Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)There is something so inherently fascinating to me about the financial thriller genre. With everything that has transpired in the real world--this subject has almost morphed into the horror category! I love a smart and topical novel filled with deft financial maneuvering and dubiously ethical political machinations. So, I was terribly excited to jump into Norb Vonnegut's "The Gods of Greenwich." As an industry insider, Vonnegut scored big with his first endeavor "Top Producer"--an intricately plotted thriller that avoided easy and expected cliches to provide a first rate mystery. "The Gods of Greenwich" provides some of the same initial visceral thrills but, in truth, veers a little too wildly in its plotting to stand at the top of this overcrowded genre. Vonnegut's authorial template certainly seems to be early Grisham (and why not?), you know, back when he wrote lawyerly thrillers. This book is brisk and easy to read. But it also lacks a certain depth in its characterizations. As the action escalates into some rather implausible scenarios (and the finale is way over-the-top), the lack of grounded characters certainly works against the suspension of disbelief factor necessary for the final lunatic confrontations.
Telling the story of Jimmy Cusack, Vonnegut's tale of intrigue starts on a promising note. With his hedge fund business in ruins, Cusack takes a dream job with an enigmatic industry leader whose claim to fame is to never have lost money--even in the down-turned economy. Working to secure big clients, Jimmy is left out of most strategy meetings and yearns to find out his current employer's hedge fund secrets. His boss is something of a shark who seems to have ulterior motives in hiring Jimmy. But beyond that, he's also playing a dangerous game with an Icelandic bank that begins an international war which could lead to financial ruination. Amidst the volatile market, everyone struggles to stay on top! Adding to the mystery, a beautiful hit woman is crossing New York City on savage missions of her own.
There's a lot going on within Vonnegut's sparse and short chapter breaks and, as I said, this is a crisp and breezy read. But aside from Jimmy and his villainous new boss, no other character is particularly vivid. All of the women, in fact, from the assassin to the wives are either nondescript as individuals or lack real world believability. They, as do many of the peripheral characters, only exist to service the plot. The book, therefore, maintains its sense of lightness but ends up lacking the urgency and realness to make it more than just an ordinary beach read. In addition, the book's biggest revelations aren't particularly surprising and the ending is pretty darn loopy. I will probably end up remembering this book for the wrong reasons (like everything at the zoo!), unfortunately, because there are some great elements that could have focused this into a more compelling and/or challenging read. Lightweight fun that, by the end, completely misses the mark. KGHarris, 3/11.
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