Interesting parallels with this novel. Back and forth between Gem the Warrior / the Victim. I have never read a book like this. Very unique.

One carjacking, two possible scenarios - Fight or flight. That's where the story splits off into two different directions, one with Gem the warrior and one with Gem the victim. It's an interesting concept, and it did make for an intriguing storyline. That said, some things worked and some, well, not so much. The contrast between the two Gem's worked, but did get somewhat confusing as the story progressed, so I was flipping back and forth to keep track which Gem said or did what thing. I think part of that was due to a handful of other characters thrown in and of course, there actions and conversations were also different, depending on which timeline they were in. The chapters are labeled with the appropriate Surrender/Fight reality, but it's still a lot to keep up with. In the end, The Victim is an interesting story, a strange one at times, but interesting nonetheless. So, for me, it comes out somewhere in the middle. Parts were terrific, but others fell a little flat.

Ay yi yi

The premise of The Victim is good...the alternate scenarios of a carjacking victim--fighting the aggressor leads down one road, surrender leads down another. Unfortunately, the application was shaky at best.

The reader is basically getting two stories for the price of one...what happens in Gem's life after she fights off her carjacker and escapes, and what happens in her life when she gives in and becomes a victim. The two stories run parallel, with odd chapters covering the fight timeline, and even chapters covering the surrender.

Still with me so far?

Unfortunately, the author, Max Manning, muddied the waters by covering multiple perspectives in each chapter--those of Gem, the detective, the carjacker, and Gem's boyfriend. Trying to keep each of those story lines straight, for both sliding timelines, was nearly impossible to do. I had to keep going back and double checking the text to make sure I had it right.
If a reader is forced to keep going back in the book for double checking purposes, the writing is not strong. End of story.

For me, it was tedious and not remotely interesting. Worse, I figured out the twists very early on.

This is a hard pass for me. 1.5 stars rounded up for ingenuity.

**Many thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy of the story, in exchange for my review.

This book started out great, but then it just kind of got to be too much and too confusing for me. It was hard to keep up with the time jumps and what was going on the book.

When one evening Gem Golding stops at a drugstore to get some pain killers, a man approaches her and tries to hijack her car. He obviously has a knife, but she never wanted to become a victim. So she has to make a choice quickly: either give in, surrender to him and the situation or fight for her life. Depending on how she decides, her life will take different turns. Gem will either be the fighter or the victim.

Max Manning’s thriller is an interesting play with how the options presented to us and the decisions made have a huge impact on what follows. He continues the story by narrating the two outcomes in a paralleled line, showing the result of each of Gem’s choice and the consequences that necessarily come with it: the psychological effect the decision has on her but also on her husband Drew, her relationship with him, but also her career in PR which forces her to work late hours.

Both sides are convincing in their own way and both stories have their appeal. Yet, admittedly, I got frequently confused which annoyed me a lot. It took some time until I had figured out the concept but until that I was wondering if I could really have misunderstood so much. A different font or the like might have helped a lot. There were some interesting twists and turns, also the characters varied a lot depending on the story line which made it quite interesting and kept suspense high.

An utterly singular concept of dealing with a story, however, it did not fully work out for me which is a pity since I really appreciated the story itself and the writer’s style of writing.

This was an interesting tale told in two parallels. There is always the What if? And the road not taken. One woman’s choice during a car jacking could turn out differently. This was definitely a page turner.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Where to begin with this book. At first I was immediately hooked. It started with such intensity with an action packed start that kept you going page after page needing to know what happened next. I loved the character development and getting inside of their heads and feeling what they were feeling until suddenly things didn't make sense. There's time jumps in this novel that aren't specified that leave me confused. I had to go back a couple times to make sure I had read previous parts correctly. It makes it hard to read because it's not marked that you're going back or forward so it was confusing to me to know what was actually happening. Honestly i couldn't finish this book because it just got to be too much with the time jumps that i just didn't care. I think if the layout was set up differently or if the chapters were clearly labeled so you were able to adjust, I probably would have really enjoyed this

Would you fight a car jacker or give him your keys? That's the decision Gem has to make when she's attached by Norton one night. This is a sliding doors tale about the impact of both (either?) choice. In one, Gem is a fighter who did damage to Norton and in the other, she's someone who just survived. This impacts her daily life - how others see her and how she sees herself. In both scenarios, though, Norton is still out there. He's an angry psychopath and he's looking for Gem specifically now. How does she deal with this? This thriller has some good twists but at times there are too many voices (keeping in mind that we get the same voices in both scenarios, it may just seemed like too much). IT does make you question what you would do. And which Gem do you prefer? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner!

