2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Final thoughts about the story we haven't covered? What's your overall opinion?

I didn't even notice how long the book was. Time literally flew when I was reading it. It was sad that Gwyn got so tangled up with Royce and is going to have a really hard time moving on.

I spent the whole book wondering at the killers rage toward Lucy. To find out at the end it was based on her having the bracelet and blowing him off in high school was really tough.

This book was over 500 pages! But I agree, Anita, the pace distracted me from the length.

Evan's craziness was a slow boil and the discovery of that bracelet probably became meaningful only after reading Malcolm's confession. At that time, Evan would have made something out of everything.

This was a fascinating story that took some time to piece together and connect. I still wonder how Evan could be in so many places so quickly.

Newport News happens to be my hometown. It's 3 1/2 hours south of Baltimore (on a perfect day) involving some of the worst traffic in the nation. It would take about 5 hours to make that trip. The Bay Bridge traffic is also pretty bad. Traffic should have been a major element of the story given how Evan was hopping around between Baltimore, the Maryland Eastern Shore (where Anderson Ferry was located) and Newport News. It's the only thing that made me have doubts about Royce being Evan and a plot hole in the story.

I was really disappointed that Sonny got off without justice being served for his role in everything.

I had some of the same issues...

I have issues with how Evan was able to rack up a lot of bodies in a short time without a lot of complications. He was able to get the drop on all his victims without much problem. He seemed almost to be able to beam himself all over a fairly large geographical area. In addition he was also dropping off trackers all over the place and constantly tracking people in between torturing and killing people. This was an element of the story that I had a hard time with. Time and distance restrictions didn't seem to exist for him.

I'm also a little bit meaner than Ms. Rose was and would have liked to seen Lucy's dad get a little more "justice" after all the hate he dished out and the trouble he caused for people. Death seemed a little too easy. And I agree, Sonny got off too easy as well.

Oh, you and I both have that same mean streak. Ron Trask was shot in the back. As he was the master manipulator after Ileanna's death, he should have at least gotten some of the torture Evan had meted out to others less guilty. I was disappointed...does that sound horrible?

Jonetta wrote: "I was disappointed...does that sound horrible? ."

We're just human...

I'm with both of you on the fact that Ron Trask's death was way to easy.

Jonetta, I agree with you about the unrealistic travel time in this book. I live in Southern California and any time a book is set here, it always depicts travel times that could only be accomplished if you had a helicopter.

I thought about the distances and traffic, too, having been to these areas. How could Evan/Royce have accomplished all this tracking close up?

I also was disappointed that Sonny (the present sheriff) got off without major punishment. What a horrible town that must have been. Although...didn't he end up living with his mother? Imagine how awful his existence would have been. Still not justice, though.

I agree with all that! I kept wondering through the whole book how he thought Lucy was involved and so the necklace part actually worked for me since he had her best friend saying she sold diamonds to get the club. However, when he said she was already on the kill list because she punched him in school I was confused. Yes Lucy said she fought but he also said he was going to ask her for help so he didn't instigate anything with her so I just didn't buy her punching him for no reason.

I had a bit of a problem with her punching him as well. I know this was during her "mean" stage as she reacted to her home life, but I would have thought something more should have happened for her to punch him.