Target in the Sun by Lynda Filler is a particularly relevant book to be reading at this time, given the current political situation in the US and the on-going battle against drugs coming into the United States, from south of the border in Mexico.
At its heart, Target in the Sun is a romantic adventure, spiced up with action and killing. The author has chosen to tell the story of Carlos, a young Mexican man, caught up in the "Family Business", from the perspective of three participants in the drama. She also chosen to flick back and forward in time, from when Carlos was a young boy, up to the present day, when he is in his early twenties.
The chapters alternated between the three characters; Carlos, his American (and much older) lover, Mia and Lucia Lopez, an FBI agent of Mexican heritage. I like this flicking perspective, to some degree, as it gives variety and keeps the reader's interest throughout the book. With this book, however, the chapters were so short, that at times it was hard to keep up with the changing perspectives. At the start of each chapter I needed to remind myself; Who was relating this chapter and what time frame it covered? For a book with well in excess of one hundred chapters this required some constant realignment in this reader's mind. By about halfway, I did weary of the constant back and forth.
That having been said, this was a very enjoyable read and one that gave a lot of thought to some of the bigger questions in life; family loyalty vs the greater good and what constitutes love? It was very easy to feel drawn to Carlos, the little boy, who spent his entire life searching for that one thing that was missing from his life; familial love. Despite his rather narcissistic tendencies from time to time, Carlos was a character who wanted to give himself wholeheartedly to someone, to be loved. This desire manifested itself most in his abiding concern for the little children of Mexico, the forgotten children that nobody wanted to care for. I can still hear his plea; who will look after the children?
This was a thought-provoking tale and one I enjoyed very much. I am happy to award it the four-stars it deserves. It has much to offer the reader, as I'm sure does the author Lynda Filler. I will be checking out her other offerings, in the future.
At its heart, Target in the Sun is a romantic adventure, spiced up with action and killing. The author has chosen to tell the story of Carlos, a young Mexican man, caught up in the "Family Business", from the perspective of three participants in the drama. She also chosen to flick back and forward in time, from when Carlos was a young boy, up to the present day, when he is in his early twenties.
The chapters alternated between the three characters; Carlos, his American (and much older) lover, Mia and Lucia Lopez, an FBI agent of Mexican heritage. I like this flicking perspective, to some degree, as it gives variety and keeps the reader's interest throughout the book. With this book, however, the chapters were so short, that at times it was hard to keep up with the changing perspectives. At the start of each chapter I needed to remind myself; Who was relating this chapter and what time frame it covered? For a book with well in excess of one hundred chapters this required some constant realignment in this reader's mind. By about halfway, I did weary of the constant back and forth.
That having been said, this was a very enjoyable read and one that gave a lot of thought to some of the bigger questions in life; family loyalty vs the greater good and what constitutes love? It was very easy to feel drawn to Carlos, the little boy, who spent his entire life searching for that one thing that was missing from his life; familial love. Despite his rather narcissistic tendencies from time to time, Carlos was a character who wanted to give himself wholeheartedly to someone, to be loved. This desire manifested itself most in his abiding concern for the little children of Mexico, the forgotten children that nobody wanted to care for. I can still hear his plea; who will look after the children?
This was a thought-provoking tale and one I enjoyed very much. I am happy to award it the four-stars it deserves. It has much to offer the reader, as I'm sure does the author Lynda Filler. I will be checking out her other offerings, in the future.
Do check out what other offerings Lynda Filler has on Amazon, here:
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