- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 1575 KB
- Print Length: 307 pages
- Publisher: Penguin (6 Jan. 2020)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B07ND6SCYG
Synopsis
Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.
It is a morning’s lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.
It is an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.
It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.
In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege. Told from the point of view of the people at the heart of it, from the wounded headmaster in the library, unable to help his trapped pupils and staff, to teenage Hannah in love for the first time, to the parents gathering desperate for news, to the 16 year old Syrian refugee trying to rescue his little brother, to the police psychologist who must identify the gunmen, to the students taking refuge in the school theatre, all experience the most intense hours of their lives, where evil and terror are met by courage, love and redemption.
Review
I have read and really enjoyed Rosamund Lipton’s previous three books, with their original plot lines and understanding of the human psyche, so was really excited to read Three Hours. As the title suggests this book this book is set over three hours when a school is taken hostage by gunmen. The shot headmaster is being cared for by pupils in the library, out in the pottery in the school grounds and in the junior school the younger pupils are vulnerable. Parents are desperate for news and the police must find out who is holding the school hostage and why. Taut, intriguing and totally compelling this is one brilliant read.
Rosamund Lupton has done it again in this thought provoking, tense and compelling book. With school shootings and sieges hitting the headlines, this book is the more frightening in that it could happen. The story is told from the perspective of those at the heart of the situation; the shot headmaster, Hannah whose in the library with the headmaster, Rafi, a Syrian Refugee who is searching for his brother and DI Rose Polstein, who is in charge of the situation and bringing the siege to an end. Through these characters the human story of the situation comes through. The stories of these characters, their lives, their thoughts and feelings give a personal feel to the book. Hannah worries about Rafi, searching for her brother, but shows strength and courage in caring for the headmaster. Rafi brought his brother to England from Syria, suffering from PTSD he faces many challenges but is determined to find his brother no matter what. His resilience, intelligence and bravery shine through and he is a real hero. Whilst all the action is taking place the students in the Theatre, the safest place in the school, continue with their rehearsals of Macbeth. This is an interesting plot running along side the siege situation. Like the gunmen, Macbeth can be seen to be someone who is willing to kill for a power, a psychopath.
What I found really interesting was the job of DCI Rose Polstein and Dannisha Taylor the negotiator. It was fascinating to see their thought process, how they profiled the gunmen, gained the information needed to identify the suspect and dig deep into their life and psyche. Rosamund Lupton shows great understanding of this process, giving a real sense of tension, immediacy and reality to the book. The use of short, staccato sentences in parts also gives the impression the tension and fear of all those involved; students, teachers, parents, and police officers.
Three Hours is another fantastic read from Rosamund Lupton. Like her previous books this is original, thought provoking, rounded in perspective and totally compelling. I was fully engrossed in this plot, the lives of those involved, the profiling and the ultimate conclusion to the hostage situation. Powerful, heartbreaking and shocking, this is a superb read.
