Book Review: Six Years by Harlan Coben

 “Hope is cruel. Hope reminds me of what almost was. Hope makes the physical ache return.”

― Harlan Coben, Six Years

Harlan Coben returns with a solo thriller that delves into the complexities and emotions of a lost love as well as the secrets and falsehoods at its center. Once more, he produces a stunning page-turner that skillfully examines the influence of previous love as well as the secrets and falsehoods that such love may conceal.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd. So when Jake comes across Todd’s obituary, he can’t keep himself away from the funeral. There he gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife he’s hoping for....

But she is not Natalie.

Soon Jake’s search for the woman who broke his heart puts his very life at risk, as he uncovers the secrets and lies that love can hide.

My reaction to the novel...

I enjoy thriller novels, but I'm not interested in mob or mafia fiction, thus this one disappointed me. I was expecting a psychological thriller like the ones I used to appreciate, but it's nothing like that. It was more of a scary circumstance in which the main character was exposed to an angry gang, which was slowly portrayed in the tale, and it was really sluggish, making you feel weary rather than afraid. The pace was extremely slow that you could immediately predict the primary plot.

Every time I read a book summary that includes the "whodunnit" or "where is the main character" aspect it piques my interest and compels me to read it. The same is true for this novel. Actually, I was hooked from the first paragraph. I was so taken aback that I craved more. But as I read on, the tale gradually let me go. I questioned what I understood in each chapter of the book. It seemed inconceivable to me. I was a little perplexed about what was going on. I began to suspect that the main character was insane, which I believe would make for a great narrative. However, the narrative took a different turn. When the mafia showed there, I was really disturbed. Like, the storyline messed up, and I'm like, "What the heck?!" It utterly obliterated my idea of a compelling plot.

Anyway, I ended up reading and finishing the book because I love Harlan Coben; he's a brilliant writer, and "Six Years" is about more than just the mafia. Even though I thought the mafia element of the narrative was unnecessary, I still think the concept of "Fresh Start" is a good one. When I learned the history behind it, I thought it was kind of amazing, but I strongly believe that Natalie should not have come across that storyline and that it would have been better to keep with the concept of "Fresh Start."

Anyway, I won't go into too much detail other than to say that I felt quite let down. Despite the fact that I detested the majority of this book, I adored the ending. Given the obstacles he has faced, I believe the protagonist deserved an ending like that. I still wish to exhort those who haven't already done so to read this book. If you enjoy reading about gangs or mafia bosses, you'll like it. You'll adore it for sure.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

“That’s the problem with falling in love. It makes you start talking like a bad country song”

You end yourself doing certain things you've never done before when you fall in love. I kind of agree with this. The majority of the time, you will be amazed with yourself even when you are not conscious that you are doing something that you previously were unable to achieve.

“Part of the human condition is that we all think that we are uniquely complex while everyone else is somewhat simpler to read. That is not true, of course. We all have our own dreams and hopes and wants and lust and heartaches. We all have our own brand of crazy.”

People are diverse. There are moments when we believe we truly know someone. Once you learn something about someone, you'll eventually wonder if the person is the one you remember. I really think that everyone has their own distinct brand of crazies. I know this to be true for me, therefore I assume that it must be true for everyone else.