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The Boy in the Park
The Psychological Thriller that everyone is going to be talking about - once you’ve read it, it will haunt you for weeks!
Dylan goes to the same park every day. He starts to notice a young boy who comes down to the small boating lake and soon realises that all is not right with the child; he seems troubled and unhappy and when bruises start to appear on the boy’s arms, Dylan realises that he has to take action. As Dylan’s obsession with the boy takes hold, he embarks on dark, intense and powerful journey, where nothing is what it seems…
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2016
About the author
A.J. Grayson
3 books31 followersA J Grayson, author of the runaway THE BOY IN THE PARK, drinks extraordinary amounts of coffee and likes to write on an old Corona Standard typewriter (though is enough of a technical enthusiast to buy whatever Apple dangles from its latest stick). Time not spent writing books is spent reading them, and wandering through the strange, dark psychological places where stories are born. Please be in touch with AJ Grayson on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GraysonForReal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
May 12, 2018
What an unusual book. It was clear from the start that something not quite right was going on and although after a while, I did guess what that was, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. Not all psychological thrillers have to be fast paced and heart pounding. This one was subtle and the build up slow, and for me, it worked. It reminded me of Lehane's Shutter Island. The Boy in the Park was well-written and I liked the style. I'd definitely read more by this author.
March 4, 2017
Das Cover des Buches hatte mich sofort, ich mag den nicht überladenen Stil und die Farbabsetzung; der Klappentext weckte auch mein Interesse. Die Geschichte driftete dann jedoch in eine ganz andere Richtung als erwartet.
Wer hier einen klassischen Thriller á la "jemand verschwindet, Polizei ist untätig und Protagonist ermittelt auf eigene Faust" erwartet, der wird wohl enttäuscht sein. Ist man der Story gegenüber offen eingestellt, kann dieses Buch durchaus gut sein. Mich konnte es nicht so richtig überzeugen, auch wenn ich es insgesamt nicht so schlecht fand. Vielmehr störte mich, dass die erste Hälfte des Buches wirklich sehr langweilig und gezogen waren. Ab der Hälfte nahm die Story an Fahrt auf, aber leider wurde es ab hier auch sehr vorhersehbar. Und ich meine wirklich SEHR.
Wer hier einen klassischen Thriller á la "jemand verschwindet, Polizei ist untätig und Protagonist ermittelt auf eigene Faust" erwartet, der wird wohl enttäuscht sein. Ist man der Story gegenüber offen eingestellt, kann dieses Buch durchaus gut sein. Mich konnte es nicht so richtig überzeugen, auch wenn ich es insgesamt nicht so schlecht fand. Vielmehr störte mich, dass die erste Hälfte des Buches wirklich sehr langweilig und gezogen waren. Ab der Hälfte nahm die Story an Fahrt auf, aber leider wurde es ab hier auch sehr vorhersehbar. Und ich meine wirklich SEHR.
August 5, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway so thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book.
I always try and aim to give a book 5 stars if it makes me feel something and this book had me gripped and holding my breath from the beginning. Slow start but incredible story. Please don't be put off by the slow burn because once you're in, you're IN and it doesn't let you go.
Every time I thought I'd worked out who each character was, something else was thrown in the mix and kept me twisting and turning until the very end.
This is genuinely one of my favourite reads of the year and one of the best psychological thrillers I've read in a long time.
It won't be for everyone, but for me it was brilliant and I'm gutted it's over. I couldn't wait to see what happens next.
Strong narrative, interesting characters and an extraordinary story. I'd highly recommend this book.
I always try and aim to give a book 5 stars if it makes me feel something and this book had me gripped and holding my breath from the beginning. Slow start but incredible story. Please don't be put off by the slow burn because once you're in, you're IN and it doesn't let you go.
Every time I thought I'd worked out who each character was, something else was thrown in the mix and kept me twisting and turning until the very end.
This is genuinely one of my favourite reads of the year and one of the best psychological thrillers I've read in a long time.
It won't be for everyone, but for me it was brilliant and I'm gutted it's over. I couldn't wait to see what happens next.
Strong narrative, interesting characters and an extraordinary story. I'd highly recommend this book.
July 19, 2019
The Boy In The Park is a novel that everyone will be talking about. Buy it read it! It is one the best gripping psychological thrillers with a shocking twist, that no reader will possible guess it's ending. A man confessed he killed his wife a shocking twist is here but I won't say what. Dylan sees the same little boy in the Botanical Garden by the boating lake . The boy is always alone twirling a stick around in the water. When the little boy disappears, Dylan reports the little boy as missing. There is a small problem Dylan doesn't know the boy's name and has only seen the boy in the park, then how is lieutenant Brian Delvary going to believe Dylan? With all the fantastic twists in this story makes it so worth reading that is why I recommend The Boy In The Park.
