Orient audiobook

AudibleBRILLIANT!!!IF YOU UNDERSTAND/LIKE/APPRECIATE/ESTIMATE A WELL SOPHISTICATED, COMPLEX, INGENIOUS, MULTI-LAYERED INTELLIGENT MYSTERY you have to read it..Audible: 21 hrs 37 minThe reasons I wanted to read this book were: THIS BOOK IS A FINALIST of the 28th Lambda in the category GAY FICTION. THIS REVIEW on Amazon The reason I chosen an audio book: I listened to a sample and I loved the narrator I looked for an audio book and I wanted as much as I can get. 21 hours and 37 min sounded like the most I could get for one credit on the Audible. Christopher Bollen is an extremely talented writer and he did an excellent job in creating a gripping and paranoia atmosphere of a small community on Long Island. The mystery is outstanding. I am not going to tell a single word about it. You'll have many suspicious, assumptions, guesses. They will be probably ALL wrong. No spoiler from me. READ IT. That is all I'd like to say.If you have a possibility to chose an audio book, just do it. Michael Rahhal made this incredible book into a listening experience of the highest perfection.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

To maintain such wonder, joy and discovery for over 600 pages, and then to hit the reader with a sledgehammer of an ending it feels like your heart is going to burst from bittersweet agony … Christopher Bollen is either a saint or a devil. Maybe both.It is a tried-and-tested formula whereby an author casts his omniscient gaze on a specific community and its inhabitants, warts and all. Here Bollen inhabits the real island setting of Orient in New York with a cast of long-time residents and itinerant wannabee newcomers fleeing the rat race of Manhattan for a perceived bucolic idyll.However, every Eden has to have its apple and its primordial temptation, and in the case of Orient, this is ultimately its own hubris: that it can exist apart from the rest of the world, unaffected by the pull of the tide of world affairs.Anyone who has ever lived in a small community like that of Orient will recognise the delicate picture that Bollen paints, from the diehards of the Orient Historical Board, who are committed to preserving a nostalgic heritage that they do not realise is so rose-tinted as to be ultimately unattainable, to the influx of immigrant artistes and yuppie property owners, who conveniently ignore the fact that nature is red in tooth and claw...Nature’s vengeance soon descends upon Orient when the prototypical Muldoon family is incinerated in their picture-postcard Orient home after a mysterious fire. Ironically, the father campaigned against connecting the island to Manhattan’s water infrastructure, thus limiting the resources available to the local fire department.Orient’s collective paranoia soon focuses on one of their own sons and his decision to take in a delinquent teenager from New York, who also happens to be gay. A lot of the perspicacity of this novel derives from Bollen casting a queer eye over the affairs of Orient; this places it firmly in the rising firmament of post-gay fiction where sexuality is more a single element than a determinant of the plot. Let alone character. Or destiny.Bollen has a lot to say about artistic value and integrity in the modern age, particularly as it relates to that much-maligned entity of ‘modern art’. He casts an equally critical eye on family dynamics in the age of constant connectivity, where cellphones and the Internet have eroded true intimacy.This bounteous, generous and heartfelt novel consistently maintains a very delicate balance between darkness and light, epiphany and despair. It is perfectly paced and calibrated, with a wide range of fully-rounded characters that jump from the page in messy quotidian splendour.Nothing much happens for so many pages and what seems like an awfully long time, but then the ending is such a gasp-inducing rearrangement of all the myriad plot elements, a lot of which I took for granted up to that point, that the light it casts is coruscating. It lays bare the beating, bleeding heart of this extraordinary novel.

Character driven literary crime novel - one with a whole plethora of intriguing characters. One I picked up on a whim whilst in Waterstones, it was very excellent.Fuller review to follow.

There is something incredibly appealing in this book. Not only did I feel completely taken with the ripping good mystery plot that was fabulous roller coaster of unexpected events, but also with a lot of believable, well rounded characters, and the haunting sense of time and place. I literally felt glued to the pages, I just couldn’t stop reading even for a second. I was so into the story that chapters just seemed to fly by.The wonderful thing about it was that I really didn't know "who done it" until the very end of the book. The actual motive for the crimes is somewhat unexpected and a bit unusual.Yes, it goes into tremendous detail about the lives of its characters, but that really gave me a sense of the town, and made me care for the people. Mills, a gay teenager raised in foster homes and coming off of drugs, was a thoroughly enjoyable character, I wish things worked out better for him. The prose itself flows beautifully and contains countless quotable moments.Yes, it's long, but always interesting. The open-ended conclusion was quite satisfying, preferable to a usual, neat ending that would ring false. The book starts out at the end and 600 pages later I had to read the beginning again to find out for sure how it all ends. All in all, this is my type of s good mystery- busy, small town community, secrets swirl, shocking murders happen. And as an extra, mysterious monsters float up on the beach. It also provides an insider's view of the current art world, as well as a view of the culture clash between old and new values. The prose can be slightly overworked at some moments, but even these do little to diminish Bollen's overall achievement. I definitely recommend it. The audio would be a perfect option. `4,5`