The Victim is a fascinating concept and a really novel and fresh idea for a book. The plot follows two alternate universe type timelines – one where Gem becomes ‘The Warrior’ by fighting back against a carjacker and one where she becomes ‘The Victim’ by surrendering to him. The book alternates chapters between realities - exploring her story as well as the police detectives, reporters and perpetrator as it goes along.

As much as I really loved the concept of the book I actually felt the execution fell a little flat for me. I guess the idea the book was going for was that it didn’t really matter what her choices were – the outcome was essentially the same but although this is a great point, it made for a confusing and dull read in places. Both stories were so similar it was hard to keep track of which timeline was which in places and it felt like you were getting the same information twice. A lot of time is spent in the beginning really hammering home the point of the book as Gem wonders multiple times in both timelines whether she would have been better off making the other choice. It just felt like a bit too much effort was spent on making this point and this just made the book feel a little ‘gimmicky’ and less realistic. Having more perspectives in the other characters gave more depth to the story but actually added to the confusion in places which was a shame. More of a difference between the two timelines in all aspects would have probably kept my interest more and made it a clearer read. An epilogue as well would have perhaps wrapped things up in a nicer way to give the reader closure on Gem and her story.

The Victim is a really interesting concept – a bit like a more focused Choose Your Own Adventure story but it didn’t take the concept as far as I would have liked to keep my interest. Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

O my I loved this book. It had my interest from the beginning to the end. I loved the author writing and his style of bringing every one to real. I felt like I could relate to the characters of this book. Its the first that I have read anything from this author and I will on the look out for more of his book. This is a five star for me.

The Victim by Max Manning was an intriguing story written in a unique style. I loved reading the two different strands of the same story. Everybody has wondered what if? This book explores just that - what is I had done something different - how would my life be different? How would people see me differently if I had made another choice? Very clever and well written.

Gem Golding is attacked on her way home from work late one night. A man attempted to car jack her and she has a split second to make a choice - fight or surrender? The chapters then alternate between the 2 choice and we see how Gem's life would be with each decision. Would things be better or worse if she had done it differently?

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

A good story but a little all over the place and a little difficult to read. I love max manning’s books and I did enjoy this over all x

3-4 stars. A decent, enthralling read, but also very hard to keep up with, and it took me many attempts to read before I finally finished it. I think that the story itself could’ve been so much more, and while I liked hearing from multiple POV I also felt it took from this particular book. I think that there were many thrilling, shocking, disturbing, and chilling things that occurred but also some things were very lacking. I would say most could read it and enjoy it, but I think with a bit more of shocks this book would’ve been a 5 plus star read.
Will tell Chapter Chatter Pub about its upcoming release.

This was an anticipated read for me and unfortunately I was left wanting more and found this novel lacking quite a lot. Mainly focus and smooth transitions were missing. The book is easy enough to follow, but it’s not smooth and seamless which makes the pace of the read slow and drag. Too many periphery characters and info are passed along that add nothing to the story, but rather only distract the focus away from Gem and the paths and outcomes. The concept is great but the thing most needed—a way to actully deliver the story from both perspectives isn’t here and this book was just ok.

***3.5-4 Stars ***
Publication Date: August 6th, 2019

Gem is a victim of a carjacking one night by a psychopath Norton, while she stops for some painkillers on the way home from work with a headache. What I found particularly unique about this read and I really enjoyed is the story is told in parallel universes alternating with Gem as a victim of the crime and Gem as a person who fought back during the crime. I didn't find this confusing, I was intrigued. Very fast paced read. The ending fell a little flat for me especially because I called part of it from the beginning but overall a solid 4 star read.

Special Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful concept. I've always wondered what would happen to a character if they made one change in their story...Max Manning gives us a dual reality story. Both paths will lead to some thrilling action, the reader gets to choose which they like the best. Great fun!

