PositivePop MattersOther stories also gesture toward the pervasive unease we might note in this country. What makes a human \'human\'? ... Clearly, Pierce has a fascination with science, and he has mined it thoroughly—to our advantage ... That said, some stories are weaker than others. A brief vignette about a mysterious skull raises some good questions about religion, but stops before it should, at least to my mind. And a story about a man with a somewhat bratty child in his care appears, still, to be in draft form; in my view, it seems not to have an urgent reason for existing ... These are minor qualms, however. The first story, along with \'Felix Not Arriving\' (about a flawed comic), and a short account of several hours in a cult-like Boy Scouts-esque camp, more than merit the price of admission ... This young writer is one to watch.
Tana French
MixedPopMatters.,.the climax is surprising and powerful ... Broken Harbor has as its best feature a startling twist and resolution. There\'s one other thing I can praise about this novel. French has some interesting observations about murder and human behavior ... But here is what I hated, just hated about this book. French has a terrible habit of writing bad dialogue ... Broken Harbor is far, far too long. It could be trimmed by at least 100 pages ... Dialogues are frequently interrupted to provide lazy, obvious bits of narration ... nearly everyone in Broken Harbor is predictable and one-dimensional ... French\'s novels have an unearned reputation for greatness.
