Helpful Score: 9
Disappointing. I had read so many great reviews about this book (USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, etc) that I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The writing is decent and the premise (which is in the Book description above so I won't repeat it here) is very intriguing. However, I was unable to suspend belief to the level necessary to really "buy" this story for several reasons:
1) I just don't see 18-20 year olds actually caring as much about the fictional Polly presented in a college course as would be needed to get as sucked down the rabbit hole as they do.
2) the advancement of the plot depends on WAY too many "coincidences" / events happening at just the right time, in just the right location and, on at least one occasion, something most would consider logical behavior NOT happening.
3) as involved as the students get in the mystery, they leave several very obvious avenues of inquiry left unexplored (because, of course, doing so would derail the whole story).
4) there is no way as many people could be "in" on things as are required without someone tripping up or, conversely, no way as many people could be clueless to such elaborate events unfolding in (supposed) secrecy around them.
5) there are several events that, even after the book is wrapped up, don't make sense in context of the given explanation / conclusion.
Perhaps others will not be as "demanding" as I am about characters' behavior and the suspension of belief required, but I was disappointed that a premise that could have delivered so much came up so short.
1) I just don't see 18-20 year olds actually caring as much about the fictional Polly presented in a college course as would be needed to get as sucked down the rabbit hole as they do.
2) the advancement of the plot depends on WAY too many "coincidences" / events happening at just the right time, in just the right location and, on at least one occasion, something most would consider logical behavior NOT happening.
3) as involved as the students get in the mystery, they leave several very obvious avenues of inquiry left unexplored (because, of course, doing so would derail the whole story).
4) there is no way as many people could be "in" on things as are required without someone tripping up or, conversely, no way as many people could be clueless to such elaborate events unfolding in (supposed) secrecy around them.
5) there are several events that, even after the book is wrapped up, don't make sense in context of the given explanation / conclusion.
Perhaps others will not be as "demanding" as I am about characters' behavior and the suspension of belief required, but I was disappointed that a premise that could have delivered so much came up so short.
Helpful Score: 5
The biggest mystery to me is how this book got so many stellar reviews. The premise was very exciting, and I had high hopes for it, but quite frankly, nothing about this book actually worked upon execution.
There just wasn't enough here to be believable. Everything was far-fetched, extreme, and just didn't make sense. I think you can see that the idea ran away from the author, because there are small pieces that work, but that's it. There's no way that this would have been allowed at any college, I don't care what anyone says. No way. I finished the story, but sadly, I wasn't impressed, and I doubt I'd read any books by this author in the future.
There just wasn't enough here to be believable. Everything was far-fetched, extreme, and just didn't make sense. I think you can see that the idea ran away from the author, because there are small pieces that work, but that's it. There's no way that this would have been allowed at any college, I don't care what anyone says. No way. I finished the story, but sadly, I wasn't impressed, and I doubt I'd read any books by this author in the future.
Helpful Score: 4
The premise behind this book - a logic puzzle that may or may not be happening in real life - is probably the best thing about it. While it's compulsively readable, you see some of the twists and turns coming from a mile away and the ending is very unsatisfying. The fact that it's relatively short is a mercy, since as I read, I just wanted the whole thing to be over with.
Helpful Score: 3
Reading this book it sort of felt like not only were the characters in the book played big time but the reader as well. Here's the assignment: Solve this case and you save a fictitious, innocent life and it took me into a world of memorizing clues that were given to the students.
I had a clue which way this book would go after a certain intimate talk between two characters but by then the book was far away from being finished. Over a flood of new information I almost forgot about my own theory but wasn't surprised to find it affirmed in the end. But nevertheless the book keeps the a lot of surprised and twists your mind.
In case you decided to read it keep in mind, there is no randomness and distractions take way of track. ;-)
The book would have gotten five stars from me if it weren't for the ending. It was a logic ending from my small point of view but it also fell flat and didn't hold up to the rest of the book.