October 11, 2018
Dylan arbeitet in San Francisco in einem Laden für Nahrungsergänzungsmittel. Seine Mittagspausen verbringt er immer im Botanischen Garten auf einer Parkbank, von der aus er fast täglich einen kleinen Jungen beobachten kann, der an einem Teich spielt. Eines Tages sieht Dylan, wie der Junge fortgerissen wird und verschwindet. Eine Entführung? Bei der Polizei nimmt man Dylans Aussage nicht ernst, und so stellt er selbst Nachforschungen an...
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das Buch hat mich sehr gut unterhalten können und mir gut gefallen. Auch hat mich die Geschichte überraschen können, denn nichts scheint so zu sein, wie es auf den ersten Blick erscheint. Es gibt viele Wendungen in dieser Geschichte.
Es gibt zwei verschiedene Handlungsstränge. Einmal erzählt uns Dylan die Geschichte aus seiner Sicht, und dann gibt es zwischendurch immer wieder Gespräche einer Psychologin mit einem Mann namens Joseph, der seine Frau umgebracht haben will. Zunächst scheinen beide Handlungsstränge nichts miteinander zu tun zu haben, doch mit der Zeit gibt es immer mehr Zusammenhänge.
Der Schreibstil ist dabei sehr leicht und flüssig, die Kapitel sind angenehm kurz und die Spannung bleibt immer hoch, da man einfach wissen möchte, was es mit der Entführung und dem kleinen Jungen auf sich hat.
Ich hatte viel Lesespaß mit diesem Buch und schöne Lesestunden!
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das Buch hat mich sehr gut unterhalten können und mir gut gefallen. Auch hat mich die Geschichte überraschen können, denn nichts scheint so zu sein, wie es auf den ersten Blick erscheint. Es gibt viele Wendungen in dieser Geschichte.
Es gibt zwei verschiedene Handlungsstränge. Einmal erzählt uns Dylan die Geschichte aus seiner Sicht, und dann gibt es zwischendurch immer wieder Gespräche einer Psychologin mit einem Mann namens Joseph, der seine Frau umgebracht haben will. Zunächst scheinen beide Handlungsstränge nichts miteinander zu tun zu haben, doch mit der Zeit gibt es immer mehr Zusammenhänge.
Der Schreibstil ist dabei sehr leicht und flüssig, die Kapitel sind angenehm kurz und die Spannung bleibt immer hoch, da man einfach wissen möchte, was es mit der Entführung und dem kleinen Jungen auf sich hat.
Ich hatte viel Lesespaß mit diesem Buch und schöne Lesestunden!
October 6, 2016
Natürlich war das Buch durchweg atmosphärisch und mysteriös... Aber trotzdem bin ich unfassbar enttäuscht. Sämtliche Wendungen habe ich von Anfang an kommen sehen und der inkonsequente Ton, das inkonsequente Tempo des Erzählens, all diese Dinge stoßen mir sehr sauer auf und vermiesen für mich dieses Buch, an das ich mit ganz anderen Erwartungen rangegangen bin. Andererseits kann ich aber auch die super positiven Stimmen verstehen - letztendlich war es vermutlich einfach nicht my cup of tea.
October 6, 2020
Definitiv kein 08/15 Thriller, der mich mit einer ruhigen Erzählweise und tollen Atmosphäre überraschen sowie überzeugen konnte.
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August 24, 2016Auf Seite 70 abgebrochen
July 13, 2017
The boy in the park by A J Grayson.
The Psychological Thriller that everyone is going to be talking about - once you’ve read it, it will haunt you for weeks!
Dylan goes to the same park every day. He starts to notice a young boy who comes down to the small boating lake and soon realises that all is not right with the child; he seems troubled and unhappy and when bruises start to appear on the boy’s arms, Dylan realises that he has to take action. As Dylan’s obsession with the boy takes hold, he embarks on dark, intense and powerful journey, where nothing is what it seems…
This was a really good read with good characters. I liked the ending. This is a intense read. 5*. Netgalley and harper Collins UK harper impulse.
The Psychological Thriller that everyone is going to be talking about - once you’ve read it, it will haunt you for weeks!
