Graham McNamee (1)
Forfatter af Acceleration
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Image credit: photo by Bodega Designs
Værker af Graham McNamee
Satte nøgleord på
Almen Viden
- Køn
- male
- Nationalitet
- Canada
- Fødested
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Bopæl
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Erhverv
- librarian
- Organisationer
- Vancouver Public Library
- Priser og hædersbevisninger
- PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship
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Discussions
Found: Fiction YA Horror/Mystery set in the North i Name that Book (september 2021)
Found: Monster with crazy eyes i Name that Book (maj 2021)
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Bonechiller af Graham McNamee
A coming of age story snugly wrapped up in a creature feature.
I liked the premise, but thought it could have pushed even further with the mystery. Loved the characters.
Tyne "Tiny" Greer is anything but tiny. She's 6'6" and trying to amp up her basketball game-- hoping it will be her ticket out of the slums of Toronto. Her dad is the maintenance man of their apartment building, called "The Zoo", and she helps out when she can. During one of these helping situations, she finds a body in the basement wall. Hidden for many years, she wonders who could have done this? When her dad seemingly covers it up, Tiny turns to her best friend/boyfriend, Stick. They decide to find out the truth-- and Tiny is really hoping the truth isn't that her dad is a killer.
My Thoughts:
Did you ever see the Kevin Bacon movie Stir of Echoes? If not, you SO should it's one of my favorite creepy thrillers. If you have, this book was definitely giving me the same vibes, just without the paranormal. This is the story of a girl finding a body in the basement of her apartment building and knowing that somehow her family is connected to the death. What would you do if you found out one or more of your family members has done the worst of the worst? It's such a tough dilemma because bringing the truth out is going to cause hurt to your family, but not doing anything is going to eat away at your conscious. In Tiny's case, she decides to find out the full truth before making a decision. Luckily her boyfriend, Stick, is a sleuth in the making and is able to lead her there.
What I loved about this book: The characters and the setting. This book has such an odd cast that I had fun just trying to picture all these people in my head. Tyne is a giant of a girl, basketball player, trying to fit into a world that is too small for her (literally). Stick is the opposite of Tyne. Called Stick for being so thin, and he doesn't care how odd he and Tyne look together. I felt all the characters have distinct personalities and backstories and issues. It's set in an apartment building in Toronto called The Zoo. I loved the feel of this run-down, almost hopeless place that the Greer family lived. It was a great setting for a body and a mystery to turn up.
Tiny and Stick were practically perfection. I loved that the relationship was more than just romantic. It was a true friendship and a "where you go, I go" sort of love. Because of Tiny's size, she's gawked at, and really doesn't fit in, but it was nice to know she always had someone who didn't care about all that. He accepted her 100%, knew that they looked ridiculous together, and truly gave zero fucks about it.
What I didn't love: The premise was awesome-- find a body and wonder if someone in your family could be responsible-- but when all was said and done, I was hoping for more. I wanted the revelation to be bigger, worse, or something that really made me think. While this book was full of villains, the big reveal almost wanted to sympathize the villain, only to do a 180 and convince you that he/she really is evil. It was sort of a wishy-washy feeling that I didn't really love. Also, why so many nicknames? It seemed like none of the characters actually went by their given names-- instead there was Squirrel, Tiny, Stick, Mad Dog, etc. I'm all for a good nickname, but I don't want everyone in one book to have one.
OVERALL: I really enjoyed this quick, entertaining read. It had unique, thoroughly developed characters, a cool setting, and a creepy mystery. If not for the oddness of the ending, I would be shouting recommendations for this one.
My Blog:
… (mere)
Tyne "Tiny" Greer is anything but tiny. She's 6'6" and trying to amp up her basketball game-- hoping it will be her ticket out of the slums of Toronto. Her dad is the maintenance man of their apartment building, called "The Zoo", and she helps out when she can. During one of these helping situations, she finds a body in the basement wall. Hidden for many years, she wonders who could have done this? When her dad seemingly covers it up, Tiny turns to her best friend/boyfriend, Stick. They decide to find out the truth-- and Tiny is really hoping the truth isn't that her dad is a killer.
