Review: Compelling and Thought-Provoking Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 16, 2013
This first book in the Gatehouse Thriller series was a compelling read that kept me fascinated from page one and never let up until its end. Not very familiar at all with assassin thrillers - the Bourne books and movies and the film, The Professional (aka Léon) my only other experience with the genre - I wasn't sure what to expect and wasn't even certain the story would be my cup of tea - despite that I've really enjoyed other novels by author Karin Kaufman. That said, All Souls not only started off with a gripping mystery, it remained engrossing every step of the way, and that it did so is significant, at least to me, since generally I'm not really a reader of violent action-adventure or secret society/conspiracy thrillers, mainly because I tend to lean toward more pacifist beliefs and frequently have trouble relating to characters who don't have severe moral qualms about killing for any reason (whether or not they do choose to kill for whatever reason, I need to see that they are experiencing conflict over doing so). That I did enjoy this story so much and even was able to sympathize with its characters then, is a testament to the extraordinary skill of the author. Not only was the writing pitch perfect in the flow of the plot - whether in breakneck speed high-action scenes or in those moments of personal character interaction - the development of the main characters and the insight into some of their motivations was well-done enough to make me at least want to understand them better even when I didn't agree with their views. In addition, I sensed some underlying symbolism in the behavior and organizing of the disparate killers known as Sacks that drew me into the story even more. Whether or not this perceived symbolism was really there, it certainly captured my interest for reading the next book in the series.The reason for my four star rating instead of the five that the writing merits (and then some, IMO) is that to really connect with the main characters on a deeper level, rather than only want to understand their motivations and to have sympathy for their situation, I would have needed a little more development and explanation of the antagonists in the novel, the Sack characters. While there are hints that maybe they aren't acting on evil impulses for the sake of simply enjoying evil, this isn't that well-developed in this first book and the Sack character who most suggested the idea that the motivation wasn't originally evil for evil's sake later makes it seem like that suggestion was a lie. Because of that, the Sacks sometimes came across to me as less-than-human personifications of evil, rather than multi-dimensional fallible and misled human beings who descend into evil acts the way most human beings usually do - that is, through the self-delusion of justifying one's immoral/unethical behavior based on faulty concepts of personal freedom, justice over perceived wrongs, etc. The story's end does readdress this question in a serious way, but because the antagonists seem to be engaging in evil for evil's sake through most of the novel and the protagonists seem to be basing their own moral decisions on that view of the Sacks' motivation, it can make the main characters appear to see things in a too pure good stands against pure evil way without consideration that the flawed humanity in the Sacks is a terrible extension of tendencies within themselves - without a there but for the grace of God go I understanding of others, that is. Also, while the main character, Jane Piper, did have my sympathy for the horrors she personally experienced and because she often did seem to be the character who most experienced unease over whether killing was truly the answer, occasionally her justifications could be rather harshly judgmental of those who question violence as a response to even unremitting evil. Knowing that human beings can often be self-contradictory in this manner made her an extremely realistic character, but one of her statements in particular - suggesting that those who express moral qualms about killing are only hypocrites who won't admit that they're really fine with killing as long as they don't have to do it themselves or don't have to be made aware that it's going on - was off-putting. An MC voicing this kind prejudice against anyone who expresses concerns about using violence, especially killing, to defeat evil, didn't make her an unsympathetic character to me, but I admit that I do have personal issues with people/characters who presume that those who disagree with them on a given subject don't have any well-thought out or good reasons for their concerns and so therefore must be being hypocritical. A far less likable and less sympathetic character in the Bourne books voiced a similar prejudice, and though Jane's reasons for feeling this way in All Souls are much more understandable, it had the same effect on me in both books as it does in life - judging a person's actions is one thing; presuming to think one knows another's every motivation and even their thoughts and feelings on an idea is another, so I'm hoping for even more insight into Jane's character for better understanding of her in future books of the series.Overall, however, this incredibly well-written thriller, with its fascinating mystery, interesting and realistic main characters and its offering to reflect on questions of good and evil, how to respond to evil, and the possibility of redemption from even the farthest fall from good make for an excellent read. The author's knowledge and research are evident in the story's craftsmanship and her skills as a writer as regards plot, pacing and character development are very evident. I'm very much looking forward to continuing with the series to see where she goes with the ideas presented and the characters introduced in All Souls and I highly recommend the novel to thriller, suspense and action-adventure fans, especially those who like a story that offers a number of important ideas for more reflection.