The Seven (Eve Wren Book 1)

The Seven opened with an exciting chapter which literally ended with a bang. I felt myself immediately engaged and wanting to read on. The momentum was quickly lost though as we met the survivors of the terrorist attack which kicked things off and learned their individual stories.

Eve was an interesting character and I wanted to know a lot more about her in the earlier sections. Revealing her life and what sort of woman she was didn’t happen quickly enough for me as the story dotted about between the action in the courtroom, the witnesses waiting to be called and the police station. The description of the terrorist attack would have been far more effective if it was kept relatively short and compact. Eking it out over many chapters show more through flashbacks diluted the impact and the horror.

I found the courtroom action was overdone. A real courtroom is actually quite dull and procedural, but this one was hyped up to be like something from a Hollywood movie with lawyers continually objecting and appealing to the judge and the seven on trial terrorists behaving in a manner which would never be permitted - intimidating witnesses, laughing and jeering. These are all actions which would have a real defendant removed as they are a contempt of court. The barristers and judges in British courtrooms do not say ‘objection’ and ‘sustained’, these are Americanisms, so to see it here was irritating. It seems to be a major issue that a book (or series of books) about a British lawyer, would fall into some basic holes about how a court is operated. Dramatic licence is fine, but must be anchored to a core of realism.

There are some big information dumps at some points in the story, which took the momentum from character development. The story is told from multiple points of view which is fine, but some are better developed than others. Madeleine, for example, starts off as a main character, but is then not heard from again. Those sections could be removed without impacting the plot. The ending was a little far-fetched and the motivations of the ‘surprise’ bad actors were barely credible, especially on the police side.

Overall an interesting idea which didn’t quite come off. show less

✴︎3.5 Stars-rounding down✴︎
2 bombs. 43 dead. Dozens injured. The trial of the decade has begun…

The moment I spotted the stunning cover, I was intrigued. A legal thriller centered around a cult on trial for a horrific bombing? That premise promised both drama and originality, and I couldn't resist.

What truly drew me in was the cult aspect. However, navigating the intricacies of the UK legal system posed a challenge, given my familiarity with the US system. While Eve, the protagonist, was competent and likable, I didn't find her particularly distinctive.

Unfortunately, the cult element that initially captivated me played a less significant role than I had hoped. Despite its strong writing and solid plot, "The Seven" didn't show more deliver the heart-pounding excitement I hoped for. Even listening to the audiobook didn't capture my interest. I can't quite pinpoint why it fell short for me—but it did.

This book has received praise from many reviewers, so my experience may differ from yours.

Thank you to the author and Brilliance Audio for providing this audiobook through NetGalley. I'm sharing my honest opinions, which I'm giving voluntarily. show less

2 bombs. 43 dead. Dozens injured. The trial of the decade has begun…

The moment I spotted the stunning cover, I was intrigued. A legal thriller centered around a cult on trial for a horrific bombing? That premise promised both drama and originality, and I couldn't resist.

What truly drew me in was the cult aspect. However, navigating the intricacies of the UK legal system posed a challenge, given my familiarity with the US system. While Eve, the protagonist, was competent and likable, I didn't find her particularly distinctive.

Unfortunately, the cult element that initially captivated me played a less significant role than I had hoped. Despite its strong writing and solid plot, "The Seven" didn't deliver the heart-pounding excitement I show more hoped for. Even listening to the audiobook didn't capture my interest. I can't quite pinpoint why it fell short for me—but it did.

This book has received praise from many reviewers, so my experience may differ from yours.

Thank you to the author and Brilliance Audio for providing this audiobook through NetGalley. I'm sharing my honest opinions, which I'm giving voluntarily. show less