Mine

“Rain fell on the roofs of the just and the unjust, the saints and the sinners, those who knew peace and those in torment, and tomorrow began at a dark hour.” This sentence sets a rather ominous tone for the story that follows.

I had rather mixed feelings about this novel. Given that it was written by Robert McCammon, one would expect a certain level of quality, and indeed, it was written well. The story takes the reader on a wild ride through a strange combination of betrayal, insanity, murder, and kidnapping. It is told from two viewpoints. One is that of an unstable woman, Mary the Terror, who is consumed by the past. The other is Laura, a woman whose world has been turned upside down by personal betrayal and the arrival of a new baby.

Mary the Terror is not a likeable character, but her portrayal is realistic. The opening scene of the novel is truly disturbing, showing just how warped her mind is. And it only gets worse from there. The author goes into great detail about the grimness of her life, from the nasty way she lives to her struggles to take care of herself and her dependence on acid trips. There are also plenty of flashbacks that explain how she became the way she is and how twisted her little group of 60's bandits was.

Laura's viewpoint is just okay. She is more interesting during the chase scenes in the second half of the book, but in the first part, she kind of drags. I did feel sympathy for her when she is trying to come to terms with the fact that her daughter has been kidnapped and people are losing patience with her. It really makes you think about how insensitive people can be when faced with someone else's pain and loss.

I haven't read a novel with this particular angle before. McCammon shows a somewhat forgotten period in the lives of rebels, a time when we tend to idealize the free spirit. Instead, he shows a dangerous group with an "us against them" mentality who felt it was their mission to take down most of society. Hyped up on drugs, acid, and alcohol, of course. The Hippie leader was a cultish figure who bent the lives of those who were already unstable and desperate.

The theme of the book was intriguing, and the characters were well developed. However, kidnapping stories aren't really my thing. This book was much more than that, but still, the pacing was inconsistent. The flashbacks were important to the storyline, but I found myself growing impatient with them. The start of the book was slow, and it took me a while to really care about the characters and what they were up to. It took a significant amount of time for the main action of the book to begin.

Merecer era una palabra peligrosa, pensó Laura. Era una palabra que erigía barreras, y hacia que lo que estaba mal pareciese correcto.

This story seems to be really good. It is full of action, deaths, and suspense. However, I feel that it is a bit longer than necessary. There were certain moments when it dragged on in details that could have been omitted, but that's just a minor detail.

It has macabre and truly impactful scenes. The main character is crazy and highly disturbed, with a psychological approach that grabs and keeps you on the edge of your seat, making the story very unpredictable. Since the beginning, the character is presented to us without scruples or limits.

This book is mainly composed of kidnappings, murders, pursuits, fights, motherhood, madness, obsession, impotence, desperation, drugs, relationships, marriage, and so on.

I absolutely recommend it.

McCammon, who was more renowned for his horror works in the 80s, ventures into the realm of pure thriller with this 1990 offering and achieves at least a solid success. "Mine" features two main protagonists - Mary Terror, an ex (or perhaps not so ex) radical from the 60s, and Laura, a former flower child who is now a new suburban housewife and mother. From the back cover, we learn that Mary will steal Laura's child and Laura will pursue her, and the last 300 pages or so are dedicated to that thrilling chase (and what a chase it is!). McCammon truly keeps you engaged throughout, and despite the book's length, it is an effortless read.

Another strength of this novel is the nostalgia it evokes. The two leads frequently reflect on and remember their experiences in the 60s and contrast them with their current situations. In a sense, it now reads like historical fiction. However, there are flaws to be acknowledged. Firstly, McCammon's treatment of LSD is at best laughable. I could elaborate further, but suffice it to say that one does not start hallucinating just 5 minutes after licking a blotter. Secondly, he often succumbs to stereotypes with both the leads (Mary as the radical revolutionary and Laura as the unhappy wife comforted by money) and the other characters (such as the cheating husband reminiscing about his glory days and the naïve farmers). Nevertheless, it is relatively easy to overlook these faults for the sake of an exciting and enjoyable read.

An intense thriller unfolds as a crazy hippie steals a newborn child, and a desperate mother chases him halfway across the country.

On one hand, perhaps I wouldn't rate this as highly as the very best Robert McCammon novels. However, on the other hand, whenever I would sit down to read it, I never felt as if I was wasting or losing time. The characters are captivating enough that I eagerly wanted to see how both of their perspectives played out.

