Book Review: Second Life by SJ Watson

I had very high hopes for SJ Watson’s second novel after my enjoying her debut, before I go to sleep, both on paper and on screen. In my recent haul of books from my trip abroad, Second Life was my most anticipated read and when I finally had the time to grab a book to read I didn’t hesitate twice and chose it, wishing for another really enjoyable read. 

However, I’d have to say that ploughed through the book just for the sake of finding out whether or not the “mystery” of Julia’s sister was worth the read. The story line was a bit, well, meh. The second life thing is nothing ground breaking, just another bored wife doing what she isn’t supposed to do yet enjoying it. The story it starts with, the one with the photograph, was quite predictable albeit the last puzzle piece I didn’t see coming, and all in all the entire book was just one big disappointment especially with the ending which, to be frank, after making myself reach the end for the sake of finding out what happened, was the biggest disappointment of them all.

I think it was a bit unfair and unfortunate for this particular story, to read it while expecting something in the same league of before I go to sleep. Perhaps if I had read this one first I wouldn’t have had too high of expectations and in extension, too low of an opinion but this is the way it was. I, however, wouldn’t personally recommend it and had I known how it would turn out in the end, ,wouldn’t have picked it up myself.