The Chemist

I will openly admit I approached this book with a lot of scoffing and derision. The author of Twilight...writing a THRILLER? I mocked. A lot. So before I say anything else I can absolutely tell you the book changed my mind I expected to hate it. I have long been a critic of Meyer's loose writing and weak heroines, so when the "tight thriller" statements started coming out I did laugh, but...that has turned out to be an accurate description of this book, and I absolutely would recommend it to anyone. Read it!!! DON'T MISS THIS BOOK. And for that reason, I would like to start with the things I was impressed with, which was a lot.A) Meyer's writing in this book is of much higher quality than her other books. Significantly so. I really do detest 'filler' in books. Thoughts that don't matter, descriptions that are irrelevant, musings that bore me to tears... The writing really is amazingly tight in this book as compared to her other books.B) It's a real thriller, not a romance with a bit of "fake" mystery to make it seem real, which again, was a surprise to me. I thought for sure it would be one of those pathetic romances with a prop for a plot. Well, not so at all in this case. The plot, with its plentiful twists and turns, is definitely the focus of the story, and it is a well planned, gripping plot at that. It was fantastically done.C) The heroine is strong, brilliant, and capable, and my opinion as an avid feminist is that she rocks. I love her!!! I absolutely love her. I love that she isn't weak, and survives on her own, and doesn't need anyone... I love that her life on the run has been lonely, but she has remained strong and outwitted operatives who are far better trained. I love that she was capable of saving her own life when it came right down to the line. I also love the fact that, as mentioned, she is brilliant. Not just top in her field, but doing work nobody else could even keep up with. And then there is the part where she remains calm in tense situations, thinks clearly, acts with purpose... Yeah, I really do absolutely love her.D) I very much appreciated the fact that Meyer didn't stoop to the use of slang, 'code' words used in dialogue, and over exaggerations of "special ops lingo" in an attempt at authenticity. I was military for 13 years...just an airplane mechanic...not something super secret or cool. But I have 0 respect for authors who try to make their books seem extra bad-a by using excessive, and grossly overdone language and terminology. This book stood on its own, and didn't need such props, and really benefited greatly from not having them. Very well done.E) And finally, the love interest. I was conflicted at first, but decided I was very pleased with the way things turned out. To be honest, I get sick of the constant grind of alpha male, helpless heroine routine, and I ultimately decided this romance made me happy, mostly because it was real.So those are the things that have most impressed me so far. Now, for the couple of things I struggled with personally as a reader. One wasn't a super big deal, but the other (though I lumped it in with the "nitpick") was noticeable enough to me at the start of the book that I almost didn't keep reading. So as for the two things I struggled with:A) The POV is third person, which I like infinitely better than first, but the book starts out with a narrator telling the story from a distance, and though that went away, the distance did not. Not for a long time for me. I couldn't connect with with the heroine. I didn't dislike her for the first 8 chapters, but nor did I like her. To be clear, this was not insignificant for me. At one point around chapter 5 I felt so disconnected I started checking to see how many pages were left in the book like a nervous tic, because I didn't know if I could keep reading for THAT many. It went away, absolutely, and I generally loved the book otherwise. But the extent of my struggle is the specific reason why I knocked off a star.B) It's a small complaint, but the name thing drove me nuts. The heroine, in the first chapters of the book, not only used different names when she talked to other people, she actually THOUGHT of herself in terms of those names. She WAS Casey, and then she WAS Alex, and then she WAS Jesse... Normally when using fake names, the character will still think of themselves in terms of their own names, but that wasn't the case here, and combined with the distance in the POV at the start, it did add to my overall struggle to really become engaged in the character and plot. That went away too, of course, but again, anything that almost causes me to put a book down, I mention.So my overall thoughts on this book are surprise and pleasure. I had no intention of loving it so much. I have NOT been a Meyer fan for a lot of years, and to be completely honest, I only bought this book so I could read it and then mock it. That was the plan. I even told the plan to my sister (also not a Meyer fan) and we laughed about it together. And then I read the book...and it was overall fantastic. Don't miss the read, and if you struggle with the distance like I did in the beginning, don't give it up. Keep reading. I really don't think you will be sorry...and though nobody knows me, that is about the highest recommendation I can give considering the author, and my previous opinions of her work. I didn't think in a million years she would change my mind.But she did!!!

