The Informationist Explained

The Informationist
Author:Taylor Stevens
Country:United States
Language:English
Series:Vanessa Michael Munroe
Genre:Thriller novel
Publisher:Crown Publishing Group
Pub Date:2011
Media Type:Print
Isbn:978-0307717092
Followed By:The Innocent

The Informationist, by Taylor Stevens, is the first novel in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series, about a young woman raised in Cameroon as the daughter of American missionaries. She has a life-changing experience at the age of 14 when she takes up with an infamous gunrunner and his mercenary crew. Later in life she becomes a dealer of information, sort of a private eye for the 21st century, where she works for governments and corporations dealing in the specialized information of Central Africa.[1]

The book has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Polish, Turkish and Dutch.

Reception

Reviews often compared Stevens's Vanessa Michael Munroe to Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander, in part due to their "feral, take-no-prisoners attitude."[2] Booklist's Don Crinklaw noted that neither character is "a guy in a girl suit but not one to whimper in the corner, either."[3] Sarah Weinman, writing for the Los Angeles Times, said Munroe and Salander "are lone wolves who, if they ever had a chance to meet, might discover they are really part of the same hunting pack."[4]

In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called The Informationist a "blazingly brilliant debut."

Crinklaw called the novel "intriguing," saying, "The maneuvers at the end are dazzling, worthy of patience with the puzzling middle, and a tad reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes’ matter of the Copper Beeches."

Weinman further indicated that Stevens "writes with the confidence of one who knows she’s hit on a winning series character who has the world at her beck and call — and, perhaps, a growing legion of fans too."

Library Journal also reviewed the novel.[5]

Awards and honors

The Informationist reached the top ten of The New York Times Best Seller list.[6]

Awards for The Informationist!Year!Award!Result!Ref.
2012Anthony Award for Best First NovelFinalist[7]
Barry Award for Best First NovelWinner
Macavity Award for Best First MysteryFinalist

Film adaptation

In October 2012, James Cameron's production company Lightstorm Entertainment picked up film rights to the book with plans for Cameron to direct the adaptation for 20th Century Fox. The film is said to begin shooting after Cameron finishes the second and third installments of his Avatar series.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: It's a Mystery: "Time ages a person's soul" . October 24, 2012 . Heldman . Irma . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514024604/http://www.openlettersmonthly.com/its-a-mystery-informationist/ . May 14, 2013 . live.
  2. Web site: 2011-01-03 . The Informationist by Taylor Stevens . 2023-08-27 . . 2023-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230827045045/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780307717092 . live .
  3. Web site: Crinklaw . Don . 2011-02-01 . The Informationist . 2023-08-27 . . 2023-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230827045718/https://www.booklistonline.com/The-Informationist-Taylor-Stevens/pid=4566533 . live .
  4. Web site: Weinman . Sarah . 2011-03-06 . Dark passages: Hungry for justice . 2023-08-27 . . en-US . 2021-09-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210917011759/https://www.latimes.com/books/la-ca-dark-passages-20110306-story.html . live .
  5. Web site: Susan . Moritz . 2011-02-01 . The Informationist . 2023-08-27 . . 2023-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230827045042/https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/the-informationist-a-thriller . live .
  6. Web site: Johnson . Rebecca . 2011-02-24 . Nobody’s Child . 2023-08-27 . . en-US . 2023-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530004955/https://www.vogue.com/article/nobodys-child . live .
  7. Web site: Taylor Stevens . 2023-08-27 . Stop, You're Killing Me! . 2023-06-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230607184925/http://stopyourekillingme.com/S_Authors/Stevens_Taylor.html . live .
  8. News: Rebecca . Keegan . James Cameron to direct 'The Informationist' . October 23, 2012 . . October 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130414021804/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-james-cameron-to-direct-novel-the-informationist-20121023,0,2965655.story . April 14, 2013 . live.