Member Reviews

Livia Lone Book 1 by Barry Eisler

369 Pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: October 25, 2016

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Mystery Thriller, Sex Crimes, Child Abuse

Livia Lone is a sex crimes detective in Seattle, Washington. She is looking for the monsters from her past. As a child, she, and her sister, Nason, were put in a container and abused by their capturers. When they finally arrived in Portland, Oregon, they are separated. Livia is taken in by the Lone family, but her abuse does not end there. Now she takes out vengeance on those who prey on the weak. Livia is broken from the abuse she suffered her entire life.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. It is a difficult read because abuse is on children. This is a well written book and I recommend it to anyone who has read any of this author’s other books.

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I've been a fan of Eisler and his John Rain series since the very beginning and was very curious to see how he would approach a new protagonist which is completely different from the assassins he captures so well. I have to say I'm even more impressed than I would have imagined, Livia is so vulnerable but at the same time driven with an incredible inner strength forged from the hardships she's been forced to endure. What would have crushed most people gives her the impetus to push ahead on her mission to discover what has happened to her sister. The juxtaposition between her iron will and her vulnerability due to the horrific abuse she's suffered makes her a fascinating character and I look forward to seeing more of her, and since Eisler likes to combine his various protagonists, it will be enjoyable to see how Livia fits in with the guys.

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Livia Lone by Barry Eisler is a heavy book with very dark reading matter,but, saying that, it is a brilliant book. Livia and her sister Nason are sold by her Thai parents and taken from their small village to endure abuse as they are trafficked across the sea to America. Several years later, the reader catches up with the adult Livia who has become a vengeful detective hunting the beasts who prey on women and children. The story mives between the time frames of Livia growing up and as an adult until they eventually meet.
I found this to be an engrossing book. Barry Eisler has done a great job in world building and character development. I was hooked into Livia's world immediately and even though I had moments were I struggled the fact that I really wanted to know what happened to Livia. A great read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the book.

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This is a well done and fast paced thriller. Livia is a terrific character and you will root for her. No spoilers from me about this page turner.

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This book does more showing than telling when it comes to how cool we're supposed to think Livia is. My main issue falls with the feeling that this book feels like just a starting point, which it is as there are follow-up sequels. But it never feels like it is standing on it's own feet by showing how Livia is in the story were reading...except in the graphic scenes. Overall, a bit disappointing.

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I got Livia Lone from Netgalley in 2016. 2016! But I read it in June of 2019. For the life of me, I have no idea what was stopping me from reading this book. I knew an Eisler book would be great. I liked the premise enough to request it, but somehow, I could never bring myself to actually pick it up. What a waste of time! But, maybe it was the right time, after all, seeing as how that meant I read two books about child sex trafficking back to back. Sometimes timing is everything!

And I was right with my assessment. It's an Eisler book, so yes, it's great and I loved it. Livia/Labee was an intense character who I felt viscerally. Touched already, as I was by the previous book, her situation and experiences felt even more emotional and real to me. Her journey felt compelling and intense and strong.

I loved how she worked to mete out justice in her own way, even as I was horrified by that justice. I'm not one for extrajudicial killings and her brand of justice, even as a cop, was all about extrajudicial killings. Accuser, judge, jury, and executioner: that was Livia. Just because I understood, and oh goodness, I understood, didn't mean I agreed.

Labee's evolution into Livia was a painful story writ large. We get to see every step along the way, even emotional upheaval, every moment of pain and doubt, and every moment of strength and victory. But, at the end of this book, she has accomplished her main objective. It's incredibly tight and self-contained.

Which makes sense. This is a tightly written book with intense attention to detail that makes it all the more powerful. My best guess: you want to know about human trafficking? Read Livia Lone. It will give you a real picture of what it is like from both the perspective of the victim and the perpetrator and it will be a whole lot more interesting than a dry recitation of facts. Good gracious, it might even inspire you to fight back in your own way.

I loved this book and given the ending, it is wholly self-contained. However, Livia's story does not end here. This is just the beginning.

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I was sucked in from the first page and the story never let me go. I've got a toddler who wakes up early every morning and I have no business staying up late into the night to read just one more chapter, but what can you do? While the subject matter was a bit hard to stomach in some parts, this was an absolutely fantastic read. The chapters bounce back and forth between THEN and NOW and we get to see the story unfold at a great pace. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to see what's next for Livia.