Dylan goes to the same park every day. He starts to notice a young boy who comes down to the small boating lake and soon realises that all is not right with the child; he seems troubled and unhappy and when bruises start to appear on the boy’s arms, Dylan realises that he has to take action. As Dylan’s obsession with the boy takes hold, he embarks on dark, intense and powerful journey, where nothing is what it seems…
This was a really good read with good characters. I liked the ending. This is a intense read. 5*. Netgalley and harper Collins UK harper impulse.
February 11, 2018
Leider nur ein Stern für dieses Buch.
Es hat mir wirklich absolut nicht gefallen. Der Klappentext lässt auf eine ganz andere Geschichte hindeuten, als welche man dann tatsächlich liest. Während ich den Anfang noch ganz gut fand, habe ich recht schnell gemerkt, dass die Geschichte eine Richtung aufnimmt, die mir leider so gar nicht gefällt. Am Ende hin fand ich es einfach nur noch ätzend und auch die letztendliche Auflösung - welche vorhersehbar war - hat mir gar nicht gefallen. Ich kann dieses Buch leider gar nicht weiterempfehlen.
Es hat mir wirklich absolut nicht gefallen. Der Klappentext lässt auf eine ganz andere Geschichte hindeuten, als welche man dann tatsächlich liest. Während ich den Anfang noch ganz gut fand, habe ich recht schnell gemerkt, dass die Geschichte eine Richtung aufnimmt, die mir leider so gar nicht gefällt. Am Ende hin fand ich es einfach nur noch ätzend und auch die letztendliche Auflösung - welche vorhersehbar war - hat mir gar nicht gefallen. Ich kann dieses Buch leider gar nicht weiterempfehlen.
July 27, 2017
DNF / will never give it a second chance!!
If I ever read a book as boring as this one again, I'll give up on reading altogether.. I'm so BORED, I'll just mark the book as read, and be done with it.. Should it happen to pick beyond chapter 27 I semi-apologize for the low rating, but I seriously doubt my rating would differ were I to drag myself through the thing.
Btw I was hoping for suspense.. Should you be looking for some sort of weird character study, you just might enjoy it. Or not.
If I ever read a book as boring as this one again, I'll give up on reading altogether.. I'm so BORED, I'll just mark the book as read, and be done with it.. Should it happen to pick beyond chapter 27 I semi-apologize for the low rating, but I seriously doubt my rating would differ were I to drag myself through the thing.
Btw I was hoping for suspense.. Should you be looking for some sort of weird character study, you just might enjoy it. Or not.
August 3, 2017
Knowing that I was going to have a quite day at work, I really wanted a book that I could really get stuck into. Even though The Boy in the Park didn't quite hook me as much as I would have wanted I found the short chapters and enjoyable plot easy to enjoy.
An entertaining read that easily helps pass the time, nothing group breaking as the ending was pretty obvious early on but overall I quite like it.
An entertaining read that easily helps pass the time, nothing group breaking as the ending was pretty obvious early on but overall I quite like it.
January 7, 2018
Cleverly written and very sad tale..I love books that have a total twist...this one did not disappoint....A slow burner at the start This was a really good read with good characters. I liked the ending.
February 7, 2017
[ 3, 5 Sterne ]
Ein Buch, das mich nicht überraschen konnte und dennoch mit seiner ganz eigenen und tragischen Art gefesselt hat.
Ein Buch, das mich nicht überraschen konnte und dennoch mit seiner ganz eigenen und tragischen Art gefesselt hat.
July 29, 2016
In 'Boy in the park' geht es um Dylan, der sich jeden Tag in der Mittagspause in den Park zurückzieht um dort an seinen Gedichten zu arbeiten. Dabei begegnet er jeden Tag einem kleinen Jungen, der ruhig mit einem Stock spielt. Eines Tages jedoch sieht er, dass der Junge verletzt ist und wenige Tage später taucht er nicht mehr auf. Alarmiert versucht Dylan mehr über den mysteriösen Jungen herauszufinden und gerät dabei aber selbst in große Gefahr.
Der Klappentext des Buches hat schnell mein Interesse geweckt, doch was der Klappentext nicht verrät ist, dass sich hinter den schwarzen Buchdeckeln eine Geschichte versteckt die sowohl schockiert wie auch betroffen macht. Gerade der Anfang ist sehr ruhig und man vergisst beinahe dass man gerade einen Thriller liest, bis plötzlich alles eine schockierende Wendung nimmt und man als Leser erschrocken feststellt, dass dies keineswegs ein lockerer Roman sondern eine viel dunklere Geschichte ist.