Fascinating Psychological Thriller

Gem Golding, a public relations executive, stops to pick up some items from an isolated convenience store on her way home from work late at night. The parking lot is practically empty and poorly lighted. As she returns to her car she is confronted by a carjacker carrying a knife. He demands her keys. Gem faces two choices, labelled as Fight or Surrender. The structure of the novel develops the two scenarios and what happens under each in alternating chapters. There is some confusion in following the story with this parallel structure because we are really reading two stories in short chunks and you could lose sight of what happened in each. Nonetheless I found this approach intriguing. In the Fight Scenario Gem rushes her attacker, makes it to her car and uses the car as a weapon when he tries to block her. She ends up running over his leg, injuring his leg and leaving the scene in haste. In the Surrender scenario Gem ends up on the ground and watches him flee in her car. In this scenario she ends up feeling weak and powerless.

Gem's husband Drew Bennett is initially sympathetic in both scenarios but a darker side of his nature ii revealed as the plot unfolds. The Police Detective, Elliot Day, and his assistant are portrayed as helpful in both but their attitudes toward the victim differ in the Fight and Surrender scenarios. The villain Norton ends up pursuing Gem under both outcomes, obsessed with the idea that they belong together.

There are many twists and turns and a few red herrings along the way. As both versions make their way toward the conclusion the author springs some major surprises which enrich our enjoyment of the novel.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance review copy. I highly recommend it.

Imagine someone’s holding a knife to your throat and you have to choose fight or surrender. Whatever you choose will determine if you survive or die. Which do you choose? In Max Manning’s novel of Gem Golding being held at knifepoint , he plays out both options. After first being introduced to The Victim, Gem, you are then thrust into a bi-lateral plot. You are given each scenario, Gem who fought and Gem who surrendered, and the plots that unfurl from both. It is written with each chapter going back and forth. It was a little confusing the keep straight the details and what was happening in each plot. The characters are also the same in each scenario but different things happen to them. It was a little tricky to figure out what was happening in each scenario. If I could reread to book or give you any tips it would be to keep notes so you know what’s happening in each. I enjoyed Gem from both angles. I can not recommend this book enough. It was like a Criminal Minds episode in two parts. Very well written with well developed characters! It was a unique story that I never thought I would get the chance to read. But thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, I received a free copy to read for an unbiased review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Max Manning, and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Max Manning develops an interesting approach to this story, using the narrative to tell two stories with loose parallels. This approach will work for some but leave other writers scratching their heads. Perhaps this was the intended end result, though I leave that to the individual reviewer. Gem Golding decides to stop in at the local store for someone on her way home from work. Little does she know, but her life is about to change quite dramatically. While in the parking lot, she is approached by a man who pulls out a knife and attacks her. It is here that Manning offers his literary fork in the road. In one version, Gem bows down to the man and allows him to take her car, injuring her in the struggle. Thereafter, she must live with the pain of being victimised and she becomes part of the headlines as the search for the attacker heats up. Personal loss follows and she is left waiting for the police to catch the man who turned her life upside down. In the alternative reaction, Gem refuses to stand down and eventually maims her attacker, receiving praise in all media outlets and helping the police as much as possible as they hunt down the attacker. As each story progresses, the reader learns more about the story from a variety of angles: Gem, her boyfriend, the attacker, the police, and even a journalist. All this comes together in a heart stopping culmination, where the reader can decide which of the two Gems they choose to be the true protagonist of the story. An interesting approach that will keep the reader thinking until the final page flip and shape the story throughout. Recommended to those who enjoy something a little different with their reading experience, particularly the reader who enjoys parallel narratives.

I have never read Max Manning before this novel, though this was surely an interesting introduction. The premise of this novel permits the reader to feel as though they are reading two stories in one, weaving the plots together and interchanging characters at will. Gem Golding is hard to gauge, particularly because it really depends which of the two you pick as your ‘true protagonist’. She can either be a weak and vulnerable woman who has to deal with having been attacked and then facing personal tragedy that only compounds the event, or she is a strong woman who overcame adversity and is lauded in the media as a hero for stopping what could have been a violent attack. Manning offers both these women up but does not seem to lean in either direction. There is a great supporting cast who works effectively to promote either Gem—interesting that both versions of the story use the same supports—and are helped along by an effective narrative. While some are surely more endearing than others, Manning creates a wonderful character base throughout. The story, while unique, is also well written and allows the reader to move between the two parallels with ease, hoping to find a happy home with a different set of readers. Short chapters push the story forward and keeps the reader wanting to complete the reading task in short order. I’ll definitely try some more Manning in the future, particularly if he uses this same technique in other novels.

