theguywhoreads

It's 20 minutes past 3 in the morning and I had just finished The Butterfly Garden and I had to because it is really a page-turner. I can't help myself but to finish the book because what was done to make me find out more, it is thanks to Dot Hutchison for doing a fine job in making a reader out of me to continue reading towards such a morning... but where do I start with this book?

The Butterfly Garden is a mystery crime suspense thriller that draws the reader into a world of serial criminals. Firstly, the good stuff.

The book is divided into three roman numeral parts, which I felt I would like to call it The Before, The Garden and The After. Why would this book voted as the second best choice for Goodreads under the category 'Horror' (which I felt, the book isn't really under 'Horror' if you ask me but rather what I said in the second paragraph), it manages to bring that suspenseful feeling of knowing more about a victim, that could be the suspect - Maya, one of the girls that had been held captive in a place called 'The Garden'. Before, she has another name and a life that describes what sort of horrible life she went through until she was kidnapped by 'The Gardener'. She wakes up in a cave that is designed like a garden, with twenty other women, whom were also being held captive as well not their own will by 'The Gardener'. He tattoos Maya a butterfly wings, rapes her as he sees fit but took care of her. So were the other girls that are there. She gets to know each of the girls and know that by the age of 21, once a beauty reaches its maturity, no one ever lives through that age... and like a Butterfly encased on resin, beauty preserves. Do you understand where I am heading with this summary?

So even though the book is divided into three Roman Numerals, the story is told in two scenes - Maya being question by two FBI investigators after being rescued with some other girls and Maya's story before her rescued and what her experience was in the Garden and her life before. This does feels like a method being used and told like Bryan Singer's The Usual Suspects. You see, Agent Victor Hanoverian isn't sure if Maya is a victim at all and he needs to know the truth. Interesting enough, the way that the author deliver each page was quite ingenious and had me hook for quite some time. I would have read it in one sitting but there is so much to absorb and to like - especially the description of each character, the Garden, the intentions and goals involved, the sickness of it and to a point the understanding is pretty well-done. To sum it up, I really enjoy it and it has been quite a while I found a book that I enjoy it because it does not really beat around the bush. I mean, yes - Maya did beat around the bush with Victor during interrogation but it was pretty straightforward kind and the exchange of dialogue is challenging. The sick philosophy about Butterflies from the perspective of a serial rapist is well explained of its intentions and why he tattoos them is all cleared and made of. And to read it overall as a book - its a book I held my hands wanting to know more and finally, I just read past my bedtime and now typing out this review means this book is a worthy read.

There are some problems along the way as I read it. For one - the realism of the premise is just unbelievable. I mean - twenty over kidnapped girls in one big cavern garden controlled by The Gardener and one sick older son... any of these kidnap victims can overwhelm them. Maybe the logic behind is that they are very young and afraid but in today's modern world, I do wonder how victims are chosen... especially when one of the victims sort of out on her own loop on the head side. I had to suspend disbelief in order to accept it because it is rather unrealistic. One victim I can truly understand but 20 girls its high maintenance. Secondly, the The Gardener background story, even though it is well explained of its intentions I felt it is rather quite think. The why is explained... its just that the basis of it just don't hold too strong of it. And then... the ending. Well, yes - there is a twist in the ending but rather, I felt the twist is rather weak. I mean, okay I can understand all of that but that twist is just not able to make it deliciously tasty. It just feels like when I ordered my coffee to be hot, it just taste lukewarm. Not that I complained much but that twist wasn't necessary even though it does explain certain parts as its meant to be part of but rather, its not and I would not want to reveal more of it because I do not want to spoil it.

In overall sense, I suspend the realism and get to enjoy the book. Thoroughly it has been a while since I read some thing very good even though there are some parts I do not agree upon. There is no struggle in giving it a four star rating (and not even a 3.5) because its worth that much of a rating. What manages that is how the delivery and flow of the story was written well by Dot Hutchison and since this is the first of the trilogy of The Collector series (not connected to one another), I can say I am looking forward her next book. If she can come up with some thing this good of a suspense mystery, I do not mind waiting for the next one and reads it.