Neben dem Schreibstil von A.J. Grayson hat mich auch noch dieses Was-ist-da-los-Gefühl, dass der Autor durch seine Geschichte hervorgebracht hatte, begeistert. Zwischendurch war es so verwirrend, dass ich mir dachte ich würde einen Mystik-Thriller lesen weil das ansonsten keinen Sinn macht. Aber schlussendlich kann der Autor trotzdem mit einer logischen Antwort all die Geschehnisse erklären und das fand ich noch beeindruckender.
Obwohl mir das Lesen total viel Spaß gemacht hat und ich mich von den Seiten auch kaum trennen konnte (ich habe das Buch sogar innerhalb eines Nachmittages ausgelesen), war ich noch viel begeisterter von der Geschichte als ich sie beendet hatte und mit all dem Wissen auf die Geschichte zurückblicken konnte. Ein fantastisches Aha-Gefühl, gefolgt von Begeisterung über das Buch!
Fazit:
Gerade durch die genialen Plot-Twists, Wendungen und Überraschungen konnte mich das Buch atemlos zurücklassen und mich immer wieder erstaunen. Eine Empfehlung für alle begeisterte Thriller-Leser!
Der Klappentext des Buches hat schnell mein Interesse geweckt, doch was der Klappentext nicht verrät ist, dass sich hinter den schwarzen Buchdeckeln eine Geschichte versteckt die sowohl schockiert wie auch betroffen macht. Gerade der Anfang ist sehr ruhig und man vergisst beinahe dass man gerade einen Thriller liest, bis plötzlich alles eine schockierende Wendung nimmt und man als Leser erschrocken feststellt, dass dies keineswegs ein lockerer Roman sondern eine viel dunklere Geschichte ist.
Neben dem Schreibstil von A.J. Grayson hat mich auch noch dieses Was-ist-da-los-Gefühl, dass der Autor durch seine Geschichte hervorgebracht hatte, begeistert. Zwischendurch war es so verwirrend, dass ich mir dachte ich würde einen Mystik-Thriller lesen weil das ansonsten keinen Sinn macht. Aber schlussendlich kann der Autor trotzdem mit einer logischen Antwort all die Geschehnisse erklären und das fand ich noch beeindruckender.
Obwohl mir das Lesen total viel Spaß gemacht hat und ich mich von den Seiten auch kaum trennen konnte (ich habe das Buch sogar innerhalb eines Nachmittages ausgelesen), war ich noch viel begeisterter von der Geschichte als ich sie beendet hatte und mit all dem Wissen auf die Geschichte zurückblicken konnte. Ein fantastisches Aha-Gefühl, gefolgt von Begeisterung über das Buch!
Fazit:
Gerade durch die genialen Plot-Twists, Wendungen und Überraschungen konnte mich das Buch atemlos zurücklassen und mich immer wieder erstaunen. Eine Empfehlung für alle begeisterte Thriller-Leser!
August 23, 2017
Having worked with abused children for most of my working life I was dubious as to how this novel would pan out.
A slow burner at the start I ended up staying awake through the night reading to the end and there are not enough adjectives to describe my emotions on completion. Anger first and foremost, sorrow (the tissues were well needed) understanding (I had met such people through work) Incredulity at the evil within human beings and gratitude for professionals putting their reputation on the line. Gut-wrenching at the conclusion this is one of the most brilliant, well written books on this aspect of mental health. I cannot give the storyline, the effect would be diluted but I sincerely recommend all adults with a conscience to read, the impact will be like a hammer blow and will remain long after you close the book. Three words describe this book:- BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT!
A slow burner at the start I ended up staying awake through the night reading to the end and there are not enough adjectives to describe my emotions on completion. Anger first and foremost, sorrow (the tissues were well needed) understanding (I had met such people through work) Incredulity at the evil within human beings and gratitude for professionals putting their reputation on the line. Gut-wrenching at the conclusion this is one of the most brilliant, well written books on this aspect of mental health. I cannot give the storyline, the effect would be diluted but I sincerely recommend all adults with a conscience to read, the impact will be like a hammer blow and will remain long after you close the book. Three words describe this book:- BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT!
October 12, 2017
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. I read a lot of crime fiction (though I suppose this could be categorised as "grip lit" rather than strictly as crime) so am often tuned into plot twists from early in a novel. The key plot twist to unlock this book was so old and hackneyed that it should have grey hair and should be banned from use for the foreseeable future. It became obvious early on in which direction the author wanted to take us and sure enough there we were at the end. The whole book was arranged to fit this twist and keep it unrevealed to the end, so I felt too often that its mechanics were showing. It was a blessedly quick read, but left me feeling angry that such a clichéd device is still being used.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2017
I wish I could give lower than one star as this book deserves it. I was bored stiff with it but because I don't like to give up I finished it. And that is time I will never get back.