It took me forever to pick up this book. I just wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to read. I haven't ever read this author.... I know. I'm probably the only bibliophile that hasn't read the series this author is most known for. But, I digress.This book is... Unique in its own right. Fun, as in plenty of action. Mysterious with the spy thriller thing. Basically, it has a lot going for it.I will say, it starts out a little slow. It takes a few chapters to really get into the thick of things. From there, the book takes off with a bang. Once things start to twist and turn, I felt like I was in a spy movie that didn't want to end.The characters were strong, in every sense. They all played their parts well. And they worked together in all the right ways. It's hard to find a book like this where the characters are written to compliment (or not) each other so well, and it work for the story overall.I might have picked up on a few things kind of early-ish, but that didn't take away from the journey these characters are on. I didn't want to put this down until I found the ending. And I knew what I wanted for the ending. I was going to throw things if it didn't turn out the way I was hoping for. How did it end? Well, nothing was broken or damaged after I turned the last page.

Former government interrogator Alex has gone by many names in the 3 years she's been surviving on the run by dint of chemical know-how, obsessive planning, paranoia, and solitude; a trap laid by her former employers takes her life on a very unexpected turn, and she's suddenly part of a group of secretive survivors that includes dogs, an ex-CIA agent, a high-end escort, and the man who just might be the love of her life--if she can figure out what it actually means to be in love.(Though reviews are inherently subjective, I prefer to provide some organization to my opinions through the use of a personal rubric. The following notes may contain spoilers.)Plot and Setting: 4.9 -- Plot is engaging from start to finish. Has many unique elements, no major holes, and a sense of focus. Setting is clear and believable. Timeline is consistent, though a bit hard to follow. This is an action-packed, tension-driven story, with humor and romance and genius dogs thrown in to balance out the darker aspects. Incredibly detailed plots and plans, involving tons of clever spy tricks and deadly science, as well as a strong emotional story arc. A little of everything, sewn beautifully together. I loved it. I also appreciated Alex's inner commentary on how it seemed like more time had passed than actually had, because that's definitely the truth. I would've liked a little more clarity on the time passing front, but it does seem to be decently consistent throughout.Characters: 5 -- Relatable, realistic, interesting, dynamic characters. Even minor characters have depth, as do the relationships between characters. Lots of very unique, fascinating characters. Even the dogs have great personalities, and the close look Alex takes into the lives of the 'bad guys' she targets lends depth and realism to those characters, too. It was fun seeing the main characters grow and change over the course of the very few weeks the book covers, as Alex adjusts to caring about and trusting other people, Daniel deals with a reality so very foreign to all he's known before, Val shows her softer side, and Kevin changes his opinion about Alex. As strange as their situations are, these characters seem very real and believable in all they do.Mechanics and Writing: 5 -- Few, if any, typos, punctuation issues, or word errors. Intelligent use of POV. Skillful writing that adds to the story. Actually no typos, and great writing. POV is all 3rd-person Alex (or Juliana, Casey, Jesse, Charlie, Ellis, etc, etc, etc). I loved how her name kept changing in the narration to match her changing aliases, especially in the beginning. It wasn't as confusing as it sounds like it should have been. I only had to stop and think about who it was talking about once or twice (Jesse and Juliana threw me a bit, for some reason, but the other names all somehow felt like her).Redeeming Value: 3.5 -- Incidental uplifting themes or lessons. Drugs, alcohol, violence, etc, are a significant element of the story. No explicit sex scenes. Vague moral guidelines for behavior. Torture, poisoning, and black-ops violence is definitely a big feature here, though our band of heroes is placed on the lighter gray end of that dark spectrum: they limit their killing, etc, to soldiers, agents, and the big bosses who essentially put the hits out on them. Sort of a "just war" idea. One of the bosses, while dying, compliments Alex on not hurting the innocent, saying she has not lost her soul. So while it's not nearly as dark as it could be, we definitely have morally shaky ground there. Not to mention some (implied/off-screen) unmarried sex.Personal Enjoyment: 5 -- I loved it. It made me feel in all the best ways, and leaves me content and satisfied. One I'll definitely read again.

A woman with multiple identities is constantly on the run from a government organisation she used to work for until she knew too much and exhausted her usefulness. Now they want to kill her and the only way she might be able to escape such a fate is to fulfil one last assignment to help stop a biological weapon causing mass murder.So the premise is good, great actually, even if the blurb (and sometimes the writing) is heavily dramatic. But for some reason I just found it all a bit too much. It's difficult to connect with a character with multiple identities, but particularly when the narrative isn't even told entirely from their perspective. I just didn't connect with the main character - she could have been so much edgier and more interesting but she soon becomes super boring when she is too stupid to see an obvious game changer. For example, why might the perpetrator deny they are guilty even though they look exactly like the guy responsible? What's the simplest explanation? Because what you're thinking right now - that's probably it! A missed opportunity to really play with creative plot twists, but also just boring for the reader, and silly when the main character claims to be the best at figuring out these kinds of things but is more interested in making eyes at the guy she believes to be a future mass murderer.But more so than that, I found it hard to even connect with the plot from the very beginning. Everything happens very quickly, particularly the romance that soon blossoms, and the twists aren't very twisty - even someone who isn't too familiar with this sort of genre would have seen what was coming a mile off.A predictable instalove story, with flat characters - particularly the love interest who hasn't even got an instinct for self preservation on his side because he's so gooey eyed over a woman who just kidnapped him. So despite some good ideas initially, sadly too far fetched and full of irrational characters for me to enjoy.

