From the Bookshelf of Read More, Relax More…

Behind Her Eyes

Sarah Pinborough

Start date: October 1, 2017

Finish date: October 31, 2017

Why we're reading this: October Book 2017
[close] October Book 2017

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

May 31, 2019 Manda rated it it was amazing

Wow. Just....wow. That ending had me in shock. I loved it

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2017 Kelly Martin- Loudermilk rated it it was ok

I really wanted to like this book, but I just can't.

First, let's discuss the main characters: David, Adele and Louise. Louise is a single mom living in a flat in London. David and Adele are a married couple who seem to have it all. They're married, have lots of money, have the nice big house in the right neighborhood. David, the poor little farm boy, married Adele, the socialite. Her parents left London and moved to a large estate in Scotland. However, one night, her parents die in a mysterious I really wanted to like this book, but I just can't.

First, let's discuss the main characters: David, Adele and Louise. Louise is a single mom living in a flat in London. David and Adele are a married couple who seem to have it all. They're married, have lots of money, have the nice big house in the right neighborhood. David, the poor little farm boy, married Adele, the socialite. Her parents left London and moved to a large estate in Scotland. However, one night, her parents die in a mysterious fire. David is now a practicing psychiatrist at a great firm in London. He does lots of volunteer work to help those less fortunate. Once hired, David gets to hire his own assistant and Louise is new assistant.

However, things for David and Louise are not this simple. Turns out, David is cheating on his gorgeous, perfect wife, Adele. Louise decides to finally break out of her shell and go to bar. The guy she kisses at the bar is David. Later, Louise shows up to her first day of work and BOOM (SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE FORWARD: Cute Guy at bar is hew new boss, David).

Adele "bumps" into Louise (literally) as Louise is dropping her son off at school/daycare. Then, they go for coffee and one thing leads to another and Adele and Louise have a budding friendship. Adele helps Louise shed some weight, quit smoking, be something other than a single mom balancing work and home life.

David and Louise keep having their relationship and then start engaging in activities that are frowned upon when the activity (even if consensual) is between and employer and employee. However, Adele knows all. How does she know all ? She knows from the moment that she bumps into Louise (it's planned the entire time) that that is the woman David is cheating on her with.

So, the question is: WHY NOT JUST GET A DIVORCE? Seems a bit of Amy and Nick from Gone Girl (though this book is a 1/4 of a start compared to Gone Girl. You want a good psychological thriller that will mess with your head--Gillian Flynn is your girl). The psychopath/sociopath connection between Amy and Adele becomes ever more apparent as the book progresses (though again, Gone Girl does it better). Adele has too much on David to just let David walk away. She'll frame him for Murder. That's why they never get a divorce.

However, there's also this lucid dreaming concept that is introduced and it started when Adele was a teenager in a home for people needing therapy after her parent's burned up in a fire. It's sort of a deep sleep experience but then your spirit sort of disconnects from your body and you can walk in spirit form basically to anything you have an connection with. for example, you could walk down the aisles of Walmart but you couldn't walk through London if you're never been there (if that makes sense).

The concept comes back at the end. I do not want to ruin the ending but it was sort of inception that thing--a dream within a dream, within a dream, within a dream, etc. with souls reattaching. This doesn't do it justice.

However, I think the book could have a different ending. I think the lucid dreaming concept was just introduced so the author could have an element of paranormal to it. It just was not a good ending. I see how it all worked out and how it weaved into the story. It just is so diabolical that it just doesn't fit within the vane of a sociopath.

The ending could have easily been Adele cut her hair, changed her name and grabbed her passport and moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and the ending would have fit the story better. ...more

Like · see review