January 28, 2018
So wordy and pretentious I didn't even give a damn where the story intended to go and dumped it in the charity bag before I'd finished chapter 2.
November 28, 2018
Ich fand es richtig gut. War wirklich mal ein etwas anderer Roman. Zwischen durch war es leicht verwirrend, aber am Ende hat sich alles aufgeklärt. Und die Aufklärung war richtig spannend.
April 7, 2018
I'm going to be honest. I've read a lot of thrillers. After a while, it gets where the surprises are not so surprising, and the twists are a little too boring to be called even that. I'll always love the genre (and, after all, I would consider it my favorite) but the truth of the matter is, originality is hard to come by. I don't mean that in a necessarily bad way, either - in this world, it's hard to come up with an idea that someone else hasn't already put to use.
There are things in The Boy in the Park that surprised me. And that's one of the reasons it's sticking out in my mind. The premise, while not exactly original, has been executed in a way that I, personally, have never seen before. We're put first into the mind of Dylan Aaronsen, a forty-something who lives in San Francisco, a poet by choice and a cashier at a health supplement store by necessity. The thing he looks most forward to in his day is his lunch-break, when he is free to roam and visit the place he loves most: the Botanical Gardens in the heart of the city. It's there that he sits by a pond, a pond he's come to think of as "his," and it's there that he writes the poems he loves so much.
It's also where he sees a little boy. It's been going on for eighteen - no, twenty, he says later - months. The boy comes to the pond, pokes a stick in the water, does very little but stand by the water's edge. There's nothing particularly amiss about this scene, and Dylan enjoys watching the boy as he becomes a part of his daily life's landscape...and yet. There's something that, in the beginning, Dylan can't quite put his finger on, but something that bothers him nonetheless.
He realizes, after some reflection, that he never sees the boy's face. Always it is hidden in shadow, disguised from Dylan's prying eyes. And then one day the boy comes to the park, as is the routine, and Dylan notices that his arm is bleeding. And the day after that: there is a huge, blackening bruise on the boy's arm. He's overcome with worry. What kind of world does this boy come from, that he's suffering in such a way?
Through intersecting points-of-view, the story unfolds slowly, but so intriguingly that I found myself struggling to put it down. At first, I must confess, I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to like it. I found Dylan's pretentiousness, his clear feeling of superiority over other people who are gullible enough to buy the pills at his store, over the people who can't quite appreciate the beauty of solitude or a good novel, to be extremely grating. However, as the story progressed, I found myself warming to Dylan, particularly because he seemed to be learning that his sheltered, lonely city life was not the experience that everyone gets to enjoy.
I was a touch confused as things were being put together, but not at all the unpleasant sort of confusion - more the interesting kind. However, below I'm going to discuss one issue I have with the novel (and not just this one, but all novels and media who use this device). Beware for spoilers for the rest of the novel.
Regardless of those issues, I still found this to be enjoyable (if that's the appropriate word) and I thought its depth was remarkable, particularly since so many thrillers these days are nothing but filler. For this, I applaud Grayson, and I'll be very interested to read more of their works. My heart is still aching for the boy in this story, which is too close to the lives of so many children in the past, present, and future.
There are things in The Boy in the Park that surprised me. And that's one of the reasons it's sticking out in my mind. The premise, while not exactly original, has been executed in a way that I, personally, have never seen before. We're put first into the mind of Dylan Aaronsen, a forty-something who lives in San Francisco, a poet by choice and a cashier at a health supplement store by necessity. The thing he looks most forward to in his day is his lunch-break, when he is free to roam and visit the place he loves most: the Botanical Gardens in the heart of the city. It's there that he sits by a pond, a pond he's come to think of as "his," and it's there that he writes the poems he loves so much.
It's also where he sees a little boy. It's been going on for eighteen - no, twenty, he says later - months. The boy comes to the pond, pokes a stick in the water, does very little but stand by the water's edge. There's nothing particularly amiss about this scene, and Dylan enjoys watching the boy as he becomes a part of his daily life's landscape...and yet. There's something that, in the beginning, Dylan can't quite put his finger on, but something that bothers him nonetheless.
He realizes, after some reflection, that he never sees the boy's face. Always it is hidden in shadow, disguised from Dylan's prying eyes. And then one day the boy comes to the park, as is the routine, and Dylan notices that his arm is bleeding. And the day after that: there is a huge, blackening bruise on the boy's arm. He's overcome with worry. What kind of world does this boy come from, that he's suffering in such a way?
