The Chemist
Never read — or saw — anything but advertising associated with Twilight. It was, allegedly, YA, and it was vampires, werewolves, and whatever. I think it was set in Fork, WA — on the way to the Pacific Coast. However, what was I told, and this comes from my family, which makes the data highly suspect, the author had never really been to Fork, WA and only chose it because it was one of the darkest places in the (continental) United States.
I do have a souvenir sweatshirt from Fork, WA, leftover from a family excursion.
I got kin up the woods, west of Seattle and such.
The way I recall the commentary, the The Chemist is an homage to author James Patterson and the character Jack Reacher. That’s Jack Reacher from the books, not the movie version, although, bless them for including the author in the movies. Reacher is a creation from author Lee Child, and James Patterson is the guy — I can’t say, I don’t think I’ve read too many of his books.
“Do you believe in fate?”
“Of course not.”
He laughed at her scornful tone. “I guess karma is out, too, then?”
“Neither of those things is real.”
“Can you prove that?”
“Well, not conclusively, no. But no one can prove they are real, either.” Page 103.
Short passage, fun, and reveals much about the characters —
Not that the story doesn’t grip right away, but it builds to spinning, exponentially improbable yet structurally sound story. while clearly fiction, with an eye to the realism of the current day, it is too easy to see it as an almost true tale.
Which means it feels good. Might not be a great book, however, around the three-quarter mark, it was “Un-put-able-down.”
There was a certain amount of fairy-tale charm to the plot, with a nod towards other thrillers I’ve read, but still. Kind of cool.
