Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 25/08/2023
Published by: Simon & Schuster Audio UK
ISBN: 9781398522794
Cover:
I am impressed by how the atmospheric, greyscale image and bold text font capture the genre and essence of this story. On top of this, the vibrant green accent colour creates a striking impact that makes this book stand out.
Writing:
It did not take long for the casual writing style and vivid descriptions to pull me in and bring this story to life. Further enriching the narrative is the emotive language used to convey the complex emotions of the main character, Jack, but this eventually becomes repetitive and tedious.
stay pleasant and others are much more likely to do the same.
Storyline:
The tense, exciting opening scene seized my attention and brilliantly introduced the key characters. However, despite a few twists and bursts of action, I gradually lost interest in the unfolding mystery as the narrative became repetitive and seemed too convenient. All loose ends were nicely resolved by the end of the story, though, making it a satisfying read.
Main character:
Jack’s job as a penetration specialist makes her a fascinating protagonist, especially since she is shown to be clever and resourceful. While I also liked discovering more about her life as the story progressed, the overpowering grief she experiences leaves little room for any growth or complexity beyond this.
doing nothing was a risk in itself.
Secondary characters:
Although the few secondary characters are given clear roles and expertly used to drive the story, they all lack the complexity and depth needed to be engaging. I guess it says a lot that Gabe was my favourite of these characters, but I simply adored the banter and love between him and Jack.
Narration & Audio:
The various sound effects and vocal variety done by Imogen Church create a great listening experience. The emotions within the story are also nicely conveyed, even though there were moments when I thought the narration did not quite meet the descriptions within the story.
Ultimately, ‘Zero Days‘ quickly drew me in with its strong start and fascinating protagonist. While I gradually became less invested in the story as it became repetitive and somewhat convenient, I still found it entertaining and satisfyingly wrapped up. Check out 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard for another murder mystery involving a couple.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below. For those who have read this and want to discuss it, here are a few questions (contains spoilers!!):
Q: Did you know about penetration specialists before reading this?
My answer: No, I did not know that companies hired people to break into their building and hack their security systems! It seems like such a cool job though and I really loved how this contributes to the story.
Q: Did you guess who was responsible for the killing?
My answer: Yes, and I am so proud of myself! To be fair the pool of suspects is quite small, but I became suspicious of Cole from the moment he kissed Jack – that was such a weird scene!
Q: Do you think you could survive living on the run?
My answer: Little money, can’t use your card, can’t use your phone, not being able to talk to my friends and family, no heating in winter, hiding from cameras, I don’t think I would be able to survive very long on the run.
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