Bohjalian’s wonderful book is a morality tale, a snapshot of a strange, careless time in a particular slice of America, a psychological exploration of guilt and its repercussions, a portrait of a girl going off the rails — and then, because of an exciting plot twist, a courtroom drama.
[A] page-turner ... Unputdownable ... Bohjalianites will be expecting late-breaking reveals and a big, juicy 11th-hour plot twist. In this regard, and in terms of tying up loose ends and longterm outcomes, The Amateur is actually quite masterful.
Suspenseful ... This provocative story about the repercussions from one chance moment raises questions about predatory men, class divisions, and substance abuse.
Given the ubiquity and misery of the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandals, best-selling and always intrepid Bohjalian demonstrates timely and empathic socially conscious bravery as he confronts the inherent imbalance of power in such situations and illuminates the devastating impact of such exploitation.
Powerful ... Plentiful foreshadowing ramps up tension and keeps the momentum high while Mira turns over weighty subjects—sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress, familial dysfunction—with grace and wry humor. It’s a masterpiece.