Det er noget af en rejse Christopher Bollen tager læseren med på i Orient. Det er en fantastisk karakterdrevet roman, der med en støt stigende spændingskurve fastholder læseren fra første side.Karakterbeskrivelserne er simpelthen fantastiske! Sjældent møder man en bog med så veludviklede karakterer og sjældent møder man en forfatter med så stor indsigt i menneskers drivkraft. Og Christopher Bollen deler denne indsigt med læserne og efterlader dem med grundig forståelse af karakterernes motiver, tanker, personligheder og baggrunde.Den lille by Orient fungerer glimrende som ramme for fortællingen, for selv små byer kan gemme på store intriger og hemmeligheder. Selve byen, og naturen omkring den, beskrives fantastisk – og naturen ender med at spille en større rolle end først antaget. Med uventede begivenheder, kollektiv paranoia og et smukt sprog, indhylder Christopher læseren i en verden af intriger, der gør det svært at slippe bogen.Der er mange facetter i bogen, og den bør læses langsomt for ikke at misse nogle af disse. De skiftende fortællere kræver stor opmærksomhed, men det er det hele værd. Christopher Bollen har tydeligvis meget på hjerte, og f.eks. den truede familie-samhørighed i en verden af mobiltelefoner og internet behandles.En meget velskrevet fortælling, der med sit store fokus på de vigtige detaljer næsten sætter krimidelen i baggrunden. En solid psykisk thriller med et velskruet plot.

Small-Town Murder Mystery (TW attempted homophobic attack/ addiction/ pedophile/ talk of suicide)This was a great mystery perfect for literary fans. Set in an isolated town in Long Island there’s a culture clash amongst the residents, between the locals and the new residents coming from New York and new money. There’s a war with a nearby research facility that’s surrounded by plenty of rumors. And one of the residents has brought a nineteen-year-old gay man home with him to help around the house. When the town caretaker is found dead the already heightened emotions get cranked up even higher, with many pointing a finger at the newest “resident.” A town filled with new and old rich, secrets, affairs, conservatives and liberals, and a push for a historic village, it’s only a matter of time before this small-town is no longer safe to be in…--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...