Kudos, Mr. Manning, for this curious approach to a thriller. I am intrigued and I hope others find this style as enticing as I did.

Max Manning took a huge artistic risk with this book. The dual-plot/timeline concept is fascinating, both from a story perspective and a psychological one. It’s also hard to pull off. I’m not certain the end result here was entirely successful. But I commend Manning for being willing to take that risk.

Whether or not you think the two parallel stories “work” is probably personal. It might also help to read a print version, as flipping back and forth on my phone Kindle app wasn’t ideal. I took notes, highlighted in either pink (for the Surrender chapters) or yellow (for the Fight chapters), which helped a bit. Even so, I became confused by what had happened and when for each section.

There were multiple times when I thought some action had already occurred (for example, Gem’s conversation with her boss about returning to work) and wondered why the characters acted as though it hadn’t. Then I realized that, yes, that action had occurred–in the other scenario.

Two things contributed to my confusion:
1. Multiple point of view characters
We got the viewpoints of Gem (the victim), Norton (her attacker), Elliot Day (the police investigator), Drew Bentley (Gem’s boyfriend), and Matt Revell (a tabloid journalist exploiting the story). Their individual sections are labelled with their names. Even so, it’s confusing to switch both scenario and point of view between chapters.

For example, one chapter came from Gem’s point of view in her victim/surrender scenario, and the next chapter came from Day’s point of view, but in the Gem-the-Warrior scenario. I had to flip back to the chapter before last to remember what just happened and what Day and his sergeant are discussing.

2. Short chapters
Not all the chapters were extremely short, but some were. This fed into the issue I described. Personally, I would have preferred longer sections from each scenario.

On the positive side . . .
There were definitely intriguing moments. The idea of the two outcomes running parallel to each other gives the opportunity for different reactions to the same plot point.

For example, in Gem’s conversation with Melanie, her boss, there are two scenarios. (No spoilers.) In one, Gem wants to return to work and Melanie is reluctant to allow this. In the other, Gem dreads returning to work and Melanie is angry. Why? Each Gem (Warrior and Victim) reacted differently to the attack. As a result, the two Gems have different attitudes toward her (their?) work and the two Melanies react based on their attitudes toward that Gem’s response.

Let’s face it: we tend to cheer for people who fight their attacker. (But only if they win. And by “win,” we mean “stay alive.”) People tend to judge those who “freeze” and seem to acquiesce to their attacker. Even though studies have shown that it’s very, very common to freeze rather than fight or flee, people still judge. They shouldn’t. As one character points out, no one should be shamed for an action based on instinct.

Manning’s insightful as he explores this dynamic. Gem feels others judge her based on her actions during the carjacking. And guess what? She’s right. One of the positive aspects of the multiple viewpoints is that we see how various people interpret her actions. The police investigators try not to judge–but do. The reporter is only interested in her when she’s the aggressive warrior, not the passive victim. (It makes for a better story, right?) The attacker interprets her actions in his own delusional, twisted way. (And it’s very twisted!)

What makes it worse for her is that there is not ONE right choice. There’s a lot of contradictory advice on how to respond during an attack. What’s a good choice in one situation may not be a good choice in another. What should someone do if he/she’s attacked? It depends. Manning explores this, too, with great effect.

These insights into the psychology of the attack and response are the highlight of the book. While the plot is suspenseful, I think it’s a mistake to try to read The Victim as a straight-forward suspense/thriller novel. It’s not. It’s an exploration of what it means to be a survivor and how one choice can change our lives.

For those who are interested in the book, I recommend reading it twice: once straight through, and a second time, reading all the “Fight” sections and then all the “Surrender” sections. Or try reading in this order: the Fight sections, the Surrender sections, and the entire novel cover to cover.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Note: Review on my blog will go live on 7/29/19.