RHINO by Siike Donnelly

Title: RHINO

Author: Siike Donnelly

Released: 2008

Pages: 283

Publisher:BookSurge Publisher

Genre: Crime Fiction

Ratings:

Order the book, click here

It is more than enough for 8-year-old Scott for saving his mother from his abusive police father, but then he has more plan, another revenge…

After trying to be in good side of life path and fail, grown-up Scott later changes his name into Machiavelli Essex and takes his whole actions in Atlanta. His next plan is far different from his previous kind of life he used to be---he is trying to get his position in a high class mafia group, conducted by Mr. Angel, who also owns a nightclub called Inner Heaven and a world of drug shipment in the States.

Mr. Angel and his people aren’t common ones. To make sure the things would work out with Mac, Mr. Angel sends TJ Gosset, his Afro-American man. Mac takes the opportunity to impress the gang by taking the whole point they might need in their current plan, which is to rob diamonds at a senator’s house. As fire accident tragedy that burns Mr. Angel’s drug stocks away, causing him to have financial loss. His diamond robbing plan would be great pay back.

Though, he left trace in his first action, Mac didn’t fail to impress TJ. Yet, Mr. Angel still puts him in his wild card list. On the other side of world, a young policewoman, Erika Chambers, is undercover to have her eye on Mac.

Erika is almost drowning into Mac’s charm until he finds out that Erika is actually a cop sent to watch him. But in peculiar way, they still meet each other and set another plan together---holding their feelings back. Mac wants Erica to defeat the mafia gang he just gets into when they’re taking the plan together with his cop friend, Frank Towers.

Unfortunately, the whole plan doesn’t go like Mac wants. He was caught by TJ, spending times with Erica and Frank with some random photos as the evidences, making him the gang’s prisoner during their activity. Because Mac is the only one who knows the secret code they need, he is the key for the core to their goal. But no one knows that the rest won’t be Mr. Angel’s game, but Mac’s… because sometimes, seeing the world in black and white can save your life.

My review: Deep cultivated characters, with a serious wide psychological analysis. The main characters, Mac, and some other major characters in the story are really blended with familiar realities we might find in our lives. So I can say that you might find it easy to get carried away with the story---fear, confusions, and blurred visions on the future.

I like the idea of black and white. And the ‘Machiavelli Essex’ has a unique side of his personality. It’s reminding us about the 2-sided Italian philosopher with the same first name, regarding to 2 sides of the black and white (or light and dark) philosophy which is being the red line of whole story.

The plot had some surprising events that you might not get bored if you’re reading it for more. It’s like playing an Adventure RPG game without walkthrough. It’s like being in between of confusion and curiosity, where you are taken with Mac and his secret plan. All you can do is to take the curveballs, following him through the plot with unexpected events and figuring out what actually the hard-to-read guy, Mac, got in his head and how he looked at the thing that’s on before him.

The points this book tries to say are wonderful, yet hard to figure out. The story tells us about the art of revenge, to trust people and to keep your life away from others. How we could get through what is behind our back.

It’s a TRICKY story, too! Trust me, if you want to cheat, skipping the page and all, you’ll regret it.

Best Quote: “Everyone is in the spot they’re in because they are meant to be there at that moment.”

Best Parts: When Erika was in the hospital, Mac came to her room while she was sleeping. After putting a bouquet of flowers, Mac left. Erica opened her eyes, and was able to feel that Mac was in her room seconds ago though he was already gone.

And the ending part, where all Mac’s real identity was cracked open by himself and how he realized that he had passed everything behind him, and what assisted him in the whole crime game. (Just NO SPOILER =P)

I suggest this book for everyone who loves crime fiction books, like Agatha Cristie’s, Sherlock Holmes series, and Sidney Sheldon.

Songs that fit when you’re reading: Keeps Getting Better – Christina Aguilera, One Step Closer/Numb/Bleed It Out – Linkin Park, De Jour Comme De Nuit/Ma Blonde – Astonvilla, Goodbye For Now – POD, Mourir Demain – Pascal Obispo f. Natasha St. Pier, Rockferry – Duffy, Ordinary World – Duran Duran