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The Pretenders
'I’m perfectly happy lying to myself…If it means getting to stay with you.’
Jasper is ready to surprise his brother; Holly is ready to celebrate their engagement.
Anne tags along for fear of missing out, and John might just be going for another drink.
But Edmund and Ovidia had other plans for their Saturday.
Over the course of one day, these couples must own up to the secrets they’ve been hiding from one another and the lies they’ve been telling themselves. And face the devastating consequences.
Three couples. Two exes. One day. One reckoning.
In her debut novel, Agatha Zaza crafts a modern domestic tragedy simmering with betrayal and deceit.
Jasper is ready to surprise his brother; Holly is ready to celebrate their engagement.
Anne tags along for fear of missing out, and John might just be going for another drink.
But Edmund and Ovidia had other plans for their Saturday.
Over the course of one day, these couples must own up to the secrets they’ve been hiding from one another and the lies they’ve been telling themselves. And face the devastating consequences.
Three couples. Two exes. One day. One reckoning.
In her debut novel, Agatha Zaza crafts a modern domestic tragedy simmering with betrayal and deceit.
- GenresFictionContemporary
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2020
198 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Zaza
8 books7 followersAgatha Zaza is a Zambian and Finn at present living in Auckland, New Zealand. Her writing is a departure from her work in fundraising and international development.
The Pretenders was born in Singapore, where she spent three years as a trailing spouse, where she rekindled a long-dormant love of writing. Aside from Singapore, Agatha has worked and lived several countries, among them Uganda and in the then Soviet Union. While in Ireland, she earned a Master’s in Equality Studies from University College Dublin and worked in a genuine Irish pub.
Agatha’s work can be seen in the Johannesburg Review of Books and in a PEN International special edition on African writers. She has also published three short books on Amazon. She’s been a passionate slow runner for two and half decades and has recently given up composting.
The Pretenders was born in Singapore, where she spent three years as a trailing spouse, where she rekindled a long-dormant love of writing. Aside from Singapore, Agatha has worked and lived several countries, among them Uganda and in the then Soviet Union. While in Ireland, she earned a Master’s in Equality Studies from University College Dublin and worked in a genuine Irish pub.
Agatha’s work can be seen in the Johannesburg Review of Books and in a PEN International special edition on African writers. She has also published three short books on Amazon. She’s been a passionate slow runner for two and half decades and has recently given up composting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
March 30, 2022
1 "don't f-in tell me that this is prosecco...this is bloody baby duck ! " stars !!!
Fourth Most Fun Review Written in 2021 Award
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Agora books for an e-copy. This was released November 2020. I am providing my honest review.
This novel is maudlin. This book is unbelievable. This story is ridiculous. These characters are unidimensional. The writing is awkward. The prose is clunky. (kind of like this review...RIGHT ?)
Alanis Morrisette might have said Ironic ?
The cover and descriptions are so enticing but in the end it was baby duck and not only was it baby duck but flat baby duck. Ay yayayay !
Fourth Most Fun Review Written in 2021 Award
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Agora books for an e-copy. This was released November 2020. I am providing my honest review.
This novel is maudlin. This book is unbelievable. This story is ridiculous. These characters are unidimensional. The writing is awkward. The prose is clunky. (kind of like this review...RIGHT ?)
Alanis Morrisette might have said Ironic ?
The cover and descriptions are so enticing but in the end it was baby duck and not only was it baby duck but flat baby duck. Ay yayayay !
October 23, 2020
The Pretenders are three couples, newly engaged Jasper and Holly are in a taxi with older couple Anne and John travelling to call in unexpectedly on Jasper’s brother Edmund. They clearly arrive when something is badly amiss between Edmund and his partner Ovidia. The events take place across one day and track back to several years earlier.
This is a good debut and it’s evident that Agatha Zaza has a lot of talent. She has created a good domestic noir with seething undercurrents which sometimes break through the surface and you hold your breath in anticipation of what may happen next. There are some shocking revelations which catch you unawares and shake you to the core. All the characters have secrets and some are BIG and difficult to get your head around. The characters of Jasper, Edmund and especially Ovidia are very well fleshed out but Holly, Anne and John less so. The storyline does take a while to get going and it is a slow burn but it’s well worth sticking with as it really ramps up and becomes compelling. I think the end, though not a happy one, is realistic and fits well with the narrative and kudos to the author for resisting any temptation to make it more rose coloured.
Overall this is a well written, interesting, clever and multi layered slow burner and be prepared to be stunned in places.
With thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for the arc for an honest review.
This is a good debut and it’s evident that Agatha Zaza has a lot of talent. She has created a good domestic noir with seething undercurrents which sometimes break through the surface and you hold your breath in anticipation of what may happen next. There are some shocking revelations which catch you unawares and shake you to the core. All the characters have secrets and some are BIG and difficult to get your head around. The characters of Jasper, Edmund and especially Ovidia are very well fleshed out but Holly, Anne and John less so. The storyline does take a while to get going and it is a slow burn but it’s well worth sticking with as it really ramps up and becomes compelling. I think the end, though not a happy one, is realistic and fits well with the narrative and kudos to the author for resisting any temptation to make it more rose coloured.
Overall this is a well written, interesting, clever and multi layered slow burner and be prepared to be stunned in places.
With thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for the arc for an honest review.
November 8, 2020
This was not a thriller but more thought-provoking, especially the more I read. And the more I read, the more I wanted to know about the secrets that these people clearly had hidden from one another.