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(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Seattle PD sex-crimes detective Livia Lone knows the monsters she hunts. Sold by her Thai parents along with her little sister, Nason; marooned in America; abused by the men who trafficked them…the only thing that kept Livia alive as a teenager was her determination to find Nason.
Livia has never stopped looking. And she copes with her failure to protect her sister by doing everything she can to put predators in prison.
Or, when that fails, by putting them in the ground.
But when a fresh lead offers new hope of finding Nason and the men who trafficked them both, Livia will have to go beyond just being a cop. Beyond even being a vigilante. She’ll have to relive the horrors of the past. Take on one of the most powerful men in the US government. And uncover a conspiracy of almost unimaginable evil.
In every way, it’s an unfair fight. But Livia has two advantages: her unending love for Nason—
And a lifelong lust for vengeance.

Having been a fan of John Rain for a number of books, the thought of a new series was quite interesting. It sounded completely different to his previous novels so I had to give it a go.

But I am not sure I should have...

From the start, this is not a book you should read for entertainment. It is heavy-going - both in content and style. The themes of child-trafficking, sexual abuse and murder make this book sit heavily in my heart as I think back on it. Some fairly graphic description adds to the level of uneasiness. Add to that, the "before" and "now" style of writing was disrupting and took away from the satisfaction.

Also, if you are looking for a straight-forward thriller novel, this ain't it either. It doesn't really conform to what we expect from a regular crime novel - and, in this case, that's a good thing. Eisler has decided to be brave with the style and I think that, at least, has worked for him. I am always glad to read books where the author does something outside the box - even if it doesn't really work (like I think this one doesn't), I still appreciate the effort and thought given to the reader to give them a new experience.


Paul
ARH

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Kinda disappointing after the Rain books. There was entirely too much repetition of "motivating events".... I guess to fill up enough pages to qualify as a novel rather than a short story. Just ended up feeling like I was having my intelligence insulted.. Just another cop turned vigilante story.

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I was disappointed.

Yu can say it or you can write it but there are just differences in MEN and WOMEN. When you write characters that seemingly are not its all a wash to me and not even good fiction.

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After reading a dozen or more books by this author I think I have a favorite. This book is a work of fiction based on reality. A reality that is a tragedy, a heinous act of cruelty and a death sentence for many of the victims. This is a worldwide plague and not that far from certain acts of terrorism currently seen on the news regarding Middle East terror groups. While it makes for excellent reading it also gives cause to ponder. However, as a reader I could not help but admire and root for the main character, Livia. Spanning continents, the focus is on human trafficking, specifically Livia but also her younger sister and a few other individuals, and her quest for extracting justice for her sister and herself at the expense of the perpetrators of these indecent and criminal acts. Her journey from carefree childhood to sex slave to vengeful adult is an action filled narrative. Excellent book.

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Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC of Livia Lone. It was an interesting book about two sisters sold into slavery, and the horrors that happen as a result. The book held my interest, but I didn't find anything redeeming about it. Without giving spoilers away, Livia searches for her sister, and seeks revenge. Best I can say is that it was okay.

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Mr. Eisler writes a book that takes an interesting twist on the child abduction/sex traffic theme, by incorporating his main character, Livia. Being a cop on a mission, with ninja-like talents and clear understanding of the predators she seeks, the book is a page-turner. I kept finding a few minutes here and there to sneak another few pages to see what becomes of Livia and her search for Nason. Sad and scary topic, but well crafted as a mystery. I really enjoyed the read!

Thanks to the author, his publisher and Netgalley,com for the opportunity to read this book and supply other readers with an honest review.

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Explosive and emotional. It a dark story but I love those. Engrossing and heartbreaking.

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Fascinating story about a dreadful reality. The characters were believable and the challenges were significant. Switching from moment of memory to the present helped build Livia into a real person. Reads quickly

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This is a fast paced and action filled book with a powerful leading female character. It is not an easy book to read, bringing starkly to the forefront the horrors of human trafficking and sexual abuse.

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"Livia Lone" starts out with a bang. A young Asian woman, Livia Lone, goes into a tavern after a workout for a drink. A twice convicted rapist gang member parks himself on the stool next to hers. They chat and he insists on walking her home. He manages to get into her apartment. A violent rape seems imminent, when suddenly Livia's inner dragon (rage) and training kicks in and she overwhelms her attacker and kills him. Then we find out she planned this encounter.

Why?

She has a special interest in rapists, human traffickers and child abusers.

Livia's real first name is Labee and she is from Thailand. Livia is the name given her by her adopted American father, Fred Lone, a wealthy businessman whose brother Ezra is a US Senator from Idaho. Mr. Lone has certain appetites and beliefs.

The author shifts back and forth between Livia's life as a child and her adult life as a cop so we can understand the basis for her rage and actions and how she became the hunter she is.

"Livia Lone" is a gripping story about a former victim exacting revenge for herself and those failed by the justice system.

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