Orient è la tipica piccola città sulla costa orientale dove tutti si conoscono. O almeno era così prima che fosse presa d'assalto da ricchi newyorkesi, artisti soprattutto, alla ricerca di una pittoresca location per i loro weekend e le vacanze.Si, Orient non è più quella di volta, soprattutto perché qualcuno continua ad uccidere i suoi abitanti...Quasi settecento pagine non è una scelta comune per un giallo, dove la narrazione è spesso stringata e concentrata principalmente sui "fatti".Scoprire l'assassino, però, non è il vero cardine su cui si regge Orient di Christopher Bollen: è la città con le sue dinamiche ad essere il fulcro di tutto.Ecco così le vecchie famiglie che si vedono pian piano sottrarre la terra, i nuovi arrivati guardati con sospetto, se non addirittura con astio, il tuttofare sempre ubriaco che potrebbe aver scoperto chissà cosa, l'anziana allevatrice d'api che non si lascia convincere dall'idea di una semplice casualità...Christopher Bollen si concede il lusso di 700 pagine per descrivere tutto questo e molto più, concentrandosi soprattutto su Beth e Mills, investigatori improvvisati, loro malgrado sempre più coinvolti nei delitti che continuano a insanguinare Orient, dapprima bollati come semplici incidenti, ma che piano piano assumono i connotati di un macabro disegno, realizzato da qualcuno che, inesorabilmente e spietatamente, continua indisturbato a muoversi nell'ombra, seminando morte e panico.Beth è tornata da poco nella sua città natale. Dopo anni a NewYork, dove aveva cercato di intraprendere, senza successo, la carriera di artista, ha deciso di abbandonare ogni velleità e di limitarsi al ruolo di moglie di un artista. Suo marito, Gavril, è infatti sulla cresta dell'onda, e i due si sono trasferiti a Orient, nella casa della madre di Beth, per mettere su famiglia, considerandolo un ambiente molto più sicuro rispetto alla caotica metropoli.Mills viene da Modesto, in California. Abbandonato alla nascita dai genitori, la sua infanzia, così come la sua adolescenza, è stato un continuo passare da una famiglia affidataria all'altra. Alla ricerca di qualcosa di diverso, lascia tutto e si trasferisce A New York, dove finisce però schiavo delle droghe. A 19 anni sembra già non avere più un futuro. L'incontro con Paul sembra essere la svolta tanto attesa: l'uomo gli offre un tetto sopra la testa e gli propone di seguirlo ad Orient, dove deve far ordine nella vecchia dimora di famiglia. Il resto degli abitanti della città, però, non vede di buon occhio quel ragazzo senza famiglia che nasconde chissà quale oscuro passato. Non aiuta neanche il fatto che Mills sia gay e che nutra un certo interesse per il figlio dei vicini, Tommy, finendo nel mirino dell'oppressiva e intransigente Pam, la perfetta moglie-madre-casalinga americana, sempre alla ricerca di una crociata da portare avanti. L'arrivo di Mills coincide anche con l'inizio della catena di omicidi che getta Orient in un incubo senza fine.Sia Beth sia Mills si sentono dei pesci fuor d'acqua in quella città tanto chiusa, nonostante la prima sia nata lì; i due non ci mettono molto a stringere amicizia, e il loro legame viene rafforzato dal trovarsi casualmente a sapere ben più di quanto dovrebbero sui delitti e su chi potrebbe trarne vantaggio; anzi, Beth è la prima, dopo essere stata messa in guarda dalla vecchia Magdalena, a sospettare la mano di un unico assassino dietro a tutte quelle morti inaspettate. Però, oltre all'indagine, ci sono anche tanti problemi personali da affrontare.Beth è incinta, ma non è più tanto sicura di volere il bambino, nonostante la sua sia una gravidanza fortemente cercata; non l'ha ancora detto a suo marito, né tantomeno a sua madre, ossessionata dalla chirurgia plastica, dai debiti e dal desiderio di diventare nonna.Mills sogna di essere adottato da Paul, e spera di aver finalmente trovato una casa; peccato non si possa dedicare solo a quello: ci sono anche le turbe ormonali dell'adolescenza, e quello strano rapporto che si instaura con Tommy, il tutto complicato dalla diffidenza della gente di Orient.Quando finalmente è a tutti chiaro che c'è un assassino a piede libero, chi potrebbe essere un migliore capro espiatorio?Il meccanismo della paura e del sospetto, anche nei confronti di chi si conosce da una vita, una volta innescato, non può più essere fermato: il vicino diventa un possibile omicida, e non c'è più nessuno di cui potersi fidare. Tutti sospettano di tutti, e segreti tenuti nascosti per tanto, tanto tempo cominciano ad affiorare.C'è del marcio ad Orient, e pare che nessuno possa davvero dirsi senza uno scheletro nell'armadio, e mentre la lista dei papabili killer si allunga, lo fa anche quello delle vittime.Il ritmo della narrazione è molto buono: non ci sono sbavature e tutto appare avere il suo perché, anche le digressioni sul passato di alcuni personaggi. Le pagine sembrano chiedere di essere divorate quanto più velocemente possibile.Se ci limitiamo solo all'aspetto "giallo", capire chi sia il responsabile dei delitti non è poi così difficile; il lettore di narrativa poliziesca sa che quando ci sono tanti sospettati, il colpevole non può che essere colui che, per qualche ragione, si era tenuto al di sopra di ogni sospetto, soprattutto se i primi cominciano a morire l'uno dopo l'altro.Ci sono diversi colpi di scena, alcuni forse un po' scontanti, altri, purtroppo, del tutto inattesi e che fanno male.La soluzione finale, infatti, non dà il senso di catarsi che ci si aspetterebbe: lungo la strada si è smarrito troppo perché la verità possa davvero essere una consolazione.Orient è un romanzo spietato, che lascia ben poco alla speranza (solo un piccolo, piccolissimo barlume). Non vuole rassicurare né illudere: l'ordine è stato perso per sempre e non potrà essere ristabilito; il ritratto che emerge della provincia e del sogno americano, ormai infranto da tempo, è così efficace e veritiero da lasciare attoniti.Un romanzo sicuramente da consigliare.