I was anticipating a book that was thrilling and full of suspense. However, this is not the case with Zaza’s writing. Gradually we learn more about the six friends over a course of one day. It is so packed full with information that I found it difficult to engage with the narrative. I think it was only until I was over half-way did I truly appreciate Zaza’s writing style.
This book does not live in the day of the friends gathering. Throughout the story, readers are taken back in the past, slowly learning about each character’s background. This is what I struggled the most with the narrative: the flashbacks are so subtle and I did not think they were clearly signposted in the plot. Instead, I found myself re-reading sections because I was confused at the sudden jump.
I think this threat of a disjointed narrative may deter potential readers. This is a book that requires your full attention and concentration. Furthermore, there are some very difficult and emotional topics that are covered in this novel, such as domestic violence and adultery. But, to be honest, whilst I found that these topics grew in intensity over the story, it reflected my increasing knowledge of the characters. Overall, I did not feel overwhelmed by the story, but more intrigued as the chapters developed.
To be honest, I wasn’t too sure if I was going to enjoy this novel because it was such a slow start. It became a simmering narrative that pulled me in over the pages. I think this is a story that will divide readers because it is a gradual development but I loved finding out about these people who, on the surface, are pretty good friends. By the end of story, I was actually quite shocked how many secrets existed between the lot of them!
Like a good wine, this story matures as you read on. I found I dwelled on the story after finishing, reflecting Zaza’s cleverly crafted narrative. It is definitely different to other stories I have read recently and I think, having finished it, I am more appreciative of the slow-burning story. This, I think, is what symbolises how effective the narrative becomes. If it was too obvious, the power of the secrets would have definitely lessened in impact.
With thanks to Agora books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was anticipating a book that was thrilling and full of suspense. However, this is not the case with Zaza’s writing. Gradually we learn more about the six friends over a course of one day. It is so packed full with information that I found it difficult to engage with the narrative. I think it was only until I was over half-way did I truly appreciate Zaza’s writing style.
This book does not live in the day of the friends gathering. Throughout the story, readers are taken back in the past, slowly learning about each character’s background. This is what I struggled the most with the narrative: the flashbacks are so subtle and I did not think they were clearly signposted in the plot. Instead, I found myself re-reading sections because I was confused at the sudden jump.
I think this threat of a disjointed narrative may deter potential readers. This is a book that requires your full attention and concentration. Furthermore, there are some very difficult and emotional topics that are covered in this novel, such as domestic violence and adultery. But, to be honest, whilst I found that these topics grew in intensity over the story, it reflected my increasing knowledge of the characters. Overall, I did not feel overwhelmed by the story, but more intrigued as the chapters developed.
To be honest, I wasn’t too sure if I was going to enjoy this novel because it was such a slow start. It became a simmering narrative that pulled me in over the pages. I think this is a story that will divide readers because it is a gradual development but I loved finding out about these people who, on the surface, are pretty good friends. By the end of story, I was actually quite shocked how many secrets existed between the lot of them!
Like a good wine, this story matures as you read on. I found I dwelled on the story after finishing, reflecting Zaza’s cleverly crafted narrative. It is definitely different to other stories I have read recently and I think, having finished it, I am more appreciative of the slow-burning story. This, I think, is what symbolises how effective the narrative becomes. If it was too obvious, the power of the secrets would have definitely lessened in impact.
With thanks to Agora books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2020
This was so intense, so messed up, disturbing, and with a stellar ending.
Domestic violence triggers abound but not at all the kind you might expect.
And 'not what you might expect' is basically the whole premise of this book. We're dropped right into the middle of the shit hitting the fan, but we don't know what shit or why. As the novel progresses we see we've got six protagonists, three couples, with big secrets. Some of them very hardcore secrets. We spend time in the present and in the past and very slowly the whole panorama of these messed up lives is revealed to us.
At first I was annoyed by her writing style because a few sentences were indecipherable even after rereading them. I also felt that she was dropping hints deliberately intended to mislead and something about the way she did it was irritating. But after some initial pains, everything improved and the reveals and the writing were much more engaging.
The main issue she brings up was something you don't normally read about so I commend her for that, but part of it seemed hard to swallow. But I don't actually know so maybe it is a plausible depiction.
Messed up but definitely recommended.
Thanks to the publisher, Agora Books, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Domestic violence triggers abound but not at all the kind you might expect.
And 'not what you might expect' is basically the whole premise of this book. We're dropped right into the middle of the shit hitting the fan, but we don't know what shit or why. As the novel progresses we see we've got six protagonists, three couples, with big secrets. Some of them very hardcore secrets. We spend time in the present and in the past and very slowly the whole panorama of these messed up lives is revealed to us.
At first I was annoyed by her writing style because a few sentences were indecipherable even after rereading them. I also felt that she was dropping hints deliberately intended to mislead and something about the way she did it was irritating. But after some initial pains, everything improved and the reveals and the writing were much more engaging.
The main issue she brings up was something you don't normally read about so I commend her for that, but part of it seemed hard to swallow. But I don't actually know so maybe it is a plausible depiction.
Messed up but definitely recommended.
Thanks to the publisher, Agora Books, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2021
The Pretenders, is about three couples. We have Edmund who is outside destroying a playhouse whilst his wife Olivia looks on. Meanwhile Edmund’s brother Jasper is on his way with his new fiancé Holly to celebrate their engagement and friends Anne and John.
Jasper is in for a shock as he didn’t know his brother was in a relationship and to top it all off, it’s his abusive ex!! If that wasn’t uncomfortable enough, they can see that they have interrupted Edmund and Olivia and the atmosphere in the house is a tad chilly!!