I guess the only aspect I didn't like about it was that while McCammon truly knows how to write a setting in a way that makes you feel like you're there (which is excellent), I didn't have that same feeling with this particular book (which is a drawback). I believe his best use of making you feel right there in the story can be found in his Southern thriller, "Gone South". You could vividly sense how hot and sticky the swamplands were and all the flies swarming around you. There are bits and pieces of his writing in the winter setting of this book, but it doesn't quite reach the same level as his other books such as "Swan Song", "Boy's Life" or even "The Wolf's Hour".

There's not a whole lot else to say in this review, other than the fact that the book is intense, and in typical McCammon fashion, there's a cast of memorable characters that you just can't get enough of.

Recommended.

And because this is Robert McCammon, I am once again seizing this opportunity to recommend "The Wolf's Hour", my very first and favorite Robert McCammon book.

"Mine" is indeed a truly terrifying read at certain moments.

This book brings to life every parent's worst nightmare as Mary Terror kidnaps someone else's baby. However, the main character, Laura Clayborne, refuses to accept this. She is determined to go to extreme lengths, even to the depths of hell and back, in order to find her son. And thus, the stage is set for a frenzied chase, with a deranged woman on the run with a baby that doesn't belong to her and a young mother who will stop at nothing to protect her child.

There are numerous references to the late 60s/early 70s. Mary Terror was once associated with a militant group that was extremely anti-government and, in particular, anti-cops (calling them "pigs!"). Mary Terror is an insanely crazy woman, and she does indeed remind one of Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's "Misery" (a book I recently read and loved). Haunted by a dark past, as the story progresses, she sinks further into madness.

I have always adored McCammon's writing style. His use of rich language gives the text a beautiful flow. When描绘the eve before chaos erupts, he writes: "Rain fell on the roofs of the just and the unjust, the saints and the sinners, those who knew peace and those in torment, and tomorrow began at a dark hour."

All in all, it's a fun read with some disturbing scenes, not for the faint of heart. The story is decent, although the action can get a bit chaotic at times and the narrative becomes a little wild and crazy. But then again, I don't mind a touch of craziness when I'm engrossed in reading.

I've read a significant portion of McCammon's books that were published during the 80's and early 90's. And let me tell you, this particular one is absolutely outstanding. It's so damn good that it seriously gives "Swan Song" a tough competition.

The plot of this book is incredibly intricate, with every detail carefully thought out and expertly drawn. It was so engaging that I completely forgot I was reading. It felt as if the author had a direct line to my brain and was speaking the story right into it.

I cannot recommend this thriller highly enough. It has touches of horror throughout, which only add to its allure. Whether you're a die-hard McCammon fan or simply someone who loves a great thriller written by a master, this book is a must-read. It's truly brilliant. And I have to give a big thank you to Jon Recluse for finally convincing me to pick it up and experience this literary gem.

This is an excellent and thrilling read that features a truly terrifying antagonist.

The opening is strong, immediately grabbing the reader's attention. However, the middle part can be a bit long-winded and uneven, which might cause some readers to lose interest.

Thankfully, the last 100-150 pages more than make up for the weaknesses in the rest of the novel. They are insane, incredibly intense, and keep the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.

I have been a fan of McCammon's work for a long time, and I am still trying to find a book of his that comes close to the quality of Boy's Life and Swan Song. Although this particular novel has its flaws, it still has enough strengths to make it a worthwhile read. I will continue my search for that perfect McCammon book.

Overall, I would recommend this novel to fans of horror and thrillers, especially those who are willing to overlook a few weaknesses in the middle. It is definitely a book that will keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat.

Meh.

This story might have had a greater impact when it was initially released. However, after the passage of so many years, all the details regarding the '60s radicals simply don't resonate well in this millennium.

Moreover, the story was extremely bloated. Entire chapters could have been eliminated, and the narrative would have been enhanced by making it progress more swiftly.

I have truly liked several of McCammon's recent books. Nevertheless, his earlier works just don't appeal to me.

It seems that as time has passed, the themes and style of his earlier stories have become less relevant and engaging. Perhaps McCammon has evolved as a writer, and his newer works better capture the interests and sensibilities of contemporary readers.

Nonetheless, it's important to note that everyone's literary preferences are different, and while this particular story didn't work for me, others may still find value and enjoyment in it.