Unwound

Initially, I thought this might be just another predictable thriller. I couldn't have been more wrong! There's more to this tale than the premise suggests. And, no matter how much or little you may enjoy the tale as you go along,you won't be disappointed when you reach the conclusion. Initially, it seems like a slightly original twist of a fatal attraction/obsessed fan story. But then, it blows your mind in a way that you feel that you maybe, just maybe, should have seen coming. And, then it does again. (Talk about a good roller coaster ride!) BOTTOM LINE: If you are a fan of surprise twists and different approaches (like Shutter Island or Gentlemen and Players: A Novel (P.S.), or movie like The Sixth Sense (Collector's Edition Series) or Memento (Widescreen Two-Disc Limited Edition) - you'll definitely enjoy this one.

There's a quote at the end of this novel: "Jonathan Baine is a pseudonym for an award winning independent filmmaker." And the novel's structure had me wondering if it wasn't originally a film script. The author's breathless, staccato style has the novel frequently punctuated by short chapters that remind you of scenes in a screenplay. Although the book runs to 305 pages, in reality, it's shorter than this because of all the chapter breaks. For me, this sort of structure is good because I hate putting a novel down between chapters. On the other hand, if the novel is as good as this one, it can also be a bad thing: it's all too easy to read `just one more chapter' before going back to work or turning out the light. The novel's storyline is perhaps not one that would engender much enthusiasm in a lot of readers. Basically, an obsessed fan meets the source of her obsession. In this case a young woman called Dina is obsessed by a novel written by Peter Robinson. Dina can quote large chunks of Robinson's novel. He is flattered by her obvious love of his novel, and attracted by her beauty. Now, there are plenty of this kind of story around: Stephen King's `Misery'; Robert De Niro in `The Fan' (or `King of Comedy'); `Play Misty for Me'. No doubt there are lots of others. Although you could place `Unwound' comfortably alongside these, there's enough originality here to make the trek back into this territory. It would not be fair to potential readers to give much more of the plot away, but if you like stories like those mentioned above, or, if you're in the mood for a decent thriller, `Unwound' is highly recommended. By the way, it would make a great film.

At first I thought this book was a rip-off on Stephen King's "Misery" plot, but I was wrong. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that when you get to the end of the book , you sort of want to read it again from a different perspective.

I recently read a review for a book where the reviewer up front said she wasn't going to provide a plot summary you would have to read the book if you wanted to know and I liked that idea so I am going to do that as well. UNWOUND is a short enough book that it can easily be read in one sitting. In fact my personal policy when shopping for new books (mainly mass market paperbacks) is to look for at least 350 pages in length in order to get my money's worth. Foolish policy? I felt a little chintzy but wanted quantity and quality for my cash. Well UNWOUND blew that theory away, it lacks the quantity I usually seek but more than makes up for it in quality. As I started reading the first half, I thought, "hmmmm the prose style is good with just an unsubtle enough hint of sensuality in the plot to make it enticing". Or something to that effect. Baine also displays an able grasp of irony and soft spoken humour to further spice up his writing style. However despite these pros, I felt in the early part of this novel that I had read this before in not a more exciting plot but, in a different one. I thought King's Misery was the best prose written about the author/fan relationship. Then Baine, just after the halfway point throws a changeup, then a curve. So as a reader it was almost as if I had struck out at the plate, but sure had a good time during my at bat. The plot and themes I thought I was reading about were only the first pitch. In other words what I assumed to be a predictable tale was in fact a novel of the first order. I will not go so far as to say the second half of the book saved it as a whole in itself, but it saved part of the story. Overall this is close to being a perfect read especially if you are a fan of fast, clever and exciting thrillers.

I bought UNWOUND because I'm a big fan of the author. And because postings on the author's various websites warned that the description on the jacket didn't really describe the book, that certain "twists" made a real description impossible, I was expecting something. Something. Not this! Or that! Or the other! Three times, three twists of SIXTH SENSE (y'know Bruce Willis is dead) proportions. That is not an exaggeration. One, the big one I guess, had me in tears. So a book that you think is Fatal Attraction is not Fatal Attraction at all. Not even the same genre. Baine (Bechard) has written a thriller that you need to start again the moment you finish those three mind-blowing last lines. To see what clues you missed. And having read it twice now, there are many. So many. You want to scream: "how did I miss this!!" I really wish I could say more about the plot, about Peter Robertson or Dina, but I can't without giving it all away. Needless to say, if you love good thrillers, one man against, well, something (see what I mean?), one billiant character, a writer no less, who made one horrible mistake (not the one you thought) and is now trying to (well, I can't tell you that either). Wow! I love this book. I don't know for certain how me managed to have me so fooled. I anxiously await other reviews to see if anyone guessed the twists.