I love how we get to know each individual character as we discover what secrets they are hiding. The flashbacks are a great way of learning the characters backgrounds
I thought this was a brilliant debut. It’s very well written and has lifelike characters. There are some gasp out loud moments which I adore.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Jasper is in for a shock as he didn’t know his brother was in a relationship and to top it all off, it’s his abusive ex!! If that wasn’t uncomfortable enough, they can see that they have interrupted Edmund and Olivia and the atmosphere in the house is a tad chilly!!
I love how we get to know each individual character as we discover what secrets they are hiding. The flashbacks are a great way of learning the characters backgrounds
I thought this was a brilliant debut. It’s very well written and has lifelike characters. There are some gasp out loud moments which I adore.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
January 17, 2021
I don’t know how I feel about this book!! I found it very slow and at times my attention was wandering. But, I ploughed through to the end and it left me thinking that I didn’t really enjoy that read very much I wasn’t very keen on the characters particularly either. Maybe it’s because of my previous book which was soooo good that no book was going to hit the spot straight away.
November 7, 2020
Three couples are celebrating an engagement. As the time travels on, secrets are revealed.
Jasper has just got engaged to Holly. Anne and John also turn up at Edmunds house. But when they arrive at Edmunds, they are surprised to see that Edmund is in a relationship with Jasper's ex, Olivia.
This is the story of three couples who's deceptions and indiscretions reach a climax one night over a period of around twelve hours. The pace is steady as more and more secrets are revealed. The story touches on: love, misunderstandings, depression and abuse. There are some parts that some readers might find difficult. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's well written with lots of twists.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AgoraBooks and the author #AgathaZaza for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jasper has just got engaged to Holly. Anne and John also turn up at Edmunds house. But when they arrive at Edmunds, they are surprised to see that Edmund is in a relationship with Jasper's ex, Olivia.
This is the story of three couples who's deceptions and indiscretions reach a climax one night over a period of around twelve hours. The pace is steady as more and more secrets are revealed. The story touches on: love, misunderstandings, depression and abuse. There are some parts that some readers might find difficult. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's well written with lots of twists.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AgoraBooks and the author #AgathaZaza for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2020
I really wanted to like this one because the synopsis was so interesting but I was confused majority of the time and didn't feel like the book had any flow. I am really bummed about this.
February 15, 2021
This book was nothing at all like I was expecting- which was excellent and makes me want to go into more novels a bit blind to their content.
The Pretenders is a subtle, intricate character drama, a thought provoking narrative through one day in the lives of a family disconnected, who unexpectedly for some, come together to celebrate an engagement.
The author manages each delicate layer of this plot magnificently, as secrets come to light and every single character has things they have to come to terms with. It is a balancing act, a literary delight of a story forever on a knife edge of distressing revelations.
The group dynamic is real, vivid and addictive, it is a story you fall into and emerge breathless the other side, questioning everything you have read. Why each individual acted as they did may keep you up at night and it is a melancholy, intense reading experience that will stay with you long after you turn that final page.
I'll give nothing away, the moral dilemma at the heart of The Pretenders is something every reader will come to individually and I don't want to give a preconceived idea of what you'll find here.
Truly wonderful, sad, clever and with some beautiful writing. Highly recommended.
The Pretenders is a subtle, intricate character drama, a thought provoking narrative through one day in the lives of a family disconnected, who unexpectedly for some, come together to celebrate an engagement.
The author manages each delicate layer of this plot magnificently, as secrets come to light and every single character has things they have to come to terms with. It is a balancing act, a literary delight of a story forever on a knife edge of distressing revelations.
The group dynamic is real, vivid and addictive, it is a story you fall into and emerge breathless the other side, questioning everything you have read. Why each individual acted as they did may keep you up at night and it is a melancholy, intense reading experience that will stay with you long after you turn that final page.
I'll give nothing away, the moral dilemma at the heart of The Pretenders is something every reader will come to individually and I don't want to give a preconceived idea of what you'll find here.
Truly wonderful, sad, clever and with some beautiful writing. Highly recommended.
October 21, 2020
3 stars, maybe 2.5 for this one, I thought it was an ok book but nothing all that great. I found the book to be quite slow in places and not as dramatic or twist filled as I expected based on the description. I was hoping for more of a thriller type book or even just more dramatic secrets to come out over the course of the story but none of them really shocked me all that much and I kept reading hoping for something shocking but nothing really blew me away.
In The Pretenders 3 couples spend a Saturday together and their secrets are exposed. While there are secrets that come to light I wasn't all that invested in the characters and found that the book mainly focused on Edmund, Ovidia and Jasper, while the other 3 characters aren't as well developed and don't get included in the plot as much as the others. The book also jumps around in time a lot, on one page it's the fateful Saturday where they're all together and the next page it'll have jumped back in time to tell what happened at a different point in time, I found this confusing and while this background information added to the storyline I think it could've been incorporated in a less confusing way. I wanted more drama out of this book and got a few dark secrets but overall this book didn't mess with my head or surprise me.
Bottom line is I think some people could enjoy this book but it just wasn't for me. I didn't enjoy the confusing narration style and felt the secrets weren't as scandalous as I would've liked.
Thank you to Netgalley and Agora Books for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
In The Pretenders 3 couples spend a Saturday together and their secrets are exposed. While there are secrets that come to light I wasn't all that invested in the characters and found that the book mainly focused on Edmund, Ovidia and Jasper, while the other 3 characters aren't as well developed and don't get included in the plot as much as the others. The book also jumps around in time a lot, on one page it's the fateful Saturday where they're all together and the next page it'll have jumped back in time to tell what happened at a different point in time, I found this confusing and while this background information added to the storyline I think it could've been incorporated in a less confusing way. I wanted more drama out of this book and got a few dark secrets but overall this book didn't mess with my head or surprise me.