Through intersecting points-of-view, the story unfolds slowly, but so intriguingly that I found myself struggling to put it down. At first, I must confess, I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to like it. I found Dylan's pretentiousness, his clear feeling of superiority over other people who are gullible enough to buy the pills at his store, over the people who can't quite appreciate the beauty of solitude or a good novel, to be extremely grating. However, as the story progressed, I found myself warming to Dylan, particularly because he seemed to be learning that his sheltered, lonely city life was not the experience that everyone gets to enjoy.
I was a touch confused as things were being put together, but not at all the unpleasant sort of confusion - more the interesting kind. However, below I'm going to discuss one issue I have with the novel (and not just this one, but all novels and media who use this device). Beware for spoilers for the rest of the novel.
Regardless of those issues, I still found this to be enjoyable (if that's the appropriate word) and I thought its depth was remarkable, particularly since so many thrillers these days are nothing but filler. For this, I applaud Grayson, and I'll be very interested to read more of their works. My heart is still aching for the boy in this story, which is too close to the lives of so many children in the past, present, and future.
April 4, 2020
Every lunch break, Dylan visits the botanical gardens nearby and finds comfort in the pond surrounded by nature. He loves it. He loves the bench he sits on, he loves the sound of nature, and he loves that he can focus this time on writing his next poem. The amount of time he has spent at the park, Dylan has become familiar with the people around him, and more importantly - the distressed little boy. When the lack of the boys' presence starts to haunt Dylan, he finds himself on a journey to find the truth. He has to save that boy!
From the moment I saw The Boy in The Park, I was hooked. There was something about the cover, the tagline and the blurb that really pulled me in. Though slow to begin with, The Boy in The Park really followed through with its promise of being a haunting thriller. The short chapters were easy to read, and the change from Dylan's perspective to the perspective of Pauline's meetings really intrigued me. I was unsure where the plot was going for a while...
Halfway through the book, I did find myself rolling my eyes a little. I was questioning who on Earth would visit a different city, a different state, just to find someone they've seen a few times at their local gardens? And as more characters were introduced, I found myself laughing at how naive Dylan had become. However, as the events began to unfold and the truth was revealed - I soon realized how cleverly woven this tale was!
When the realization of the plot began to hit, I realized that this was in fact a haunting and sad thriller, that offered much more than what I was originally met with.
The only reason I am not giving this five stars is simply because of the pace. Though the shorter chapters were an enjoyable read, there were some times when I thought this to be extremely slow...
From the moment I saw The Boy in The Park, I was hooked. There was something about the cover, the tagline and the blurb that really pulled me in. Though slow to begin with, The Boy in The Park really followed through with its promise of being a haunting thriller. The short chapters were easy to read, and the change from Dylan's perspective to the perspective of Pauline's meetings really intrigued me. I was unsure where the plot was going for a while...
Halfway through the book, I did find myself rolling my eyes a little. I was questioning who on Earth would visit a different city, a different state, just to find someone they've seen a few times at their local gardens? And as more characters were introduced, I found myself laughing at how naive Dylan had become. However, as the events began to unfold and the truth was revealed - I soon realized how cleverly woven this tale was!
When the realization of the plot began to hit, I realized that this was in fact a haunting and sad thriller, that offered much more than what I was originally met with.
The only reason I am not giving this five stars is simply because of the pace. Though the shorter chapters were an enjoyable read, there were some times when I thought this to be extremely slow...
April 3, 2020
As a medical student it’s drummed in to you that you have to have opinions. You don’t just need to have opinions, you need to voice them and – if pushed – defend them too.
And so my opinion is this book just wasn’t for me.
Plenty of people will no doubt call it a slow burn and I know at least one person who was gripped and couldn’t put it down. But when something is billed as a “gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist”, you go in with certain expectations. You also go in with a certain mindset. If you say there’s a twist, you leave yourself open to dickheads like me who will guess the twist quite early on. If you say it’s shocking, you leave yourself open to dickheads like me who will actively try to guess the twist early on.
After around a quarter of the book, I messaged my friend who recommended the book saying I didn’t have a clue what was going on. Not having a clue what was going on was my first clue to what was going on. Devoid of any real suspense, the only parts I then truly enjoyed were the latter/present day interludes.
Were the interludes with Lavrentis enough to keep me reading? Sure, but the remaining 90% of the book? YAWNY YAWNY YAWN.
And so my opinion is this book just wasn’t for me.
