The Chemist

The Chemist was definitely a departure from Stephenie Meyers’s past books which have all been fantasy: The Twilight Saga and its extra books such as Midnight Sun, Life and Death, and The Short second Life of Bree Tanner; and The Host. This book was written in a more professional hand, showing that Stephenie Meyer had been working not just on the stories themselves but on her actual writing technique which I find admirable since she’s already sold millions of copies of her books and become a household name with the way she wrote before. Unlike many, I actually enjoyed the first part of the book as we get to know the main character and her way of doing things. Some things were obvious. For instance it was obvious that Daniel Beach was going to be shot straight through where his heart would be since he had already told Alex that he and his brother were Mirror Twins and his organs were on the wrong side. That was a big tip off, but it didn’t make the book any less exciting or interesting since there’s no indication of how or when this was going to occur. It was a fun book to read and while some have been offended by the idea that the American Government is being portrayed as breaking the law this way, this is fiction and not the only fiction in which similar scenarios occur; look at the movie “RED,” starring Bruce Willis and a whole bunch of other major stars, that’s based, according to the credits, on a comic book. Stephanie Meyers’s story is, of course, very different and I do enjoy the different methods Alex has for killing people. It’s rather fun and inventive. Overall the book was a lot of fun and I liked the main characters, they were good characters and very well fleshed out. As to the lack of descriptive sex scenes and swearing that some have objected to and flat out made fun of Stephenie Meyer for sticking to the morals and values she believes in as a Mormon, I think don’t think that makes her faint of heart. I think it shows a lot of strength to stick to her beliefs, no matter what others are used to and criticize her for, and after all she’s still managed to sell millions of copies of her books. Writing that way in this day and age takes strength and to succeed at it is rather remarkable. I’m impressed by her determination to stick to what she believes in. In my opinion Stephenie Meyer managed to write a very good book that was engaging and enjoyable to read. And good for her for sticking to her core beliefs and still being a successful writer.

It's great, worth the wait for another adult novel from Meyer. It is well researched and has amazing plot twists and almost-believable characters. Though not quite. Is it as good as The Host? It is, unfortunately, not in the same league. That does not mean you would not enjoy it. It's hard to follow The Host. Like The Host it has wonderful descriptions of favorite places for those living in the Southwest or Southern US. The use of 3rd person kind of tones down the intensity of what is otherwise a pretty intense novel. However, it actually drags in the middle part, as the author tries to mix a soppy romance with a Jason Bourne type thriller. It doesn't really work, and I wound up page skimming. That is not something you want to do in a $15 ebook. I liked the way the female heroine, though tough, is not depicted as like a guy. She is slight and has a hard time fighting, and her talent for chemistry, kind of like cooking, is something a female would do. We used to explain the much larger number of females in Chemical Engineering than other kinds of engineering by saying it was like cooking. Meyer also understands the male-female difference in urgent action sequences, that usually the males will act quickly and the females will get all worried about other people and do nothing. And she demonstrates her ability to reach beyond the limitations of either a female or male author viewpoint by having her female character learn how to react quickly (at first she uses a passive trap to kill her enemies, but eventually is more active), and also a male character, a teacher, who is clueless and can't do common sense things and gets people killed through his stupidity. The heroine, Alex, does make some mistakes when the romance starts up, which is believable. Though the person who dies would have died anyway, so she does not actually get anyone killed. Except the bad guys. A LOT of bad guys. You DON'T want to cross this lady.