Bottom line is I think some people could enjoy this book but it just wasn't for me. I didn't enjoy the confusing narration style and felt the secrets weren't as scandalous as I would've liked.
Thank you to Netgalley and Agora Books for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2020
I was ecstatic when i got approved for this title as i found it calling me, it BEGGED TO BE READ.
The story majorly takes place on one Saturday where alarming secrets unravel and confrontations take place.
Jasper and Holly, a newly engaged in love couple plan to celebrate their engagement with his elder brother Edmund who stays in London. He asks his best friend and his best man, John and his wife Anne to accompany them.
But this innocuous, tiny celebration trip turns to something somber and unanticipated.
It breaks my heart to write that I struggled to read this book after the initial 35%.
I felt the character development was weak and rushed, the plot incoherent and haphazard and even though I was intrigued to continue it didn't really add to the reading experience due to the aforementioned points.
I got bored, too much conversation and "thinking inside the head" chapters of the book rather than the conversations between the characters contributed to the lacklustre feeling.
Maybe this is not the book for me but I would look forward to read some others from the author as this was her debut, so many more to come.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an e ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story majorly takes place on one Saturday where alarming secrets unravel and confrontations take place.
Jasper and Holly, a newly engaged in love couple plan to celebrate their engagement with his elder brother Edmund who stays in London. He asks his best friend and his best man, John and his wife Anne to accompany them.
But this innocuous, tiny celebration trip turns to something somber and unanticipated.
It breaks my heart to write that I struggled to read this book after the initial 35%.
I felt the character development was weak and rushed, the plot incoherent and haphazard and even though I was intrigued to continue it didn't really add to the reading experience due to the aforementioned points.
I got bored, too much conversation and "thinking inside the head" chapters of the book rather than the conversations between the characters contributed to the lacklustre feeling.
Maybe this is not the book for me but I would look forward to read some others from the author as this was her debut, so many more to come.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an e ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2020
An impeccably assured debut. The Pretenders is that perfect balance of heartfelt and, oh my god, SO dark. Each character is intriguing in their own way, and I found myself racing toward the end, hungry for every secret to be revealed (and what’s at the end is incredibly worth the wait). Excellent!
November 5, 2020
“I’m perfectly happy lying to myself … if it means getting to stay with you.“
The Pretenders is a well-plotted character-driven story about the ways people often fool others but also themselves.
It’s also a remarkably difficult novel to review without giving anything away. Three couples share an extraordinarily uncomfortable day with each other and the reader is right there with them. Or at least, that’s what it felt like to me. Like I had an extra seat at the table and I was right there in the thick of things, sipping my wine and wondering what the heck was going on. Because it’s incredibly obvious something is.
Jasper and Holly just got engaged. Happy times! They’ve been celebrating with their friends John and Anne. Now, Jasper is taking his little bubble of four to visit his older brother, Edward. But Edward and Ovidia had very different plans today. Throughout the day, these three couples must own up to secrets they’ve been hiding from each other and lies they’ve been telling themselves and ultimately face the consequences.
Those lies and secrets are revealed bit by bit throughout the story. Some by way of flashbacks, some in the present day. Each reveal seemed to pack an even bigger punch than the previous one and there were moments where I was left reeling. I may have spent a good half of the book frowning and wondering and desperately trying to figure out the ins and outs of these characters because, good grief, are they intriguing! And when things finally came together, … well, let’s just say, I wasn’t at all prepared for how dark this story would become.
Even though you might think so from the book description, this isn’t an action-packed, twists-per-second psychological thriller so don’t go into it expecting that. The Pretenders is very much a slow-burn of a novel, more domestic drama than anything else. It’s focused entirely on the characters and their motivations. Agatha Zaza really takes her time with them and so creates a fascinating depth to them, while also tackling a number of important topics that I won’t mention here at all because it’ll spoil things.
The Pretenders is a thoroughly impressive debut by Agatha Zaza. It’s one of those stories that gets under your skin, one you want to talk to people about and definitely one that will stay with me for quite some time.
The Pretenders is a well-plotted character-driven story about the ways people often fool others but also themselves.
It’s also a remarkably difficult novel to review without giving anything away. Three couples share an extraordinarily uncomfortable day with each other and the reader is right there with them. Or at least, that’s what it felt like to me. Like I had an extra seat at the table and I was right there in the thick of things, sipping my wine and wondering what the heck was going on. Because it’s incredibly obvious something is.
Jasper and Holly just got engaged. Happy times! They’ve been celebrating with their friends John and Anne. Now, Jasper is taking his little bubble of four to visit his older brother, Edward. But Edward and Ovidia had very different plans today. Throughout the day, these three couples must own up to secrets they’ve been hiding from each other and lies they’ve been telling themselves and ultimately face the consequences.
Those lies and secrets are revealed bit by bit throughout the story. Some by way of flashbacks, some in the present day. Each reveal seemed to pack an even bigger punch than the previous one and there were moments where I was left reeling. I may have spent a good half of the book frowning and wondering and desperately trying to figure out the ins and outs of these characters because, good grief, are they intriguing! And when things finally came together, … well, let’s just say, I wasn’t at all prepared for how dark this story would become.
Even though you might think so from the book description, this isn’t an action-packed, twists-per-second psychological thriller so don’t go into it expecting that. The Pretenders is very much a slow-burn of a novel, more domestic drama than anything else. It’s focused entirely on the characters and their motivations. Agatha Zaza really takes her time with them and so creates a fascinating depth to them, while also tackling a number of important topics that I won’t mention here at all because it’ll spoil things.
The Pretenders is a thoroughly impressive debut by Agatha Zaza. It’s one of those stories that gets under your skin, one you want to talk to people about and definitely one that will stay with me for quite some time.
November 7, 2020
I’m really conflicted, because I spent the whole time reading this book completely bored out of my mind because it was truly slow going. I do think this story was one which could’ve been done in around 50 pages but, at the same time, I don’t think we would’ve had as much depth to some of the characters.
Ovidia is a complex character, in that she’s strong and truly does have a unique outlook on life. On the other hand... she’s not so great, morally speaking. She has two sides, both of which are explored in depth, which really makes her the most interesting character to read about.
Ovidia is a complex character, in that she’s strong and truly does have a unique outlook on life. On the other hand... she’s not so great, morally speaking. She has two sides, both of which are explored in depth, which really makes her the most interesting character to read about.
”There is always someone telling you that you’re too something. You have to choose who you listen to.”
The book is written as a stream of consciousness rather than a plot-based narrative, which is perhaps why I didn’t enjoy it as much. I think, had there been more action and more progression rather than just sitting down and talking for 288 pages, I would’ve been a lot more invested. Some of the characters (mostly John and Jasper) blended together for me so often that I couldn’t separate them into individual identities. I also wasn’t a fan of the way the book jumped to different timelines without a clear indication of the fact. It was rather confusing, which didn’t help considering how vague the story already felt for me.
Though the narrative and characterisation wasn’t amazing, the way Zaza uses them to bring up important discussions was not lost on me. The Pretenders does an amazing job, I think, of discussing mental health. It especially opens up the discussion of how men find it difficult to talk about their mental health due to the pressures of society and the outdated concept that men are better at handling emotions. Jasper was given a great, yet harrowing, storyline. The book also discusses race and the role of the Black woman according to social norms. As I said before, I loved the way Agatha Zaza handles this through Ovidia.
In summary, I did appreciate a lot of elements within The Pretenders, but there were some little things that just didn’t suit my personal tastes! This is definitely one for those of you who want more of a slow paced, domestic, psychological contemporary novel.
Trigger warnings: miscarriage, alcoholism, adultery, death of a child, physical abuse, emotional abuse, domestic violence, eating disorder, depression, mention of suicidal thoughts.
Thank you to Agora Books and Agatha Zaza for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
November 6, 2020
This was SO disappointing. The premise sounded great, and some of the reviews mentioned trigger warnings that had huge potential for a great book. But it took way too long to get to anything. There were no subtle hints about any of the trauma or secrets to keep me interested. A slow burner that crept along at a snail pace and just lost me for too long.
October 17, 2020
Review to follow
November 15, 2020
Insieme agli amici John ed Anne e alla futura moglie Holly, Jasper decide di fare una sorpresa al fratello Edmund, recandosi da lui per festeggiare il proprio fidanzamento.
Ma lì, in quella casa che sembra uscita da una rivista, trova l'ultima persona che mai si sarebbe aspettato: Ovidia, che riporta a galla sentimenti e terrori mai sopiti...
The pretenders è un romanzo che comincia in modo difficile, astruso, direi: che cosa è successo, ci si chiede, tra Edmund e Ovidia? Perché sembrano entrambi così privi di vita? Cos'è la cosa importante che devono fare quello stesso giorno?
Con il procedere della narrazione, tuttavia, la storia avviluppa come in un vortice e non ti lascia più andare.
L'azione si svolge tutta in una sola giornata, densa e pesante, mentre svariati flashback fanno luce su quelle che sono le relazioni tra i sei personaggi (i pretenders, coloro che mentono), le piccole o grandi finzioni in cui vivono, le bugie dietro cui si nascondono.
Il risultato è una storia che avvince, stupisce, fa male, e che opprime, soffoca, forse in modo eccessivo verso la fine.
Benché il rapporto tra Jasper, Edmund e Ovidia e ciò che è successo tra loro mi sia sembrato qualche volta implausibile, tutti i personaggi sono invece profondamente realistici.
Mentono agli altri e a se stessi, sono egoisti, invidiosi, fragili.
Descrivendoci le loro vicende, l'autrice tocca molti temi importanti, come quello della violenza domestica, del tradimento e della depressione.
In molti hanno definito il finale di questo romanzo "unhappy", triste; di certo non è lieto, ma io lo definirei semplicemente umano. È così che vanno le cose, a volte, nella vita.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.com/2...
Ma lì, in quella casa che sembra uscita da una rivista, trova l'ultima persona che mai si sarebbe aspettato: Ovidia, che riporta a galla sentimenti e terrori mai sopiti...
The pretenders è un romanzo che comincia in modo difficile, astruso, direi: che cosa è successo, ci si chiede, tra Edmund e Ovidia? Perché sembrano entrambi così privi di vita? Cos'è la cosa importante che devono fare quello stesso giorno?
Con il procedere della narrazione, tuttavia, la storia avviluppa come in un vortice e non ti lascia più andare.
L'azione si svolge tutta in una sola giornata, densa e pesante, mentre svariati flashback fanno luce su quelle che sono le relazioni tra i sei personaggi (i pretenders, coloro che mentono), le piccole o grandi finzioni in cui vivono, le bugie dietro cui si nascondono.
Il risultato è una storia che avvince, stupisce, fa male, e che opprime, soffoca, forse in modo eccessivo verso la fine.
Benché il rapporto tra Jasper, Edmund e Ovidia e ciò che è successo tra loro mi sia sembrato qualche volta implausibile, tutti i personaggi sono invece profondamente realistici.
Mentono agli altri e a se stessi, sono egoisti, invidiosi, fragili.
Descrivendoci le loro vicende, l'autrice tocca molti temi importanti, come quello della violenza domestica, del tradimento e della depressione.
In molti hanno definito il finale di questo romanzo "unhappy", triste; di certo non è lieto, ma io lo definirei semplicemente umano. È così che vanno le cose, a volte, nella vita.
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December 28, 2020
4.5⭐
I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.
This novel is mainly about family and relationships with plenty of secrets where you're unsure who to trust!
My favourite quote:
"For a moment, he felt utterly humiliated at having been rescued by two strangers and mistaken for a drug addict by a third. Then he just felt hungry."
I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.
This novel is mainly about family and relationships with plenty of secrets where you're unsure who to trust!
My favourite quote:
"For a moment, he felt utterly humiliated at having been rescued by two strangers and mistaken for a drug addict by a third. Then he just felt hungry."
October 31, 2020
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.
The Pretenders was everything I expected it to be.
‘I’m perfectly happy lying to myself… If it means getting to stay with you.’
Words loaded with meaning as an amuse-bouche. The tone is set; get ready for some lies. Not just the regular lies to tell others when you are late or when you forgot something. There is something special in lying to yourself. Fooling others is easy. Fooling yourself is trickier. It requires so much energy and strength to make you believe in things you know deep inside are not true, or are different from what you pretend they are…
If you haven’t guessed yet, I was hooked before I opened my copy. My mind was running.
The opening is violent in its intensity and in the sheer force of the emotions contained. You can almost feel the pages trembling with anger and pain, and I had no idea why. An helpless witness to a dark opening, I felt my heart break without being able to fathom the reason. Three pages, two characters, one house, and something more hinted at by a stunning writing style filled with the right amount of details to make you part of the picture. I knew I’d jumped in a muddy puddle. Ghosts were around the house and wrapping themselves around Edmund and Ovidia as they made their first steps into my world… or me into theirs. Oh I loved this opening! So promising…
Do you often pop in at a friend’s house on a Saturday morning? Or maybe to a family member’s house? Jasper has the fantastic idea to visit his brother Edmund to celebrate the news of his engagement to the lovely Holly. I’m not against having guests, but unless you’re on my close friends’ list, give me a call first!
What sounds like a mundane visit soon turns into what I can only call a performance. Everyone has something on their mind. Everyone fakes smiles and politeness but the feeling something is off is so powerful that no matter how much they try, it feels like a bad-rehearsed play. The atmosphere in the house when Edmund, Ovidia, and their guests tip-toe around each other is so suffocating I wondered when one of them would die of asphyxia! Well, the novel is not called The Pretenders for nothing…
Because everyone is pretending. Edmund, always in a suit, busy, and boring, the perfect cliché of an English businessman, is in his PJs! Ovidia is the question mark in the house, as no one knew she would be there. Ovidia is the big joker in this poker game. John and Holly, married and happy friends of the group, also have a closet holding a few skeletons, and Jasper, Edmund’s brother and soon-to-be married to Holly, is having one of the weirdest day of his life.
Reading The Pretenders was like being stuck in a mirror house. Depending on the angle your eye caught, you got a glimpse of something that didn’t quite make sense, that would nag at your subconscious mind. A simple announcement turned into a claustrophobic nightmare where everyone did their best to play their assigned role. But the weight of the job is so heavy that someone, or something, is always going to break.
As I swiftly turned the pages, I found myself really relishing the writing. Agatha Zaza has a beautiful, subtle, but efficient way to explore the psychology of her protagonists through a wise and precise choice of words. A chuckle is going to have so much power. A glance is going to turn into an ominous sign. The claustrophobia is not only felt through the action, or the stillness of the characters, but through those tiny details that turn a narrative into a weapon. A weapon that shows us just how us, human beings, make our lives so much more complicated than it has to be. A weapon that shows that pretending may be a defense mechanism, but if we are not careful, it takes us away from the world, and from ourselves.
Until the coat of sugar melts and the true colors appear. Then the hurt has nowhere to hide, the painful memories or past actions are out in the open, the scars are red and raw.
Agatha Zaza knows domestic tragedy. You don’t need Greek gods and guys in too little clothes for a true cathartic play. You only need to grab your copy of The Pretenders.
The Pretenders was everything I expected it to be.
‘I’m perfectly happy lying to myself… If it means getting to stay with you.’
Words loaded with meaning as an amuse-bouche. The tone is set; get ready for some lies. Not just the regular lies to tell others when you are late or when you forgot something. There is something special in lying to yourself. Fooling others is easy. Fooling yourself is trickier. It requires so much energy and strength to make you believe in things you know deep inside are not true, or are different from what you pretend they are…
If you haven’t guessed yet, I was hooked before I opened my copy. My mind was running.
The opening is violent in its intensity and in the sheer force of the emotions contained. You can almost feel the pages trembling with anger and pain, and I had no idea why. An helpless witness to a dark opening, I felt my heart break without being able to fathom the reason. Three pages, two characters, one house, and something more hinted at by a stunning writing style filled with the right amount of details to make you part of the picture. I knew I’d jumped in a muddy puddle. Ghosts were around the house and wrapping themselves around Edmund and Ovidia as they made their first steps into my world… or me into theirs. Oh I loved this opening! So promising…
Do you often pop in at a friend’s house on a Saturday morning? Or maybe to a family member’s house? Jasper has the fantastic idea to visit his brother Edmund to celebrate the news of his engagement to the lovely Holly. I’m not against having guests, but unless you’re on my close friends’ list, give me a call first!
