Title: False Witness
Author: Karin Slaughter
What's it about?
Leigh Collier has worked hard to get to where she is today. She struggled financially through law school, moved away from a dysfunctional family and formed her own family. But not all is as it seems. Leigh has a dark past that insists on rearing its ugly and devastating head when she gets assigned to defend a ghost from her past with deadly intentions of his own.
Callie is a mess but she's determined not to bring her sister Leigh down anymore then she has already has. She's determined to do the right thing this time...if only she can stay clean long enough to come out the other side pure and utter chaos. After all, it's her past, too.
Favorites?
Favorite Character: Callie. Easy. Yes. She was a heroine addict but she was also sweet, loving, vulnerable and strong in her own way. She wasn't perfect but she was human and so much more then a drug addict. She stole my heart and, days later, I'm not sure she ever gave it back.
Least Favorite Character: Linda. It's hard to explain without spoilers but I just felt like she handled the life she was dealt in not the best way. I just feel like in so many ways she was a part of the problem.
Favorite Part: There's a conversation between Callie and Dr. Jerry (another character I can't help but love) that brought me to tears. It was powerful and moving and spoke a lot of truth. It was also what ensured that I'd fall in love with Dr. Jerry.
Least Favorite Part: The first part. The first chapter especially does have some triggers. I was thankful that it didn't get as graphic or detailed as it could have gotten, but it was my least favorite all the same.
Other Thoughts?
The biggest thing that got me in this book was the way Callie was portrayed. She was human. Imperfect and human. I loved that her addiction didn't define her, it was just a part of her. I loved that she wasn't heartless, selfish individual. It meant so much to me because, as a society, we like to see addicts as selfish and heartless people who are unintelligent enough to make bad choices. Not Callie. Knowing people who struggle with addiction and knowing people who worked with those with addiction, I appreciated the reality of it. The truth, even when painful, that shone through among these 504 pages.
I also really liked that we bounce between the perspective of Callie and Leigh. I think it helped to make the story stronger and more emotional because you get both sides, because you see the internal struggles of both and because you see the flaws in how both girls perceive the world around them.
One of my big complaints I had with this book, is really an admittedly small thing. There's a continuity error in the first chapter. One, small off handed comment about a piece of electronics not around in the late '90's when the chapter takes place. Then again, I also would have liked to see more of Dr. Jerry, too so there is that.
Over all, I really enjoyed this book and am happy that this was my first Karin Slaughter book. I looked forward to reading it every night and I was sucked in. I felt like the emotional journey was just, if not more, important then the dramatic and thrilling story the girls found themselves engulfed in.
What I rate this book?
I give this book a
7
out of
10 old kitchen knives
But that's just me. What did you think about this book? Did you love it? Hate it? Like Leigh more then Callie? Let us know in the comments.
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