Red Kite Reading Group from Powys read Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman

The reading group were excited but a trifle awed by the prospect of reading Jilliane Hoffman’s novel Retribution.  The result was that we had a very enjoyable read followed by a lively meeting during which a number of views were expressed about the quality of the writing in the context of the genre.

But first, a little about the group, which is small, only four, but committed.

The group leader is Catherine who is a librarian at the local Further Education College.  Her husband, David, is a retired Training Consultant who shares her life-long addiction to reading.  They are joined by Pat, who is a lecturer in IT studies, and Stephen, a Clinical Nurse Specialist.  We have become friends and enjoy the meetings of the Red Kite Reading Group.  We are going on holiday to Ireland together in June 2004 and will be discussing the novels of Edna O’Brien during the week we are away.

Our future programme includes the following books nominated by the members of the group:

¨ Finding Myself   Toby Litt   December/January
¨ A Tale of Two Cities  Charles Dickens  January/February
¨ Oryx and Crake  Margaret Atwood  February/March
¨ The Irish RM   Ross and Somerville March/April

What follows is a review of ‘Retribution’ and our thoughts and feelings about it.

Summary

This is the story of a young woman about to become a lawyer.  She has a boyfriend who is already rich and successful whom she expects to marry.  After a night out she returns to her apartment and is brutally raped.  Not unexpectedly this has a profound effect on her life and her relationships,  particularly as her rapist makes himself known to her some time afterwards.  This triggers a reaction and she moves.

The story moves on 12 years and she has moved from New York to Miami, has finished with her boyfriend, taken on a new identity and changed her name from Chloe Larsen to CJ Townsend.  She has become a top-flight lawyer in a DA’s office in Miami, but has never and cannot forget or forgive her rapist.

As a consequence of her work as a prosecutor she recognises the man who raped her, when he is on a charge of rape and murder, a particularly horrific crime that involves the rape of women and the removal of their hearts.  This is the ninth such murder and rape and the perpetrator has been dubbed ‘Cupid’ by the press and the authorities.   She learns that there is a statute limitation to prevent prosecution after 10 years and becomes determined to prosecute the man who raped her for the present rape.

During the time from the rape to the court case she has been receiving counselling from a psychiatrist who becomes a trusted ‘friend’.

Another relationship in her life is with the FBI agent who is leading the investigation into the circumstances of the most recent rape.  This is hesitant and unsure, with a stop start pattern that mirrors her confusion and reluctance to the feeling of a trusted long term relationship by the end of the book.

CJ experiences a number of difficulties with her colleagues during the run up to trial.  A DA who does not support her and a higher level of authority who want to convict on the latest charge and not the previous rapes and murders, and difficulties with the investigation.   These involve a number of improbable eleventh-hour discoveries that co-incidentally strengthen CJ’s case.

She overcomes her abhorrence at the presence of her rapist in court and obtains a successful conviction, but something is ‘wrong’.  Initially convinced of the person’s guilt, largely through planted evidence, leads her to question this and subsequent events show her how wrong she is.  The most obvious is the discovery of a subsequent rape and murder and removal of the victim’s heart when Cupid is already imprisoned.  

Review:

The group were united in the appreciation of the novel and concluded that:

The pace of the novel is impressive resulting in a very readable thriller set against a court background.  Some of the acronyms and the American system of justice may cause English readers some confusion but this is inevitable and should not detract from the power of the story.

It is well written, particularly in respect of dialogue, court procedure and investigative methods.  It graphically portrays the trauma of rape and its consequences and your sympathies are with Chloe/CJ.

The court scenes and the investigation are described particularly well.

The following comments were made by the group:
Plot – good ingenious plot – the victim who after 12 years gets the opportunity for revenge.  A whodunit with a twist at the end with clues placed strategically along the way. 

Characterisation – we got well into Chloe – women identify easily with a rape victim – was it as good for men? 

Love interest – good, we like him. Some sensitive descriptions of physical turn ons, etc.

Language – we had trouble with American terms especially for the judicial system, eg a determination

Psychological thriller – very interesting psychological factors – interplay between victim, oppressor and therapist.

Style – obviously well researched and we thought it was written to be a film or TV series.

Conclusion
As a group we thoroughly enjoyed previewing ‘Retribution’ and hope that we may be given another chance to review further novels promoted by Penguin – a friend of all readers.