My Thoughts:
Did you ever see the Kevin Bacon movie Stir of Echoes? If not, you SO should it's one of my favorite creepy thrillers. If you have, this book was definitely giving me the same vibes, just without the paranormal. This is the story of a girl finding a body in the basement of her apartment building and knowing that somehow her family is connected to the death. What would you do if you found out one or more of your family members has done the worst of the worst? It's such a tough dilemma because bringing the truth out is going to cause hurt to your family, but not doing anything is going to eat away at your conscious. In Tiny's case, she decides to find out the full truth before making a decision. Luckily her boyfriend, Stick, is a sleuth in the making and is able to lead her there.
What I loved about this book: The characters and the setting. This book has such an odd cast that I had fun just trying to picture all these people in my head. Tyne is a giant of a girl, basketball player, trying to fit into a world that is too small for her (literally). Stick is the opposite of Tyne. Called Stick for being so thin, and he doesn't care how odd he and Tyne look together. I felt all the characters have distinct personalities and backstories and issues. It's set in an apartment building in Toronto called The Zoo. I loved the feel of this run-down, almost hopeless place that the Greer family lived. It was a great setting for a body and a mystery to turn up.
Tiny and Stick were practically perfection. I loved that the relationship was more than just romantic. It was a true friendship and a "where you go, I go" sort of love. Because of Tiny's size, she's gawked at, and really doesn't fit in, but it was nice to know she always had someone who didn't care about all that. He accepted her 100%, knew that they looked ridiculous together, and truly gave zero fucks about it.
What I didn't love: The premise was awesome-- find a body and wonder if someone in your family could be responsible-- but when all was said and done, I was hoping for more. I wanted the revelation to be bigger, worse, or something that really made me think. While this book was full of villains, the big reveal almost wanted to sympathize the villain, only to do a 180 and convince you that he/she really is evil. It was sort of a wishy-washy feeling that I didn't really love. Also, why so many nicknames? It seemed like none of the characters actually went by their given names-- instead there was Squirrel, Tiny, Stick, Mad Dog, etc. I'm all for a good nickname, but I don't want everyone in one book to have one.
OVERALL: I really enjoyed this quick, entertaining read. It had unique, thoroughly developed characters, a cool setting, and a creepy mystery. If not for the oddness of the ending, I would be shouting recommendations for this one.
My Blog:
… (mere)
Acceleration by Graham McNamee
From Goodreads.com:
“It’s a hot, hot summer, and in the depths of the Toronto Transit Authority’s Lost and Found, 17-year-old Duncan is cataloging lost things and sifting through accumulated junk. And between Jacob, the cranky old man who runs the place, and the endless dusty boxes overflowing with stuff no one will ever claim, Duncan’s just about had enough. Then he finds a little leather book. It’s a diary filled with the dark and dirty secrets of a twisted mind, a serial killer stalking his prey in the subway. And Duncan can’t make himself stop reading.
What would you do with a book like that? How far would you go to catch a madman?
And what if time was running out. . . .”
Duncan is an average kid living an average life in a blue collar section of Toronto. He takes a summer job working in the lost and found (aka “The Morgue”) of the subway. There he finds a diary and decides to read it.
Once he realizes it is the diary of a serial killer in training Duncan doesn’t know what to do. He tries to take it to the police, who ignore him. He decides to try to find out who “Roach” (the nickname he gives the diary’s author) is and what is his next move. He enlists first the help of his friend Vinnie. Vinnie is smart and soon figures out where “Roach” feels most comfortable. That is where he is likely to strike, or so Vinnie believes because of all the books he has read.
Wayne is Duncan’s oldest friend. They grew up in “the jungle” (the nickname of the housing complex where all three live) together. Wayne is a petty criminal and is working at a fast food place for the summer. Wayne and Vinnie don’t get along so Duncan ends up working first with Vinnie and then with Wayne to solve this mystery.
