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What Members Thought
This debut novel kept me turning the pages even when I found our unreliable narrator exasperating and guessed the culprit early on. However, it’s not doing anything new; and the old, familiar thing that it is doing isn’t that exemplary either. I don’t quite understand why it’s the breakout hit of the moment. It’s a serviceable psychological thriller, nothing more, nothing less.
While the book's drawing inevitable comparisons to Gone Girl with its focus on domestic horrors, the better comparison is probably Hawkins's fellow countrywoman Sophie Hannah's Spilling CID series. Both feature unreliable female narrators trying to make sense of events that are shrouded in fog, with harrowing results that can easily scare you silly.
That said, I have mixed feelings about this one. Rachel is a hard character to spend much time with, and while that's a meaningful authorial choice g ...more
That said, I have mixed feelings about this one. Rachel is a hard character to spend much time with, and while that's a meaningful authorial choice g ...more
One of those hard to put down books, keeps you guessing, a dark story but fun to read.
This is my second audio book in a row with pathetic, unhinged, drunk, stalkery, desperate women. I listen to audio books while I'm cleaning, and this at least held my attention enough to distract me from dishes. There was some fun mystery in there hence the second star, once you got past the horrible female desperation. Hard to get past that though. Can I please distract myself from dishes with something other than misogynist drivel?
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A very odd book, told in turn by three women. Rachel who we hear from the most is an alcoholic who has spaces in her memory which add to the intrigue of the story, keeping the reader guessing all the way through.
I had read some hype about this book and it really appealed to me so I ordered a copy from the library. It was slow to start and to be completely honest it was just ok. I really didn't like any of the characters at all. They were either annoying, whiny, or angry and evil. Or a mix of it all. I found it a little bit predictable as a thriller but saying that....once I got started I couldn't stop as I was hoping it would get better and the characters would grow on me. They didn't.
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Every character in this book is deliciously dysfunctional. Nice listen on long car rides. Imagine it would be a good, fast-moving page turner, also.
Feb 22, 2015
Beth
marked it as to-read
Jun 19, 2015
Lauren Courtney
added it
Aug 01, 2015
Ed
is currently reading it
Jan 17, 2016
Renate
added it