Plenty of people will no doubt call it a slow burn and I know at least one person who was gripped and couldn’t put it down. But when something is billed as a “gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist”, you go in with certain expectations. You also go in with a certain mindset. If you say there’s a twist, you leave yourself open to dickheads like me who will guess the twist quite early on. If you say it’s shocking, you leave yourself open to dickheads like me who will actively try to guess the twist early on.
After around a quarter of the book, I messaged my friend who recommended the book saying I didn’t have a clue what was going on. Not having a clue what was going on was my first clue to what was going on. Devoid of any real suspense, the only parts I then truly enjoyed were the latter/present day interludes.
Were the interludes with Lavrentis enough to keep me reading? Sure, but the remaining 90% of the book? YAWNY YAWNY YAWN.
March 25, 2023
I felt that this started out slow & never really got off the ground - I found it to be a confusing mess. The underlying story is sad; seeing one extreme way how domestic abuse impacts children throughout their lives, both from being abused themselves and seeing other family members being abused. However, the story was convoluted & pretentious, and any care I might have had vanished fast. A lot of the story is told from the POV of an unsuccessful poet, and I found these segments to be overly wordy - why use a few words to describe something when you can use a dozen. I would object to this book being called a psychological thriller when it really isn’t. It’s not a psychological thriller when a character has mental health issues and this is used as the main plot point; it being labelled as such is a cop out.
February 28, 2021
- am ende ergibt alles sinn
- regt sehr zum nachdenken an
- gut strukturiert erzählt
- verschiedene textarten und erzählperspektiven bringen abwechslung
- teilweise aber sehr langwierig und unterschiedlich schnell erzählt
- regt sehr zum nachdenken an
- gut strukturiert erzählt
- verschiedene textarten und erzählperspektiven bringen abwechslung
- teilweise aber sehr langwierig und unterschiedlich schnell erzählt
November 11, 2018
This book is psychological but definitely not a thriller. And there's no shocking twist. I did enjoy it as the sentences are really rich and I enjoy reading about (Spoiler ALERT !!!) multiple personality disorder.
If you are looking for a thriller or a shocking twist, read something else.
If you are looking for a thriller or a shocking twist, read something else.
April 11, 2023
wasn't bad but the pl0t twist was visible from a mile away and with a mile away i mean on page 150 i knew what would happen, because the foreshadowing was that obvious, oh well
October 9, 2018
Feel a tad guilty for saying this, but I loved this book. Guilty because, well, it's dark, deeply disturbing, and very sad. It's also very clever. Sometimes a book comes along that truly hurts your heart. This is one of them. You'd have to have a heart of granite to be unmoved when a story involves child abuse, and there were moments I actually closed this book and wondered if I could go on... I've read umpteen reviews where people have talked about turning into a 'snotty-nosed, red-eyed sniffling wreck' over certain titles I too have read, yet I've thought 'whaaaat??!..nahhhh'. which begs the question am I a cold unfeeling heartless soul - especially as I've had the same box of tissues in my house since Christmas 2017! But I'm not heartless! Proof is AJ Grayson. I need more from him, yet don't think there are any more? Please read it. And if you do, don't be put off by the parts that may seem a little confusing - i.e. police interviews intermittently occurring throughout. I may have furrowed my brow on several occasions, but honestly, it will all make sense in the end. If I can grasp it, well.... I could still cry reading the back cover. Now where's that box of tissues...
February 28, 2019
Selten ein Buch gelesen, das ich von den ersten Seiten bis zur letzten hin so dämlich und langweilig fand. Den Beschreibungen des Protagonisten ohne inneren Widerstand zu folgen fiel mir schwer. Sie waren häufig langweilig und überspitzt, als hätte jemand all diese quadratischen Facebookbildchen mit Sätzen in gelber oder weißer Schrift auf schwarzem Grund über unsere dermaßen verkorkste Gesellschaft, geschrieben von Leuten, die es besser als der Rest wissen und deshalb alles und jeden dämlich finden, aneinandergereiht und in dieses Buch gepackt. Ein Spannungsbogen war auch nicht vorhanden, denn eigentlich war ab der Hälfte des Buchs klar, worauf die Geschichte letztendlich hinauslaufen würde.
August 22, 2016
Klappenbroschur, Droemer TB
01.08.2016, 368 S.
ISBN: 978-3-426-30571-3
14,99 €
Zum Buch: http://www.droemer-knaur.de/buch/9047...
Ein komplexer psychologischer Spannungs-Roman um Alptraum und Realität, dunkelste Erinnerungen und menschliche Abgründe.
