I alwayz look forward to a new Archer novel & never thought I would ever ’’not recommend’’ a novel by my all time fav author but after reading this novel, I have to say ’’Pls don’t waste ur time’’
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The story:
The time is early 1950’s ; we read about the birth & separation of two twins born to Mrs. Susan Davenport. The son who remains with her is Natheniel Davenport & the one whom she thinks is dead is being raised as Fletcher Cartwright, son of a wealthy businessman.
Fletcher enjoys his life as the son of a millionaire, while his brother Nat grows up under less advantaged circumstances, as the son of a schoolteacher & an insurance salesman. The brothers grow to adulthood unaware of each other’s existence. Nat drops out of college to serve in Vietnam & returns as a war hero, finishes his college & then selects a career in banking. Fletcher opts for a prestigious law career then he goes on to become a senator.
As their lives move on, both the brothers face tragedy & betrayal, loss & hardship, almost at the sametime and even though they are not aware of it, they end up having the same enemy ! Soon a day comes when Nat & Fletcher face each other...not only are they competing in the same field; when murder enters the equation, one brother defends the other against the most severe of charges...........
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My Word:
The concept of the book reminds one of our bollywood films -twins separated at birth & reunited under very different circumstances.
The novel has the customary Archer themes but the two characters here are totally opposite than the usual Kane n Abel characters we are familiar with. Reading about the twins separating & taking interest in the same field gives an impression of some cut-throat competition but the two don’t even face eachother till the end of the novel ! A plot that keeps promising fails to deliver. The two heroes are purer-than-pure & oh so boring !!!
I think its high time Archer should retire, at least then his fans - like moi - will remember him by his good work & not by this hindi masala film type novel :)