Book review: The Passengers by John Marrs
Title: The Passengers
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller
Publisher: Ebury
Publication date: 1st April 2019
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“Eight self-drive cars set on a collision course. Who lives, who dies? You decide.
The new gripping page-turning thriller from the bestselling author of THE ONE – soon to be a major Netflix series.
When someone hacks into the systems of eight self-drive cars, their passengers are set on a fatal collision course.
The passengers are: a TV star, a pregnant young woman, a disabled war hero, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an illegal immigrant, a husband and wife – and parents of two – who are travelling in separate vehicles and a suicidal man. Now the public have to judge who should survive but are the passengers all that they first seem?“
My review:
In an alternate universe driverless cars have become a popular form of travel. Technology and expertise have created what appears to be a safer and more efficient way of getting to places and it is thought that fewer accidents happen as a result. However, their safety is put to the test when a hacker decides to test the power of the authorities when he warns the public that eight cars have been reprogrammed to crash into each other in several hours time. What follows is an intense and remarkable story line which follows all eight passengers as they are informed of their fate in the most twisted circumstances.
The concept behind The Passengers seem simple at first yet it is cleverly plotted and developed which ultimately results in a gripping and evolving story line that is difficult to break from until the very end. The narrative is engrossing and fast-paced and the plot moves from one twist to another with ease. At no point did I feel bored or detached from the story line, in fact I found myself rushing through each chapter keen to discover the passengers’ fate. The pace felt ideal, with just enough room for character growth but also fast enough to make the reader feel like they are speeding down the motorway in one of the cars.
The focus jumps from one character to another as we are introduced to the events leading up to the crash. Each passenger has a unique background and, although it was easier to relate to some more than others, the variety of controversies that the author brings up, from infidelity to death, felt both daring and exciting. Being able to relate to each character on a deeper level created a very realistic reading experience and I had to reassure myself several times that I was not trapped in one of the self-drive cars with a passenger. Although the concept may seem engaging, it is ultimately the characters which made this book truly special for me.
John Marrs doesn’t disappoint with his latest release, in fact this is easily one of the best thrillers that I have read this year. The mixture of a thickened plot, diverse characters and an exciting setting created a masterpiece which will linger in my mind for a long time.
24 Comments
Darinda @ Nightcap Books
I enjoyed this one too. Great review! 😀
Darina
Thanks! Yes, it’s proving to be quite popular and really liked by the majority of readers!
nsfordwriter
Great review! I keep hearing about this one but I don’t think I will read it… I’ll get too paranoid about driverless cars!
Darina
Thank you! I must admit that I did get quite paranoid towards the end too haha!
Yvo
Fab review! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed The Passengers as much as I did… It’s one of my favorites this year as well.
Darina
Ah I’m glad we both liked it! Thank you 🙂
Shruti | This is Lit
This book sounds so interesting! I need to read it before it’s adapted to the screen! ❤️
Darina
Oh, I didn’t realise that it will be adapted to a movie?! I guess that could be really amazing or quite disappointing. But the book is really good so you should definitely read it!
FictionFan
Given that I think the whole idea of driverless cars is scary enough already, I think I’d find this one terrifying! Sounds very entertaining though… 😀
Darina
It was definitely scary, almost as if the car was more intelligent than the passenger! I think it’s also putting many other people off reading it and I can totally understand why!
jennifertarheelreader
Yay, I’m so happy you loved it, Darina! I did too! It’s definitely one of the most original thrillers I’ve read this year and it felt so real.
Darina
Thanks, Jennifer! It did feel very real and I’m so happy that I read it in the end as I was in two minds for a while but really loved it in the end.
happytonic
Great review, Darina! I absolutely agree with you that it’s the characters, not the technology that make this book. It was fascinating getting to know them and seeing how different the big picture is from what gets fed to the social media.
Darina
Thank you! There was so much to love in this book but the characters were certainly what made it special for me in the end as you say.
Stephen Writes
This was such an intense, gripping book and I really liked the ideas that were presented. Excellent review, Darina.
Darina
Thanks, Stephen! It was definitely intense and I think the main concept was very original and different too.
Mani
Managed to pick up a copy from my local library. Can’t wait to read it. Great review Darina!!
Darina
Thanks, Mani! I hope you enjoy it, it’s certainly a very original book!
Pingback:
Kristina
Ohh this looks quite interesting, adding it to my virtual wanna read now!
What make it even more interesting is how self-driving cars can be into our future, someday, so there IS that « well, what if? » induced fear.
Darina
I agree, it’s such a terrifying concept that one day we will just have to get into a vehicle and it will drive us off with no intervention from humans whatsoever. The author did a great job of conveying that terror into this book as well. I hope you like it!
Kristina
Actually, there is already *some* cars that have that feature I believe! (Although maybe not solely driving on it’s own yet) — im not sure how I feel about that xD
Darina
That definitely sounds a bit too scary, I wouldn’t feel comfortable riding in one of those!
Pingback: