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59th out of 1,611 books
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Before I Go to Sleep
by
S.J. Watson (Goodreads Author)
'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me ...' Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person ...more
Hardcover, 360 pages
Published
June 14th 2011
by Harper
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June 15th 2am 2011
I am writing this down, in my journal I must do this otherwise I fear tomorrow I might not remember anything. Anything about the book I read today or about me or my wife, well she says she is. I woke up this morning and my eyes were cast upon a striking beautiful woman in an even more striking body wearing nice lingerie that fits like a glove. I have no idea at that moment who she is, she says she's my wife but I don't remember being married! I am trying to piece to...more
I can overlook a lot of bogus-tude for a good story, but this one exceeded my implausibility tolerance threshold. The analytical portion of my brain wants to give this an even lower rating, but it did hold my interest, so I have to be fair. It has a sinister edge that keeps you reading---at least until you start figuring everything out long before it's revealed.
If I listed all the laughable incongruities and convenient coincidences, I'd ruin it for people who just want an absorbing ...more
If I listed all the laughable incongruities and convenient coincidences, I'd ruin it for people who just want an absorbing ...more
Sometimes I get flipped around while I sleep. My head ends up where my feet should be. As I wake up and wave my hand in the air for the nightstand, the freak out begins. Where the heck am I? It only lasts a few seconds before I figure it out, but the depth of my disorientation during those few seconds is always surprising to me.
So, the book and I were off to a good start when, on the page one, Christine wakes up confused in a strange room. Unfortunately for her, it is not as simple ...more
So, the book and I were off to a good start when, on the page one, Christine wakes up confused in a strange room. Unfortunately for her, it is not as simple ...more
I picked this up somewhat on a whim. A couple of people had been talking about it, and I saw it in the Kindle store, and I just thought... fine, okay. I'll go for it. I read it in about four chunks. It's pretty riveting, actually. The unreliable narrator is reasonably well handled and as long as you're prepared to go along for the ride, it works reasonably well. I guessed the big twist fairly swiftly, then thought I'd got it wrong, and then it turned out my first guess was right. That was pretty...more
Argh. What a frustrating book. I want someone else I know to read it so I can discuss it with them, to see if they agree with my conclusion. Sarah, you should read it and let me know what you think.
I really really liked this book in the beginning. The concept, while not strictly novel (I can recall maybe half a dozen stories where amnesia like this features prominently) is utilized to great effect. The mystery is initially built quite satisfactorily, and you're drawn in as a reader.
...more
I really really liked this book in the beginning. The concept, while not strictly novel (I can recall maybe half a dozen stories where amnesia like this features prominently) is utilized to great effect. The mystery is initially built quite satisfactorily, and you're drawn in as a reader.
...more
Brenda
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Brenda by:
Michael
Wow! What an amazing debut novel! I could not put this book down, it completely captivated me, I was wanting to know what would happen next, I was afraid with her, for what would happen next.....
Christine Lucas (Chrissy) goes to sleep each night, and wakes up in bed with someone she doesn't recognise, the house is unfamiliar, the clothing is not hers! The man she wakes up next to tells her he is her husband, Ben, they have been married for 22 years, they are very happy, and very in l...more
Christine Lucas (Chrissy) goes to sleep each night, and wakes up in bed with someone she doesn't recognise, the house is unfamiliar, the clothing is not hers! The man she wakes up next to tells her he is her husband, Ben, they have been married for 22 years, they are very happy, and very in l...more
I only read reviews on Goodreads after I have read a book. I do this because after reading those reviews I wonder if I have read the same book as those reviewing it. Most start by giving a somewhat lengthly explanation of the plot of the book. Why? tell me what you thought. I know what it is about. I want to know what you thought of it. At this point I get really crazy because the opinions almost always are positive. I wish these people were my high school English teachers. I would have gotten A...more
From the very first sentence of the book I virtually became the protagonist, an amnesiac struggling to figure out who and where I am and why I'm in bed with this older man in a home I don't recognize and then when I look in the mirror, I barely recognize my reflection: this older woman with wrinkles and body starting to sag a little bit, naked and blank both mentally and physically, totally lost and scared and befuddled.
Every day is the same awakening until with the advice of a ther...more
Every day is the same awakening until with the advice of a ther...more
Initially, I thought the premise of the book would be a less comic "50 First Dates". I was wrong...very wrong. The story of Christine sucks you in right away and you immediately see how terrifying not remembering anything from your past would be, which Christine experiences each and every morning. From characters so real you feel you know them, the story unfolds via the journal her doctor requests she keep and read each morning. I heartily suggest you begin this book in the morning as ...more
Imagine this. You wake up one morning in an unfamiliar bed with a man you dont recognise next to you. You go to the toilet only to realise your hands look different. You look in the mirror to see yourself only alot older than what you can remember. The man you seen in bed says he is your husband Ben and have been married for many years but you cant remember this man and you cant remember ever being married. This is what happens to Christine who has to go through the same thing every day.
...more
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You might have heard about Before I Go To Sleep - the debut novel of S. J. Watson. You might have heard that it's an addicting, incredibly well crafted, finely honed suspenseful tale that will leave you turning pages long into the night.
Everything you've heard? All that and more! What an amazing debut! Rights have been sold in thirty countries already and the film rights are sold as well.
Christine wakes up early and finds herself in bed with a middle aged man. One she doe...more
Everything you've heard? All that and more! What an amazing debut! Rights have been sold in thirty countries already and the film rights are sold as well.
Christine wakes up early and finds herself in bed with a middle aged man. One she doe...more
Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books.com)
rated it
From my blog:
"As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I’m still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me. . ."...more
Memories define us.
So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?
Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love—all forgotten overnight.
And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story.
If you are looking for a psychological thriller that will have you guessing until the very last page what is happening, then I have the book for you. This is the best thriller that I have read this year and can hardly believe that it is the author’s first book.
Every single day Christine wakes up not knowing who she is, where she is, and who her husband is. It is the same scenario every day as she makes her way to the bathroom, where pictures are layered upon the mirror that explain...more
Every single day Christine wakes up not knowing who she is, where she is, and who her husband is. It is the same scenario every day as she makes her way to the bathroom, where pictures are layered upon the mirror that explain...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?
This really is my sort of thriller: psychology combined with mystery, no gore, and a puzzle that needs to be solved. If you’re interested in cognitive psychology then this is definitely a book for you.
Christine wakes up every morning thinking she is still in her early 20s until she looks in the mirror and realises she’s 47 years old. The bathroom is plastered with photographs but she has no recolle...more
This really is my sort of thriller: psychology combined with mystery, no gore, and a puzzle that needs to be solved. If you’re interested in cognitive psychology then this is definitely a book for you.
Christine wakes up every morning thinking she is still in her early 20s until she looks in the mirror and realises she’s 47 years old. The bathroom is plastered with photographs but she has no recolle...more
I had high hopes for this book to be a real nail-biter, edge-of-the-seat kind of thriller, that's what the testimonials and the promotional materials bill it as. Unfortunately for me it didn't live up to the hype.
I will say that it was easy to read and I read it in one day, eagerly anticipating the ending. However, what makes this story work is Watson's manipulation of reality in order to prolong the suspense. If the story had been more well grounded and believable I would have give...more
I will say that it was easy to read and I read it in one day, eagerly anticipating the ending. However, what makes this story work is Watson's manipulation of reality in order to prolong the suspense. If the story had been more well grounded and believable I would have give...more
What if you woke up every morning in a strange bed, next to a man you didn't know, unsure if you even know your own name? You get up in your confusion and go into the bathroom and look in the mirror only to see that you have wrinkles on your face and you are twenty years older than you thought you were. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn't it? Only it isn't. This is how Christine lives her days, every day, since her horrible car accident that left her like this. She must be told daily by Ben, who cl...more
Although it’s already out in the UK, it hasn’t yet hit US bookshelves, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a hardcopy of this novel… it’s AMAZING (I read an ecopy from Netgalley)! Imagine waking up every morning not knowing where you are, not recognizing the man in your bed, or the face in the mirror? What if, each morning, you had to be reintroduced to your husband, learn what a cell phone is, trust a strange man who says he’s your doctor, but won’t let you tell your husband about him… what w...more
“What are we if not an accumulation of our memories?”
Really, really enjoyed this one (thanks Tamster) even though suspense/thrillers aren’t my usual genre. The premise here reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates -girl wakes up each morning with no memories of the previous day(s) and essentially relives each new day as her first, being told about her accident and looking at photographs of her missing life. This isn’t a comedy though. The story here is dark and mysterious, with an impe...more
Really, really enjoyed this one (thanks Tamster) even though suspense/thrillers aren’t my usual genre. The premise here reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates -girl wakes up each morning with no memories of the previous day(s) and essentially relives each new day as her first, being told about her accident and looking at photographs of her missing life. This isn’t a comedy though. The story here is dark and mysterious, with an impe...more
This suspense novel draws the tension from its premise that when the protagonist wakes up from a night's sleep she has forgotten her last 20 years; she thinks she is in her twenties. Now many of us have experienced the sensation, especially when traveling and jet lagged. In our case we come to, realize and own up to our history; in the heroine's case she wonders where she is, who the guy beside her is, she looks askew at some woman's night rope and is shocked to look in the mirror ((OK we might ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book’s cover had been eyeing me for days, so yesterday afternoon I relented and started reading Part One. Problem was, I could not put it down. Birds were chirping outside before I finally closed the back cover to go to sleep. But it was totally worth it.
As described in the blurb, Christine is suffering from amnesia so severe that all her memories are erased every single night. (It sounds like Memento, but this apparently, tragically, happens.) She relies on her husband to expla
Wow! I think I held my breath through the whole book! Twists and turns that I never saw coming. Great book!
Really liked this book - kept me guessing from start to finish. I would recommend it!
Great book. Kept me enthralled right till the end. Very well written, one of those that you can't put down
Christine Lucas wakes up in a bedroom that's unfamiliar,and was in bed with an unfamiliar older man that she doesn't know, she looks at him as he sleeps, and notices he's wearing a wedding ring, Christine suppresses a groan, and thinks she's a slut, that's had a one night stand, and with a married man, at that.
She creeps out of the bedroom, and goes to the bathroom to use it,after flushing the toilet, she runs the tap, and picks up the soap to wash her hands. She wonders why t...more
Christine is a middle-aged woman with a thoroughly fictional problem -- she can only remember, in effect, the past 24 hours and that's on a good day. You see, when Christine goes to sleep, she forgets the past 20 years and wakes up as a 20-something woman. Confused. Surprised. But open to the suggestion of the man with whom she lives, a doctor and a trusty journal that, for reasons of plot, she has only kept for the past couple of weeks. As she rebuilds the past 20 years via journal she dis...more
Book Description
Here is the description from Amazon that hooked me:
Every day Christine wakes up not knowing where she is. Her memories disappear every time she falls asleep. Her husband, Ben, is a stranger to her, and he’s obligated to explain their life together on a daily basis—all the result of a mysterious accident that made Christine an amnesic. With the encouragement of her doctor, Christine starts a journal to help jog her memory every day. One morning, she opens it an...more
Here is the description from Amazon that hooked me:
Every day Christine wakes up not knowing where she is. Her memories disappear every time she falls asleep. Her husband, Ben, is a stranger to her, and he’s obligated to explain their life together on a daily basis—all the result of a mysterious accident that made Christine an amnesic. With the encouragement of her doctor, Christine starts a journal to help jog her memory every day. One morning, she opens it an...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Video Chat with S.J. Watson | 68 | 78 | Feb 21, 2012 12:44pm | |
| Harper Perennial Cost This Author a Sale | 2 | 30 | Feb 16, 2012 01:08am | |
| Bookworm Bitches : December 2011: Before I Go To Sleep | 66 | 212 | Feb 10, 2012 03:52pm | |
| Confused About Adam, Christine's Son | 44 | 450 | Feb 09, 2012 01:31pm | |
| Confusion at end about Dr. Nash | 9 | 283 | Feb 03, 2012 02:49pm | |
| Bitches with Books: Before I go to sleep | 12 | 9 | Jan 19, 2012 09:45am |
Readers Also Enjoyed
S J Watson was born in the Midlands, lives in London and worked in the NHS for a number of years.
In 2009 Watson was accepted into the first Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ Course, a programme that covers all aspects of the novel-writing process. Before I Go to Sleep is the result.
Now sold in over 30 languages around the world, Before I Go To Sleep has been also been acquire...more
More about S.J. Watson...
In 2009 Watson was accepted into the first Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ Course, a programme that covers all aspects of the novel-writing process. Before I Go to Sleep is the result.
Now sold in over 30 languages around the world, Before I Go To Sleep has been also been acquire...more
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“I want him to be happy. And I want you to be happy, too. Even if you can only find that happiness without me.”
—
10 people liked it
“We’re constantly changing facts, rewriting history to make things easier, to make them fit in with our preferred version of events. We do it automatically. We invent memories. Without thinking. If we tell ourselves something happened often enough we start to believe it, and then we can actually remember it.”
—
10 people liked it
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