Review: A Trip Down Memory Lane
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 12, 2013
I was given an ARC copy of this novel, and honestly I would normally give it 5 stars, because the writing is that damn good. The reason for the 4 stars is that this novel focuses entirely on Sally and therefore feels like a piece of the puzzle from somewhere in the middle where you can not quite completely place it... yet.Sally has a different tale to tell, and the reader is opened up to a lot of her past and exactly what made Sally who she is today. As the Bill tales had been growing darker of late, Sally's tale is definitely morbidly blackened. She's still airy and goes about her day usually without the inspections on her self that Bill would, but as she tears through people the reader actually understands why she did or does it.It does a superb job at continuing the storyline from the previous novel, Holier Than Thou. This novel is not just an excuse to give Sally her backstory, though it does it without remorse and the reader is glad of it. This novel is a transition. Spoilers ahead if you have not read Holier Than Thou.*Spoiler * With Bill missing still, this helps pass the time, and gives the reader a better idea of how long has passed since Bill has gone missing. This shows how things are being run without Bill. This is a needed phase, if anything, to give the reader time to ponder what the damage was they had truly caused. / *Spoiler *Reasons to Read this novel:- Gualtieri is the master of writing characters with depth in an easy read- Sally's story is worth knowing- It opens up story for the next novelsReasons Not to Read:- The humor is going down a much darker route and I believe that this is the final turning point for the Tome of Bill. The stories have grown increasingly darker and had a harder reach for the humor of the first novel, but with good reason. However if humor is entirely what brought you, you might lose interest with the dark and bloody