I'm pleased that I hadn't read any reviews prior to starting this as they may well have put me off and robbed me of the chance to read this awesome book. I was gripped from beginning to the end. I find Meyer a hugely talented author and she writes every bit as well on standalone novels as she did with the Twilight series. The characters were well developed and the plot twisted and turned to a brilliant ending. I thought the Epilogue was a great conclusion...I wondered if it was an extract of another book to begin with. This clearly is not the novel for everyone but it's the full five stars from me.

This book was highly recommend by a good friend but I just could not get into it.Right from the start I failed to connect with the main character, super clever paranoid scientist geek survival freak whose name changes every 4 pages. She puts such a lot of effort into staying alive just so she can sleep in a bath with a gas mask on. It is not much of an existence, I couldn't see why she bothered. There would have to be a range of better solutions. Anyway – that is what she does. I got quite frustrated at the lengthy descriptions of security precautions. Yes, we get it, it is exhausting, just get on with it please,. Then there is some kind of romance, that never worked for me, I just didn't feel the chemistry (lol). Anyway things get complicated and she suddenly gets way more relaxed in her security regime. The ending is completely as you would expect and easily predictable after the first third of the book. Disappointing.

I am a Stephanie Meyer fan in particular The Host which I have read around 8 times and never tire of. I have read the vampire trilogy and then this book 'The Chemist' but would not revisit them in the same way. All of the books offer such detail and such different topics that when watching films add to the experience and deeper understanding of what you are watching. On this occasion I felt the topic dealt with by other authors as concise and gritty did not necessarily benefit from the level of description. I loved the overall story though and the ending, there were so many levels of action and emotion, I am certain that this would make a good film. I look forward to the next Stephanie Meyer with anticipation.

Although not a great fan of Meyer’s Twilight trilogy, I thoroughly enjoyed The Host, so it was with high hopes I read her second novel aimed at adults, The Chemist.The premise is intriguing. The main character, Julianna, for most of the book known as Alex, is a Government trained interrogator, who gathers information from her subjects using a variety of painful chemical concoctions. Her ex-bosses have turned on her and want her dead, forcing her to go on the run. Each night she sleeps in a gas mask and rigs up an elaborate systems of booby-traps in case she is found. The jewellery she wears is an array of lethal weapons.Although suspicious of the offer to take on one last job in return to be taken off her old employer’s hit-list, she agrees. As she sets about interrogating her newest subject in a grisly manner she comes to realise the information she gleans is far more dangerous than she could have imagined. Alex is a forced to turn the tables and go after her old handler in order to ensure her survival.The plot becomes convoluted and unrealistic, involving pandemic viruses, cartels and corruption. She may be a specialist in her field, but Alex’s creation of many weird and wonderful drugs, including ‘Survive’ which apparently blocks out pain, coupled with her ability to turn her hand to the specialisms required of an ER doctor, is just too unbelievable. It feels like there is nothing this woman cannot do, including making use of her short, skinny stature to transform her appearance form a woman to that of a teenage boy.A bizarre love interest is introduced with a ‘love at first sight’ scene which is reminiscent of Twilight. The banter between Alex and another main character, Kevin, who I will not say much about so as not to give any spoilers feels like it would be better placed in a Die Hard or Lethal Weapon film. Yes, their exchanges are at times comedic, but within the situation they are facing and the time they have known each other, highly unlikely. It is as if Meyer wrote these scenes in with the hope of a film in the offing.When Meyer presented the ‘batcave’ any chance I had of suspending disbelief was extinguished, even after I gave the incredulous talents of Einstein The Dog the benefit of the doubt.The Chemist is over 500 pages in length and I wonder if it was shorter and perhaps excluded the ridiculous romance if it would have been punchier and easier to accept Alex’s world. After all, The Host was all about an alien invasion, but written convincingly with each scene and relationship needed.Overall I was disappointed.