I almost had to stop reading this book… almost. The first 4 1/2-5 chapters are dull, dull, dull. They were full of explanation upon explanation upon explanation of what Juliana/Alex is doing and why, showing her complete paranoia of the government, which is of course understandable, yet dull to read (it honestly read like textbook). Then there were the explanations of things that had happened in Juliana/Alex's past, without actually explaining what it is Juliana/Alex used to do for the government, and why they wanted her dead. That part annoyed me the most. All these explanations of booby traps, and what happened three years ago, but no clue what it was she did. Juliana/Alex is armed to the teeth with biological weapons on her person (rings, earrings, belt with syringes), but there is no explanation as to how she knows this stuff. But, I told myself to keep reading. I told myself to at least get to 20% before I gave up. And… I’m glad I kept going. Once Juliana/Alex had Daniel things started to get exciting, and the reader finally got more information about what she did for the government, and how she knows everything she’s been talking about up until then. Once things started to fall into place for the characters, and the trio got together, things really started happening. It was interesting to watch them work together, especially with Alex and Kevin’s expertise. They planned and implemented, and got what they wanted done, done. Of course, there are bumps along the way, but it can’t be an easy road to travel, right? But, when things go wrong, they just plan again, working out something different to get to their goals. I loved the epilogue that told the reader how the trio had settled into their new lives. I was smiling as I read it, knowing it was perfect for them, and that they were truly “normal” now. And I have to add… I absolutely love the inclusion of the dogs. Their training is amazing. They are loyal, so well trained, and life savers. Einstein definitely lives up to his name. I do wonder though… can dogs actually do all that? If so, I’d love to see it in person. All of this said, while this was a slow start, the book quickly got rolling and had a great finish. Great writing, and a well written story.

This is a spoiler free review except for a few mundane details. I think whether you like this book or not depends upon your expectations. Most of the readers seem to have read the Twilight books. If you have, than you know Stephanie Meyer’s strengths and weaknesses. Let’s examine character. You’re not going to find character development. About 80% to 95 percent of what we know about two main characters characters boils down to “They are extremely talented and and knowledgeable at their jobs.” The main female character is equivalent to Edward. Very deadly. Good at heart. Talented. Only drinks the blood of the bad guys. Hasn’t had any major deep romance previously. Hides her true self from others. Hasn’t had sex in a very long time, if ever. What we learn about the main male character comed down to “he is very nice.” School teacher. Coaches a sports team. Has an ex-wife. There’s nothing even memorable about his appearance. Wait, he’s tall. There you go. The main male character is the equivalent of Bella, obsessed romantically with a deadly killer that not only COULD murder him, but has ALREADY caused him excruciating pain, and I’m not talking about a skinned knee. No, he doesn’t mind that bad beginning the least, just like Bella didn’t give a thought to Edward’s obsession with drinking her blood. But he so drastically underwritten you don’t really care. Go ahead Edward, drink his blood. I can’t stand the blandness. In a sea of 50 flavors of ice cream, he is vanilla. The third main character, who disappears for very large chunks of the book, is actually better written than the leading male character. His main character trait (other than he is great at his job, which I have already mentioned) is that he adores dogs and is good at training them. In fact, he is so good that one of them seems to understand every word of the English language. Good thing the characters aren’t speaking French. He likes his family. Doesn’t think much of the main character’s profession. There you go. This character is Jacob. A protector who will kill the enemy if he has to. Likes large furry things. Very strong. Dark hair, but short. But most of all, has muscles. Lots and lots of muscles. His relationship with the main female character (our Edward) even proceeds just like the Twilight characters of Jacob and Leah. The more things change, the more they are the same. Now let’s talk about the plot. Skim the first 26 pages. It reads like an excruciatingly detailed manual about how to evade hired killers and safely prepare for a meeting for one of those potential hired killers. She is very talented at both. Damn talented. This Edward is good. That is all you will learn. I have died for these literary sins and saved you from 25 pages that are so boring I threw the book 5 feet away in disgust. I still can’t believe I picked it back up again. See, I need to read an actual physical book when the light from my smart phone starts to burn my eyes. After those pages, it kept me entertained. I wanted a book that I didn’t want to put down, mostly, and that is Stephanie Meyers amazing talent. Really, don’t criticize anybody too much when they can come up with a product that millions and millions of people want to buy. I really didn’t have any problem with the plot, even though I have no experience with their environment. Or their profession, maybe I should say. Except that at the climax it becomes exceedingly unbelievable. The main female character, Edward, manages to find two people at a busy tourist attraction (at least 1000 people) that is large enough to take hours to walk around. The search takes about as long as it does to find your kid roaming around in a small grocery store. No. A minor character suddenly turns out to be exquisitely talented at a certain essential profession you will find in movie lots, television studios and the theater. I won’t go on here, because it’s Stephanie Meyer, and you have already proved you can hold a willing disbelief when it comes to vampires and werewolves (shapeshifters). But this is Stephanie Meyer. Willing disbelief is part of the fun. Let’s focus instead on what is truly unbelievable and Stephanie Meyer book: her willingness to let a male and female character have sex. Several times. Of course, they’re in their 30s. But they’re unmarried! Of course, it takes a long time for the characters to get to this point, more than it would in real life. And after some heavy kissing, the male character gallantly apologizes for having manhandled the female character. He doesn’t want her to think he’s in this relationship for the sex. Of course, the main female POV character is still chaste in thought. Of course there is no description beyond kissing and lying down. A man takes off his shirt. But this is Stephanie Meyer, and of course you don’t care. They did the dirty deed and they’re not married, and that’s a real departure for Meyer, who is a Mormon. But your average female-oriented magazine has more sex in it then this book. Stephanie’s morality also comes into play when she indicates that a character is swearing, which she calls a “creative composition of words.” This book may be for adults, but she is faint at heart and a Mormon. She may not even know what those words are, so you really can’t fault her. So there you go. Edward, Bella, and Jacob in a different setting, except with a zillion more deaths than the Twilight series, if you count meals and snacks. Some reviewers have been turned off by violent detailed descriptions, but really, if you liked a book in which a few dozen tourists are lured to a cave where vampires drink their blood when they’re still mostly alive, you really shouldn’t complain. It’s Stephanie Meyer!