It isn’t the most realistic mystery ever. How many teenage boys would actually stalk a serial killer, and then break into his house (with his deaf grandmother in the living room)? It is a compelling story though. I wanted Duncan to catch “Roach”.
Each character had his good qualities and his flaws. Vinnie has a deformed arm and hand and is super sensitive about it. He is smart but cautious. Wayne is not the sharpest knife in the drawer but he is street savvy and that comes in handy when Duncan decides to break into “Roach’s” house. Duncan is plagued by a drowning death he witnessed and was unable to save the girl. He is looking for some sort of redemption.
I listened to the audio CD of this book. The reader did an excellent job of setting the tone and the mood. I would recommend this book to teen boys but I think girls will enjoy it too. It is, as many mysteries are, fairly predictable but an entertaining read.… (mere)
From Goodreads.com:
“It’s a hot, hot summer, and in the depths of the Toronto Transit Authority’s Lost and Found, 17-year-old Duncan is cataloging lost things and sifting through accumulated junk. And between Jacob, the cranky old man who runs the place, and the endless dusty boxes overflowing with stuff no one will ever claim, Duncan’s just about had enough. Then he finds a little leather book. It’s a diary filled with the dark and dirty secrets of a twisted mind, a serial killer stalking his prey in the subway. And Duncan can’t make himself stop reading.
What would you do with a book like that? How far would you go to catch a madman?
And what if time was running out. . . .”
Duncan is an average kid living an average life in a blue collar section of Toronto. He takes a summer job working in the lost and found (aka “The Morgue”) of the subway. There he finds a diary and decides to read it.
Once he realizes it is the diary of a serial killer in training Duncan doesn’t know what to do. He tries to take it to the police, who ignore him. He decides to try to find out who “Roach” (the nickname he gives the diary’s author) is and what is his next move. He enlists first the help of his friend Vinnie. Vinnie is smart and soon figures out where “Roach” feels most comfortable. That is where he is likely to strike, or so Vinnie believes because of all the books he has read.
Wayne is Duncan’s oldest friend. They grew up in “the jungle” (the nickname of the housing complex where all three live) together. Wayne is a petty criminal and is working at a fast food place for the summer. Wayne and Vinnie don’t get along so Duncan ends up working first with Vinnie and then with Wayne to solve this mystery.
It isn’t the most realistic mystery ever. How many teenage boys would actually stalk a serial killer, and then break into his house (with his deaf grandmother in the living room)? It is a compelling story though. I wanted Duncan to catch “Roach”.
Each character had his good qualities and his flaws. Vinnie has a deformed arm and hand and is super sensitive about it. He is smart but cautious. Wayne is not the sharpest knife in the drawer but he is street savvy and that comes in handy when Duncan decides to break into “Roach’s” house. Duncan is plagued by a drowning death he witnessed and was unable to save the girl. He is looking for some sort of redemption.
I listened to the audio CD of this book. The reader did an excellent job of setting the tone and the mood. I would recommend this book to teen boys but I think girls will enjoy it too. It is, as many mysteries are, fairly predictable but an entertaining read.… (mere)
Acceleration starts with a great premise: a teenager takes a summer job at the transit authority lost and found department in Toronto. While working in the "stacks," he finds a lost diary. As he reads it, he realizes that it is the rantings of what is probably a serial killer. If this story had remained focused on the mystery of finding the serial killer, it could have been a really good story, but it gets mired in the personal life of the main character. Most of the story deals with Duncan and his relationship with his friends and family, which changed dramatically after an unsuccessful attempt to save a drowning girl in a pool during a previous summer. Now he sees his attempt to find the serial killer as an attempt at redemption. The book moves very slowly after the initial problem is introduced and doesn't really pick up again until near the end of the book. The ending is as unsatisfying as most of the rest of the story. To say the least, a very disappointing book.… (mere)
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Statistikker
- Værker
- 7
- Medlemmer
- 1,282
- Popularitet
- #20,006
- Vurdering
- 3.7
- Anmeldelser
- 82
- ISBN
- 65
- Sprog
- 3