I really liked this book. I saw a blurb about it on Towleroad and wanted to pick it up, not knowing until I started it that it was over 600 pages. This coming off of the 1000 page City on Fire and I was still reeling from the heft of that. I was a little intimidated by the average review on Goodreads though, not that high. As I read it I was really enjoying it and came back a couple of times to glance at the reviews, like "Am I missing something?" or "Should I not be enjoying it this much?" I think the answer is some like it, some don't, and there doesn't seem to be much in the middle, causing the middling review amalgamated score. Like Fates and Furies, some people seem to love it and I hated the stupid thing. The reverse is true here.The story is well played out. A 47 year-old man, Paul, brings a troubled 19 year-old gay youth, Mills, to the small community of Orient to get him on a better footing for a while, away from the temptations of Manhattan. The small and close-knit community flips out and the idea of not trusting outsiders and small town life is presented very well here. There's also a level of foreshadowing that keeps you turning the pages as you explore the town and these characters and once the events started to unfold I was hooked.For a thriller you think of madly turning pages but this is more of a literary thriller. There is no skimping on character or location here in service of the pace of the mystery and that may have bothered some. I was quite content to sip my coffee and take my time, like the pace of life in Orient itself, enjoying the ride along the way.The ending may be controversial in that it's not traditional but good for the author for taking a chance. Let Hollywood tie everything up in a perfect bow, authors should be given some leeway.

This is a mystery told by a teenager on the run, who has only lived in foster homes. He is befriended by a man he hardly knows and given a place to live in the small tourist community of Orient. The temporary home is in return for the teen helping clean out the old homeplace. He is unknown in a close community and someone turns up dead, drowned, perhaps an accident except that his feet are tied together. Then an old woman dies. A fire, determined to be arson, consumes the house next door. The teenager is always a suspect but his friend, the owner always supports him and so does an artist with whom he has become friends. There are many secondary stories, many deaths, much suspicion and all along the poor teen just wants to feel at home somewhere. He is innocent of everything EXCEPT wanting to be a part of the community. The end is shocking and the teen has figured out who is doing the killing and why. A must read for mystery lovers.

I knew when I was only part way through it that I was going to be sad when it ended. I was. But that did not stop me from carrying it with me everywhere and reading it every chance I got.See my full review here - http://livinginthekitchenwithpuppies....

3.5 stars - review in Chicago Tribune herehttp://www.chicagotribune.com/lifesty...

I really enjoyed the fact that this book was more than just a plot driven crime thriller. I appreciated the enormous effort put into character development and felt that it added to the experience. It was a bit long but overall worth the extra pages. I can see from comments on Goodreads that many didn't appreciate this component.

Top-underholdende sommerlæsning. USA's østkyst bliver aldrig det samme ...

The village of Orient is divided into two factions: the year-rounders and the outsiders. Fearing they may one day become the next Hamptons - taken over by big money and tourists - natives hold tight to their land and their closed community. So when one of their own, an architect who lives in the city and spends weekends at his family mansion, brings Mills, a foster kid, as his guest just before the summer ends, many are immediately suspicious of the boy. The most outspoken neighbors claim Mills will be a bad influence, attributing all sorts of trouble to the teen before he's even settled in. And when the death of the town caretaker follows close on the heels of Mills's arrival, the gossip and speculation only worsens. Before long, the whole town is up in arms and more deaths quickly follow. With few allies on his side Mills knows the best thing he can do is help solve the spurt of crimes, but in a town where any outsider is the enemy Mills's little investigation may not clear his name at all. In fact, it might make things worse. Orient is a town filled with secrets, lies, and paranoia. A town ripe for murder, in other words! And murder does come fairly quickly. At first the death of the town drunk, who also serves as caretaker to many of the homes in town, is believed to be an accident. At least one person in Orient believes otherwise, though, and this is when the real trouble seems to begin. Mills has never really felt a sense of belonging anywhere, but Orient is meant to be a place for him to get away from the city and get his life together. At least that's what Paul Benchley promises when he invites him to his home there. Mills does form a few solid friendships but he's not immune to the critical eye of Orient's most unwelcoming residents. The loudest of whom just happens to live right next door and she's a real doozie. Almost everyone hates the woman - understandable considering she seems to hate almost everyone around her - and she is the source of much of the gossip against Mills. Her fears - and truly the fears of just about everyone else in Orient - seem to lie solely in the fact that they're afraid of losing their tight knit village life. And it's true that Orient has already seen an influx of second home buyers - artists and other sorts that the good folk of Orient believe will soon take over everything. The Orient Historical Board riles people up regularly, fear mongering being a big tactic in their campaigning, and the death of one of its board members only spurs things on more. Before long, it seems everyone in Orient has motive for murder and Mills is the perfect scapegoat. Orient is a barrage to the reading senses: Bollen is very heavy on the description, introducing the reader to character after character after character, digging deep not only into every aspect of these fictional individuals' lives but the town they inhabit as well. It makes the novel a meaty read, to be sure, but also cements for readers the true insularity of Orient. It is one that I'd recommend reading when you have time to really settle in - for me the pacing started to lag a bit around the 100 page mark but I barreled through to find that it improved greatly soon thereafter. I finished the book in a marathon reading session, desperate to see exactly how things would wrap up (and it wasn't exactly what I'd expected either!).