Excellent story well thought out and written characters. Only downside is that she's not thinking about doing a sequel.

This was an interesting and fast moving book! Juliana kidnaps Daniel and doesn't expect his reaction to her. When Daniel's brother tries to rescue him things get really interesting. These three have to work together to figure out who is after them. When Kevin, Daniel's brother, and Juliana start talking and finally figure out that this has been in play for years. This was an interesting action and suspense book!

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.

Fantastic suspense thriller. Characters: Alex (the government agent-chemist on the run), Daniel (the Doctor Jeckyll/Dr. Hyde man she’s sent to ‘interrogate,’ to stop him from unleashing a biological weapon upon millions of people in the US in exchange for her freedom), Carston (Alex’s superior who has given the orders), Kevin (Daniel’s twin brother who is supposedly ‘dead’…but isn’t), and Einstein (the coolest guard dog ever) and his squad. Plot in a very small nutshell: Alex has been on the run from the government for 3 years after her mentor was killed in a suspicious lab accident. When she receives an email from her previous boss, begging her to help them in one last job for national security, in exchange for getting off their hit list, she suspiciously agrees. But she doesn’t trust him. But she grabs the target and begins to interrogate him, only to have the carpet metaphorically yanked out from under her. Now, Alex has to come up with a new worldview, new plans, and a way to survive the night. This is a fast-paced story that never lets you relax for very long. It was different from Meyer’s other stories—very scientific and cerebral, but with lots of killing, chasing, fighting, and running for your life worked into the story. It’s violent, but clean language-wise and gore-factor. I really enjoyed this one. The characters came alive in my mind, and my heart beat fast as I agonized with them during their journey to freedom…and one more day of living. Super riveting book.

Excelente la verdad a mi novia le encantó y venia en perfectas condiciones

Alex sta fuggendo da tre anni dai suoi ex datori di lavoro e vive costantemente in fuga. Lei è un'esperta chimica che ha trovato assieme al suo collega delle nuove droghe, che permettono al governo di interrogare i terroristi. Viene contattata per una minaccia seria negli Usa e decide di collaborare. La sua missione è rapire Daniel, un professore apparentemente innocuo, che però ha una seconda vita, fatta di contatti con un re della droga messicano, armi, soldi facili, ecc. Durante l'incontro con lui ed il successivo interrogatorio, Alex percepisce che Daniel è innocente e che c'è qualcosa che non va nelle informazioni ricevute. Da lì scatta una serie di azioni e contromosse degne di uno scacchiere, con lo scopo di raggiungere la salvezza. Un'eroina moderna, pronta a tutto pur di salvare se stessa, le persone che ama ed i suoi principi. Romanzo narrato completamente dal punto di vista della protagonista femminile.

Estou gostando do livro. É emocionante!

This book is again another masterpiece by Stephenie Meyer. The way she writes is awesome. It simply touches you deep inside your heart. It's a really superb book. I would suggest you all to read it. Also read The Host by Stephenie Meyer. That book has no comparison with any other book. It's SOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL. I really love this book. Thank you.

I really loved this book. It was captivating from beginning to end. Easy and quick read.