Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - The Surgeon

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

18 reviews

madmayham's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

So, while I was reading the physical book, I was pretty relaxed. It's a very interesting read, but I decided that I wanted to listen to the audiobook because it's easier for me. Due to some setbacks in life, I ended up having to start the second half of the book over and over again, but that has nothing to do with the story.

As for the story:
I started reading thinking that Rizzoli would be the main character, but apparently in this first book we have another detective who is somewhat more present throughout the story, who would be Rizzoli's partner for the specific cases that are happening.

The book has a very sexist tone, but I think that this is due to both the time in which it was written and the time in which the story takes place, and also because Rizzoli is the only female detective at the police station. Sexism is terrible, but it's part of the context in which the story takes place.

The book kind of seems like one of the many criminology series that exist today. Which is great because it's an interest I have, so I liked that too. I also found the parts where they deal with the evidence and the tests interesting. The coroner is very sinister, I have the impression that one day he will be a murderer...
Anyway, the character of Detective Moore is a bit of a cliché. A straight-laced cop in the middle of a police station full of cops who don't act 100% correctly. Detective Moore's romance with the victim Dr. Cordell is also quite cliché.
The book is also a thriller full of clichés.

As for Rizzoli, she is clearly trying to make her presence felt in an extremely sexist environment, she is basically trying to prove that she is as capable as any of the men who work at that police station. But in the same way, she has a lot of difficulty accepting herself as a woman and accepting her own femininity. However, considering the way she grew up in a very sexist family, where the focus was always on her brothers, you can begin to understand her need to prove herself to other people, that she is not inferior to any man.

The book has a touch of Criminal Minds, CSI and Law & Order, and the ending is greatly inspired by the end of the film Silence of the Lambs, in the scene where Clarice encounters the killer by accident, but in a much more violent way and with some variations.
It is an extremely interesting book, I will definitely continue reading the next books in the series.

Content Warnings

lido's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

Content Warnings

_sweetdaisy_'s review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings

phantomgecko's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Opening the book with an autopsy is a bold choice. I'm a big crime book/show fan who thought no mere procedural crime book could bother me. But I legit almost stopped reading right there because I almost threw up. Not necessarily because it was especially gory but perhaps just because I was queasy that day anyway. After trying again the next day, I was able to power through.

Oh and the detailed ER scenes were defos not a favorite. There's a lot of blood and surgery in this one folks.

I liked it overall. I haven't put the next book in the series on my list yet, but I probably will eventually?

Additionally, I haven't watched Rizzoli & Isles, but I'm tempted now.

The mystery of it was perfectly satisfactory. A good amount of red herrings balanced with reasonable unraveling.

Content Warnings