I had a clue which way this book would go after a certain intimate talk between two characters but by then the book was far away from being finished. Over a flood of new information I almost forgot about my own theory but wasn't surprised to find it affirmed in the end. But nevertheless the book keeps the a lot of surprised and twists your mind.
In case you decided to read it keep in mind, there is no randomness and distractions take way of track. ;-)
The book would have gotten five stars from me if it weren't for the ending. It was a logic ending from my small point of view but it also fell flat and didn't hold up to the rest of the book.
Helpful Score: 2
I have to go against the other reviews here and say I loved this book. But maybe because I'm in my early 20s and so it's premise surrounds a group of college kids my age (if a little younger). I thought it riveting, i couldn't put it down and blew through it. I agree that the ending was a bit disappointing for the whole set up and all the craziness that ensues, but I personally think it's worth the hype.
Helpful Score: 1
HORRIBLE WASTE OF MY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very disappointing!
Helpful Score: 1
This book was a letdown, it was written up as a great suspense novel, but there wasn't very much suspense and the scenes tended to be redundant. As a movie, it would flop.
HORRIBLE WASTE OF MY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Believe those on here who read it and were disappointed !!! I was too !
READ THIS BOOK !! It is definitely one of the best of 2008. I could not put it down. Remembering what it was like to be an 18-21 year old college student, I remember how unsure everyone is at that age and how impressionable they are. This book plays on all of those uncertainties and shows just how easily manipulated we can be.
Interesting considering I'd just finished a sociology college course. Not a bad book but not one I'd say, "that was awesome, what a ride!" either. It kept me turning the pages however the ending was disappointing. Far-fetched, clues that didn't matter.... overall was worth the read until you got to the end & was left with many unanswered emotions & questions.
I've owned this book for almost a year and I kept putting it off and putting it off. The blurb on the back made it sound interesting, but I thought other books were MORE interesting. I wish I had read it sooner.
This book was one of the best psychological thrillers that I've ever read. It was gripping. I started the book and could not set it down. I kept finding ways to sneak in a page or two while at work. I'd read it sitting at red lights. My stomach turned with excitement with each new twist and turn. References to Stanley Milgram's obedience study and Kitty Genovese by-stander effect just added to the suspense for this psychology major.
I kept guessing at what was really going on and several times I guessed correctly, but each new clue caused me to second guess my guesses. By the end I had given up trying to figure out the mystery and just let it unfold on its own. And it was genius.
Lavender's writing style is simple and easy to read. Although the writing itself was not great, Lavender does an excellent job building suspense. Some parts of the book seemed unnecessary, such as the relationship between Dennis & Elizabeth. It was as though he needed something to tie things in to the finale to make it more plausible, but it would have made more sense to leave the relationship out of the plot.
This book was one of the best psychological thrillers that I've ever read. It was gripping. I started the book and could not set it down. I kept finding ways to sneak in a page or two while at work. I'd read it sitting at red lights. My stomach turned with excitement with each new twist and turn. References to Stanley Milgram's obedience study and Kitty Genovese by-stander effect just added to the suspense for this psychology major.
I kept guessing at what was really going on and several times I guessed correctly, but each new clue caused me to second guess my guesses. By the end I had given up trying to figure out the mystery and just let it unfold on its own. And it was genius.
Lavender's writing style is simple and easy to read. Although the writing itself was not great, Lavender does an excellent job building suspense. Some parts of the book seemed unnecessary, such as the relationship between Dennis & Elizabeth. It was as though he needed something to tie things in to the finale to make it more plausible, but it would have made more sense to leave the relationship out of the plot.
HORRIBLE WASTE OF MY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very disappointing!
"Obedience" is nothing more than a social experiment to see how many people will plod through reading this torture device that is disguised as a book.
Trust the reviews, read a different book.
Trust the reviews, read a different book.
This book was a treat. It's definately not one of those where you can forsee the ending. I takes more twists and turns than a roller coaster. I definately recommend.
Unlike most of the reviews, I liked this book. You really have to pay close attention tho to the story line. There a lot of twists and turns and just when you think you have it figured out, it jumps again. Better than I thought it would be considering all the negative reviews from other readers.