What sounds like a mundane visit soon turns into what I can only call a performance. Everyone has something on their mind. Everyone fakes smiles and politeness but the feeling something is off is so powerful that no matter how much they try, it feels like a bad-rehearsed play. The atmosphere in the house when Edmund, Ovidia, and their guests tip-toe around each other is so suffocating I wondered when one of them would die of asphyxia! Well, the novel is not called The Pretenders for nothing…
Because everyone is pretending. Edmund, always in a suit, busy, and boring, the perfect cliché of an English businessman, is in his PJs! Ovidia is the question mark in the house, as no one knew she would be there. Ovidia is the big joker in this poker game. John and Holly, married and happy friends of the group, also have a closet holding a few skeletons, and Jasper, Edmund’s brother and soon-to-be married to Holly, is having one of the weirdest day of his life.
Reading The Pretenders was like being stuck in a mirror house. Depending on the angle your eye caught, you got a glimpse of something that didn’t quite make sense, that would nag at your subconscious mind. A simple announcement turned into a claustrophobic nightmare where everyone did their best to play their assigned role. But the weight of the job is so heavy that someone, or something, is always going to break.
As I swiftly turned the pages, I found myself really relishing the writing. Agatha Zaza has a beautiful, subtle, but efficient way to explore the psychology of her protagonists through a wise and precise choice of words. A chuckle is going to have so much power. A glance is going to turn into an ominous sign. The claustrophobia is not only felt through the action, or the stillness of the characters, but through those tiny details that turn a narrative into a weapon. A weapon that shows us just how us, human beings, make our lives so much more complicated than it has to be. A weapon that shows that pretending may be a defense mechanism, but if we are not careful, it takes us away from the world, and from ourselves.
Until the coat of sugar melts and the true colors appear. Then the hurt has nowhere to hide, the painful memories or past actions are out in the open, the scars are red and raw.
Agatha Zaza knows domestic tragedy. You don’t need Greek gods and guys in too little clothes for a true cathartic play. You only need to grab your copy of The Pretenders.
December 18, 2020
Ovidia and Edmund have made arrangements for their Saturday in Spring but their plans are to be thwarted when Edmund's brother, Jasper and new fiancée, Holly decide to pay Edmund an impromptu visit to celebrate their recent engagement, inviting friends Anne and John along, too.
The Pretenders
follows the six friends over the course of one day, with flashbacks over several years, as long-held secrets are uncovered.
Little by little revelations are made, concealments surface and lies are exposed. The tension gradually builds and I soon found myself rapidly flipping the pages in my desperation to find out what was happening and what had occurred. Agatha Zaza's fresh, sharp writing style worked for me and the story included some convincing shocks along the way. A dark and compelling family-drama-style thriller that I highly recommend and a really great début to boot!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Agora Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Little by little revelations are made, concealments surface and lies are exposed. The tension gradually builds and I soon found myself rapidly flipping the pages in my desperation to find out what was happening and what had occurred. Agatha Zaza's fresh, sharp writing style worked for me and the story included some convincing shocks along the way. A dark and compelling family-drama-style thriller that I highly recommend and a really great début to boot!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Agora Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
January 3, 2021
”There is always someone telling you that you’re too something. You have to choose who you listen to.”
The Pretenders tells the story of three couples that gather on a Saturday and all of their hidden away secrets become exposed. Some of the revelations were deeply delicious while others felt a little lackluster on their reveal. The book focuses in on Edmund, Ovidia and Jasper and they become well- defined characters meanwhile Anne, John and Holly feel a little left in the dust. This book was a trickier read than I thought as it flips back and forth from the pivotal Saturday and then flashbacks of the events with minimal transitions between the lapses in time. The Pretenders has commentary about the ways that we fool others in our actions but how often we are just fooling ourselves. I applaud Zaza for bringing up domestic violence within the book and in a powerful way. Overall, this book was well-written and filled with vivid descriptions and I'll definitely read more of Zaza's repertoire.
The Pretenders tells the story of three couples that gather on a Saturday and all of their hidden away secrets become exposed. Some of the revelations were deeply delicious while others felt a little lackluster on their reveal. The book focuses in on Edmund, Ovidia and Jasper and they become well- defined characters meanwhile Anne, John and Holly feel a little left in the dust. This book was a trickier read than I thought as it flips back and forth from the pivotal Saturday and then flashbacks of the events with minimal transitions between the lapses in time. The Pretenders has commentary about the ways that we fool others in our actions but how often we are just fooling ourselves. I applaud Zaza for bringing up domestic violence within the book and in a powerful way. Overall, this book was well-written and filled with vivid descriptions and I'll definitely read more of Zaza's repertoire.
November 3, 2020
The Pretenders is the tale of secrets and the consequences when they come to light.
To celebrate their engagement, Holly and Jasper arrange a little celebration with a few friends and Jasper’s brother.
All set during one Saturday, with flashbacks to each character’s background and how they have reached this point. As secrets begin to come to light the tension builds and you wonder what will happen next.
This is a dark thriller that will keep you turning the pages as more shocks and secrets are discovered. It has a fresh, sharp writing style and some real shocks along the way. A dark and compelling thriller.
Thank you to Peyton at Agora Books for the opportunity to be part of the blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of The Pretenders.
To celebrate their engagement, Holly and Jasper arrange a little celebration with a few friends and Jasper’s brother.
All set during one Saturday, with flashbacks to each character’s background and how they have reached this point. As secrets begin to come to light the tension builds and you wonder what will happen next.
This is a dark thriller that will keep you turning the pages as more shocks and secrets are discovered. It has a fresh, sharp writing style and some real shocks along the way. A dark and compelling thriller.
Thank you to Peyton at Agora Books for the opportunity to be part of the blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of The Pretenders.
November 17, 2020
I read this title without reading the synopsis, so the story was quite a surprise to me as it unfolded. This is a fascinating debut, so well written. A surprise visit to Jasper's brother's house with his friends to celebrate his engagement sparks off a day that none of them envisaged. Three couples with their own mysteries and flashbacks to what brought them to this day is very cleverly laid out. It is a compulsive read filled with mystery. Can't wait to read more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Agatha Zaza/Agora Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Agatha Zaza/Agora Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 6, 2020
This is a masterfully written story about three couples and the secrets that they hold and how on one fateful afternoon, each couple's carefully constructed set of lies is blasted to smithereens. The reader can't anticipate any of it, but is compelled to turn pages, digging deeper behind the false face each person has presented to the world. This novel takes the reader on a page turning ride of unexpected twists and turns.
November 11, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy.
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I honestly thought this novel, based on description, would be not quite as deep. Not quite as powerful. But I will happily say I was wrong. I read this whole book in a day because I needed to know. I needed to know the secrets. The causes of what was happening. And boy did I not see them coming.
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Well done overall.
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I honestly thought this novel, based on description, would be not quite as deep. Not quite as powerful. But I will happily say I was wrong. I read this whole book in a day because I needed to know. I needed to know the secrets. The causes of what was happening. And boy did I not see them coming.
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Well done overall.
September 30, 2020
This was a really well-written book with an excellently weaved storyline. It follows the lives of different adults, through flashbacks as they sit together having a conversation. I thought the way that Zaza wove together the stories was seamless, and very compelling. That kind of book you don't want to put down. The stories themselves were surprising, which I loved, because I never feel surprised by books anymore, I often feel like authors are just doing the same things over and over. This however, was completely new, and every twist had me shocked.
[spoiler alert] I didn't give it a 5 stars because I was sooo unhappy with the ending! I just wanted Jasper to be loved long-term by Holly, and her leaving him... well I literally wanted to scream at her. But a good emotional reaction is how you know it's a good book!
TW: I wouldn't recommend this book to you if you're sensitive or vulnerable to descriptions of physical abuse, domestic abuse, miscarriages, or child abuse. The descriptions are intensely detailed, but they are there.
[spoiler alert] I didn't give it a 5 stars because I was sooo unhappy with the ending! I just wanted Jasper to be loved long-term by Holly, and her leaving him... well I literally wanted to scream at her. But a good emotional reaction is how you know it's a good book!
TW: I wouldn't recommend this book to you if you're sensitive or vulnerable to descriptions of physical abuse, domestic abuse, miscarriages, or child abuse. The descriptions are intensely detailed, but they are there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2020
This was definitely a guilty pleasure page turner for me and was able to finish it in two sittings.
This is a story of three couples coming together to celebrate Holly and Jasper's engagement with their friends and family but as the day goes on so many secrets are revealed. A story about how far one will go to hide in order to preserve oneself and their family.
What I loved about it:
There are so many bombshells in this book and the secrets are unlike anything that I've read before. I liked the unpredictability and the fact that they highlighted issues that aren't often talked about. I loved how Agatha dropped smaller tidbits of each character's background and would just leave them daggling like bait until she would revisit them later in the story. Like I said, a page turner.
What I didn't like:
I would have liked more character development for Holly, John, and Anne. I also felt like the book ended somewhat abruptly which was fitting for the way we were thrown into the story but I wanted more information instead of a quick wrap up.
I would definitely recommend this book especially if you love trying to make predictions. This one will challenge you and I promise you won't see the end coming.
This is a story of three couples coming together to celebrate Holly and Jasper's engagement with their friends and family but as the day goes on so many secrets are revealed. A story about how far one will go to hide in order to preserve oneself and their family.
What I loved about it:
There are so many bombshells in this book and the secrets are unlike anything that I've read before. I liked the unpredictability and the fact that they highlighted issues that aren't often talked about. I loved how Agatha dropped smaller tidbits of each character's background and would just leave them daggling like bait until she would revisit them later in the story. Like I said, a page turner.
What I didn't like:
I would have liked more character development for Holly, John, and Anne. I also felt like the book ended somewhat abruptly which was fitting for the way we were thrown into the story but I wanted more information instead of a quick wrap up.
I would definitely recommend this book especially if you love trying to make predictions. This one will challenge you and I promise you won't see the end coming.
August 30, 2023
DNF at 23% I was listening to the audiobook but just couldn’t get into it. The writing was clunky and I didn’t like any of the characters.
November 15, 2021
Too many characters jumped around alot.
January 8, 2021
This one started slow. I was reminded about why I don’t read thrillers . To have so many hints dropped , so much foreshadowing and knowing absolutely nothing half way through doesn’t bode well with me. In this book A couple is just engaged. The two of them and two other friends go to see the brother of Jasper who has proposed to holly to tell him about their engagement. Immediately they can tell something is wrong and the few hours plunges them into a myriad of complicated tangles and lots of secrets are revealed.
I didn’t like the end but other than that once I got to a halfway mark I was totally engrossed into the lives of these 6 people. Everything takes place in the matter of a day and the writing is tight and gripping. Definitely recommend giving it a read
I didn’t like the end but other than that once I got to a halfway mark I was totally engrossed into the lives of these 6 people. Everything takes place in the matter of a day and the writing is tight and gripping. Definitely recommend giving it a read
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