Ein kleiner Junge verschwindet. Am helllichten Tag wird er aus dem Botanischen Garten in San Francisco entführt. Der einzige Zeuge des Verbrechens ist Dylan, der dort eigentlich in Ruhe seine Mittagspause verbringen wollte. Die Polizei tappt im Dunkeln und so entschließt sich Dylan, auf eigene Faust nach dem Kind zu suchen. Je weiter er bei seiner Suche ins kalifornische Hinterland dringt, je näher er dem Versteck zu kommen scheint, desto verstörender und blutiger werden seine nächtlichen Alpträume. Sie zwingen Dylan dazu, sich seiner eigenen dunklen Vergangenheit zu stellen, die mit einem grausamen Doppelmord in Verbindung zu stehen scheint…
Für die Leser/innen von "Girl on the Train", "Gone Girl" und "Shutter Island".
Meine Meinung:
Der Klappentext hatte mich direkt angesprochen, auch das Cover finde ich interessant gestaltet.
Diese Rezension fällt mir etwas schwer, da ich bei diesem Buch nicht viel sagen kann, ohne etwas zu verraten. Ich bin auch schwer in das Buch rein gekommen.
Man lernt Dylan kennen, der seine Mittagspause immer im Botanischen Garten in San Francisco verbringt. Dort wird er Zeuge, wie ein Junge auf einmal verschwindet ...
Der andere Erzählstrang hat mir sehr gut gefallen, in dem es um eine Zeugenvernehmung geht, wo der Beschuldigte gesteht, seine Frau umgebracht zu haben, aber nie verheiratet war. Dieser Teil des Buches war sehr interessant.
Das Buch kann zum Schluss hin mit sehr überraschenden Wendungen aufwarten, sehr düster, sehr psychologisch. Das hat mir sehr gut gefallen, aber insgesamt gesehen hatte das Buch doch einige Längen.
Alles in allem ein komplexes Buch, welches zwar sehr interessant aufgrund der psychologischen Anteile war, mich aber dennoch nicht wirklich packen und begeistern konnte, daher möchte ich das Buch mit 3,5 Sternen bewerten.
01.08.2016, 368 S.
ISBN: 978-3-426-30571-3
14,99 €
Zum Buch: http://www.droemer-knaur.de/buch/9047...
Ein komplexer psychologischer Spannungs-Roman um Alptraum und Realität, dunkelste Erinnerungen und menschliche Abgründe.
Ein kleiner Junge verschwindet. Am helllichten Tag wird er aus dem Botanischen Garten in San Francisco entführt. Der einzige Zeuge des Verbrechens ist Dylan, der dort eigentlich in Ruhe seine Mittagspause verbringen wollte. Die Polizei tappt im Dunkeln und so entschließt sich Dylan, auf eigene Faust nach dem Kind zu suchen. Je weiter er bei seiner Suche ins kalifornische Hinterland dringt, je näher er dem Versteck zu kommen scheint, desto verstörender und blutiger werden seine nächtlichen Alpträume. Sie zwingen Dylan dazu, sich seiner eigenen dunklen Vergangenheit zu stellen, die mit einem grausamen Doppelmord in Verbindung zu stehen scheint…
Für die Leser/innen von "Girl on the Train", "Gone Girl" und "Shutter Island".
Meine Meinung:
Der Klappentext hatte mich direkt angesprochen, auch das Cover finde ich interessant gestaltet.
Diese Rezension fällt mir etwas schwer, da ich bei diesem Buch nicht viel sagen kann, ohne etwas zu verraten. Ich bin auch schwer in das Buch rein gekommen.
Man lernt Dylan kennen, der seine Mittagspause immer im Botanischen Garten in San Francisco verbringt. Dort wird er Zeuge, wie ein Junge auf einmal verschwindet ...
Der andere Erzählstrang hat mir sehr gut gefallen, in dem es um eine Zeugenvernehmung geht, wo der Beschuldigte gesteht, seine Frau umgebracht zu haben, aber nie verheiratet war. Dieser Teil des Buches war sehr interessant.
Das Buch kann zum Schluss hin mit sehr überraschenden Wendungen aufwarten, sehr düster, sehr psychologisch. Das hat mir sehr gut gefallen, aber insgesamt gesehen hatte das Buch doch einige Längen.
Alles in allem ein komplexes Buch, welches zwar sehr interessant aufgrund der psychologischen Anteile war, mich aber dennoch nicht wirklich packen und begeistern konnte, daher möchte ich das Buch mit 3,5 Sternen bewerten.
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