No Justice to the title – Divine Justice by David Baldacci

I don’t know if there are others who feel the same way, but I’ve been having real trouble trying to finish books lately. And I am convinced it’s not just the lack of time or energy at the end of a hard day to blame. On the contrary, which book lover wouldn’t like to unwind with a thriller or a stylish novel when you can spare the time? However, these days I feel as if there are no good books out there. Even the ones that start well fizzle out over the pages. Where have all the good writers gone?

I picked up Divine Justice from several bestseller lists. Some reviews I saw gave it high star ratings. In truth, the book was a huge disappointment. There is neither any obvious writing style nor pace in the book. The plot is actually quite good. The parallel storyline shifting between the erstwhile CIA sharp shooter Oliver, who murders two important American men, and the agent Knox caught between his boss with an ulterior motive to track down Oliver and the value judgments that come from his own past is intriguing. However, the author’s reluctance to keep the narrative crisp makes the book drift on and on. Multiple plots and forced coincidences kill the focus, and again, the all-too-common property among authors to glorify the protagonist make your interest wane after the first few pages.

I had real trouble finishing this one despite much determination to not put it away half-read.

My verdict – This one may be for you if you are really interested in the CIA, or the legacies of the American war in Vietnam and Afghanistan. Or if you really don’t have anything else to read AND are well versed with the art of speed reading.