A World I Never Made by James LePore

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his estranged daughter Megan, who has committed suicide. The body, however, is not Megan’s and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and that she is calling to him for help. This sends Pat on an odyssey with Catherine Laurence, a beautiful but tormented Paris detective, that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic and that makes him the target of both the French police and a band of international terrorists.

Juxtaposed against this story is Megan’s story. A freelance journalist, Megan is in Morocco to do research when she meets Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. They begin a torrid affair, a game Megan has played often and well in her adult life. But what she discovers about Lahani puts her in the center of a different kind of game, one with rules she can barely comprehend, and one that puts the lives of many—maybe even millions—at risk.

A World I Never Made is an atmospheric novel of suspense with brilliantly drawn characters and back-stories as compelling as the plot itself—a novel that resonates deeply and leaves its traces long after you turn the final page.

Reveiw:

A World I Never Made is based on an interesting premise- dad finds out daughter is dead but not only does it turn out she's not but she's in some big trouble. Sadly enough, while I enjoyed James LePore’s newest thriller in some ways, it ended up not being the book for me for several reasons in the end.

Pat Nolan and his daughter Megan never had a close relationship, due to his lack of parenting during her childhood, her whirlwind travel and behavior as well as a few other factors. However, when he learns that Megan has committed suicide in France, he is simply flabbergasted. Sure, Megan had her flaws, but she never seemed like the type to make such a big leap. As it turns out, Megan is not dead. It’s not Megan's body the police shows him but someone else's. Pat does not tell them that though. Instead, he goes along with it, and that is where everything begins. Involving one rouge cop, terrorists, and a fight for life, Pat knows he will not be safe until he finds his daughter, but will he find her? Only time and more pages can tell in this fast-paced thriller!

Starting this book, I was immediately flung into the complicated lives of Megan and Pat Nolan. Told in alternating perspectives, the book truly allows the reader to receive the best of both worlds when it comes down to all the action, twists and turns. However, while I did find Megan and Pat’s stories to be absorbing at times, at others I felt that characterization was lacking, because I just could not connect. I do not know if was due to be the big age difference between the main characters and I or something else, but I just could not relate. As any reader knows, that trait sometimes makes it very difficult to enjoy- yet alone love - a book.

Nonetheless, I did find the plot to be interesting. I enjoyed the dose of politics and seeing the occurrences that happen in the daily world news up close, and because of that, the novel went by quickly for me. Yet, I would have loved some more development to the book. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed, leaving me with little closure.

Lastly, I will add that James’s writing is decent, and I am pretty sure I will be trying his future novels someday…

In all, while A World I Never Made wasn’t the book for me for a myriad of reasons, I still suggest it to fans of thrillers (namely James Patterson’s books), as I feel they will find a new favorite author in it- James LePore.

Grade: C

A World I Never Made is now out!

Source: Tracee at Pump Up Your Book