The Match by Harlan CobenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Whilst this may not be the best of what Coben has to offer, it’s a compelling read that follows on the heels of The Boy from the Woods. In this volume, Wilde is back and on the trail of who may possibly be his biological parents.
Those familiar with the private and guarded Wilde will certainly be pleased to note the consistent character continuity in both his level of introspection and in the relationships surrounding him. Laila, Hester and Michael are all woven into the plot, and it must be said that I believe this novel to be far more enjoyable if one has read Whilst this may not be the best of what Coben has to offer, it’s a compelling read that follows on the heels of The Boy from the Woods. In this volume, Wilde is back and on the trail of who may possibly be his biological parents.
In spite of the shortcomings, however, this remains a solid 4 stars. Look, Coben sets his own bar against which much of the writing out there pales miserably. In comparison to his other work, this is not representative of his best. In comparison to the work of others, however, Coben continues to lead the pack. in order to fully appreciate the supporting cast. There are countless references and allusions to things that happened between those first pages, and I fear anyone not “in the know” may suffer from not being a part of the inner circle. In spite of Coben’s attempts to allow enough background to seep in via dialogue and retrospective memories, there just isn’t enough here to stand alone.
Those familiar with the private and guarded Wilde will certainly be pleased to note the consistent character continuity in both his level of introspection and in the relationships surrounding him. Laila, Hester and Michael are all woven into the plot, and it must be said that I believe this novel to be far more enjoyable if one has read The Boy from the Woods in order to fully appreciate the supporting cast. There are countless references and allusions to things that happened between those first pages, and I fear anyone not “in the know” may suffer from not being a part of the inner circle. In spite of Coben’s attempts to allow enough background to seep in via dialogue and retrospective memories, there just isn’t enough here to stand alone.
One aspect of The Match that was particularly disappointing was that there were so many loose ends. I actually had more questions after reading than I did beforehand, and I didn’t feel that my level of investment in the book was adequately rewarded when the final page was turned.
One aspect of The Match that was particularly disappointing was that there were so many loose ends. I actually had more questions after reading than I did beforehand, and I didn’t feel that my level of investment in the book was adequately rewarded when the final page was turned.
In spite of the shortcomings, however, this remains a solid 4 stars. Look, Coben sets his own bar against which much of the writing out there pales miserably. In comparison to his other work, this is not representative of his best. In comparison to the work of others, however, Coben continues to lead the pack.
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