just don't expect it to be one of the strongest books in the series. Of course...this is my opinion only, and your mileage may definitely vary. If you've read the book and really enjoyed it, please leave a comment and tell me. I always want to hear differing viewpoints!
Helpful Score: 2
The setting for this Anna Pigeon installment is Big Bend National Park, in Southwest Texas. Most of the action takes place along the cliffs and banks of the Rio Grande, on the border between Texas and Mexico.
Ms. Barr has really come up with a good story line, which involves illegal aliens, dirty politics, and of course murder. This book sports a truly superior cast of characters - I found myself feeling quite sympathetic towards at least a couple of them - and plenty of rather controversial food for thought.
I think this is one of Ms. Barr's better books. It is well written and flows well, like a novel that just happens to revolve around a controversial murder mystery. With plenty of action, to boot, it is a page-turner and will be difficult to put down before completely read.
As a reader of the entire Anna Pigeon series, I have only two complaints. Since Ms. Barr is a retired Park Ranger and has actually spent time in each of the National Parks featured in her books, I wish that she would spend a bit more time describing the grandiose scenery and a bit less time coming up with a multitude of ways to cause her protagonist bodily harm. It is really quite rediculous how many serious injuries Anna, an aging park ranger, can endure, book after book, without becoming permanently handicapped. Thank goodness this particular book does not dwell on Anna getting pulverized nearly as much as other books in the series.
So, I give this 4-1/2 stars out of 5.
Ms. Barr has really come up with a good story line, which involves illegal aliens, dirty politics, and of course murder. This book sports a truly superior cast of characters - I found myself feeling quite sympathetic towards at least a couple of them - and plenty of rather controversial food for thought.
I think this is one of Ms. Barr's better books. It is well written and flows well, like a novel that just happens to revolve around a controversial murder mystery. With plenty of action, to boot, it is a page-turner and will be difficult to put down before completely read.
As a reader of the entire Anna Pigeon series, I have only two complaints. Since Ms. Barr is a retired Park Ranger and has actually spent time in each of the National Parks featured in her books, I wish that she would spend a bit more time describing the grandiose scenery and a bit less time coming up with a multitude of ways to cause her protagonist bodily harm. It is really quite rediculous how many serious injuries Anna, an aging park ranger, can endure, book after book, without becoming permanently handicapped. Thank goodness this particular book does not dwell on Anna getting pulverized nearly as much as other books in the series.
So, I give this 4-1/2 stars out of 5.
Helpful Score: 1
Despite some of the negative reviews, I tried this book and am so glad I did. I found the characters fascinating and memorable, particularly Anna Pigeon whose personna is fleshed-out more and more with every Nevada Barr book. She, who has been so tough and strong in previous novels, is here vulnerable and fearful - yet still manages to solve the mystery of murders in yet another national park. I love the character of Paul, her husband. Wish I knew him in reality. What a lovely book. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Helpful Score: 1
Okay, I finished Nevada Barr's "Borderline" last night and I guess I wasn't thrilled with it. So much of the story was implausible to me and Anna Pigeon was completely irrational throughout. I used to like Anna. Now, if I met her on the street, I'd cross to the other side and if I met her at a party, I'd keep my back to a wall.
Barr can write a harrowing tale and she writes well but this book seemed very disjointed. The parallel stories never really clicked with me and while she spent time developing characters that she completely abandons. Anna's husband Paul disappears at a crucial time and never really makes it back. What was up with the cow??? All very weird. I may be done with Anna Pigeon. (I disliked the last previous book in the series so that should have told me something.) If you've never read Nevada Barr, don't start with this one. If you are a fan of the series, this one may disappoint.
Barr can write a harrowing tale and she writes well but this book seemed very disjointed. The parallel stories never really clicked with me and while she spent time developing characters that she completely abandons. Anna's husband Paul disappears at a crucial time and never really makes it back. What was up with the cow??? All very weird. I may be done with Anna Pigeon. (I disliked the last previous book in the series so that should have told me something.) If you've never read Nevada Barr, don't start with this one. If you are a fan of the series, this one may disappoint.
