Nov/Dec Group Read - Before I Go To Sleep

[Marc-Antoine]

Wow, this book really starts off strong, after reading the first chapter I am hooked. I have a feeling I will be up well into the night still turning pages. (view spoiler)[DON'T TRUST BEN (hide spoiler)]

[Bill]

I've never heard of this story before. It sounds very interesting. Just from the brief synopsis, it brings to mind the movie Memento by Christopher Nolan. I will have to try and find a copy. Enjoy the discussions.

[Teresa]

Just downloaded the audiobook version and am already finding it fascinating. Looking forward to discussing this novel and seeing other people's opinions

[Rachel]

i read this soon after it was released and really enjoyed it-hope the group likes it!

[Marc-Antoine]

This is the most intriguing story I have read in recent history, possibly ever. I can't wait to find out where the story is going.

[Linda]

I read this one earlier in the year, and it is very good. It does kind of remind you of Momento, but there are some different things going on. I will join the discussion.

[Tay]

I thought it was an interesting read. It starts out strong then drags a little in the middle and a pretty good ending.

[Tay]

I found out they are turning this into a movie starring Nicole Kidman.

[Bill]

Does Nicole Kidman fit your image of the main character in the book?

[Rachel]

i don't recall how the character was described in the book as i read it some time ago but i think nicole kidman will do a great job with the role.

[Gemma]

I read this book at the beginning of the year, and it has stuck with me. Definitely one of my favourite reads for 2012. I could picture Nicole Kidman, I hope they base the film in England and not America, as the book is based in London.

[Marc-Antoine]

Not sure I like Kidman for the role, I could picture Julianne Moore in the role better.

[Brian]

I would rather see someone who looks a lot older than they did in their twenties. And does the actor have to be British?

[Tay]

I do like Nicole Kidman playing the role. I think the other person who could do well in the role is Sandra Bullock.

[Linda]

After reading all the comments, I just downloaded the book to my iPad. Sounds Like a very good read for me

[Mark]

I hate to be a dissenting voice but I didn't like this book - I read it when it first came out and was excited about the concept, but I soon grew bored. I didn't finish it. It's been a massive hit though and I'm intrigued to see what ii is that everyone else loves about it so much.

[Heidi]

David wrote: "This times group read is Before I Go To Sleep.
This my first time leading the discussion so be gentle and join in.

The book won a load of crime literary awards so I hope it lives up to expectation..."
I am on the waiting list again at the library. Thank goodness the list isnt long at all. This sounds like a really interesting book. The description kind of reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler.
I like the fact that this one is a mystery/thriller and not a comedy.

[Nadia]

I read this book soon after it came out in the UK and found it really cleverly written. It had you believing what she was being told as true and as the book went on you suddenly saw the holes in Bens story. It had a great twist at the end. Great book and it's probably one I would read again.

[Nicole]

I really can't say how this book is not that far yet.

[S.W.]

I'll be curious to hear what everyone thinks of this. I really enjoyed it as I was reading--it's well written and suspenseful. However, once I was done and thought about it, there seemed to be some gaping plot holes.

[Martha]

Yes, I had the same experience. as soon as I started it I was hooked. It was hard to put it down until the next time I had a time to read. I finished it fast because of that. However, I did find some of those gaping plot holes. At least one of them struck me while I was reading, and the others when I was done. But I sure enjoyed the book and I think it will be one of those books that stays on my memory.

[Jeffrey]

An entertaining page-turner with some nice twists that, nevertheless, requires the reader to ignore some glaring contrivances.

On the whole, however, I did enjoy this. I give it 4 stars, but 3.5 would be more accurate.

[Chris]

This book was full of suspense and was well written, however (view spoiler)[ where were her family and friends following her kidnap from the hospital, did they really not inquire after her once? I really think the author did not think this through. I would have liked an epilogue dated a few years later too, providing some progress (hide spoiler)]

[Brian]

I enjoyed the book, even though I feel that the idea of the book was far better than the substance of the book. To me it felt as if the ending felt rushed and that there were so many things that could not be explained. If it had a better ending I would of gave it 5 stars but based on the idea and the first 3/4 of the book I gave it 4.

[DuffyMcDuff]

This was recommended to me by a Goodreads friend and I really enjoyed it.

[Lila]

It was 3,5 stars for me. It reminded me of Memento a lot,but my biggest complaint was lack of surprise. From the beginning there was only one character we were suppose to suspect; you just know where story is going... Also (view spoiler)[I think that Christine's crush on young doctor was completely unnecessary for the plot (hide spoiler)] I'm interested to see the movie when comes out though, but not so sure on casting Nicole Kidman.

[Linda]

I can see Nicole Kidman, not Meg Ryan or Sandra Bullock. As far as Ben, I see someone tall & dark, maybe Ben Affleck???

This book did have slow parts, but it was a good read.

[Meinolf]

I've read the book some months ago and found it very thrilling. I could really empathize with the main character about her situation. Although there may be plot holes I really enjoyed the book.

[Susan]

I kind of thought the repetition added to the trapped feeling she had.

David wrote: ..."

[Heidi]

I am getting ready to start this book tonight. It sounds very interesting. I do not know what I would do if I forgot everything when I went to sleep. It almost makes you want to stay up to see what would happen.

[June]

I read this book when it first came out and almost didn't start it, not liking the storyline. However, I wanted to see what the hype was all about and glad I did. It was quite good and I read it in two nights!

[Suzanne]

I thought this book was a fun, quick read, and I can definitely see it as a movie. In fact, at first I kept thinking about the movie "50 First Dates" since it has a similar premise. I hadn't thought about the repetition until David mentioned it.

[Janinie Beanie]

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in 2 days. I loved the twist at the end. I heard they are making a movie. I doubt it will be as good as the book but I will definitely want to see it.

[Colin]

I read this one a little while back and like some of the people here that say it was a bit slow in the middle I agree. In the middle to two thirds the way through I felt it was turning into a generic soap opera-esque drama fiction (which is NOT my genre) but it soon got back on track and the twist at the end made it as great as the book started out. I did really enjoy it overall and would definitely find a film version interesting. It's a shame they'll Americanise it (with Nicole Kidman etc) but I'm sure it'll be good.

It reminded me a little of the film Momento (of course) but also a little of Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island, which I also loved reading.

[Heidi]

I am about 30% through the story. Since I have read many mysteries/thrillers, I am beginning to wonder why she does not trust her husband. There has to be something in her subconscious telling her not to. I wonder if he is the one who ran her over with the car.

[Karen]

I just finished it...fun story, love the journey.

[Summer]

I agree with others: it dragged in the middle, the journal entries were repetitive, there was some far-too-easily-dismissed plotholes, and I'm quite disappointed in the ending. (view spoiler)[I don't mind unreliable narrators or cliffhangers as a general rule, but I do mind that the author posed an important, overarching question (will Christine get her memory and her life back?) and then didn't bother to answer it. Somehow it cheapened the feel of Christine's journey. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, the novel was an interesting idea but perhaps was better in theory than in practice. Still, not bad for a debut effort.

[Heidi]

David wrote: "Right I think most people are well underway if not finished the book so thought a few discussion questions may spark some more thoughts/debate.

Did the book peak your interest from the start or di..."
I am only half way through the book, but I have always thought that the husband was slipping something into her drink to make her forget. She may have asked for a divorce, and the accident, and memory loss was Ben's way of keeping her with him. I also thought that Ben raped her on more than once even though they were married.
The journal entries was fine for me. I kept many journals as a teenager/young adult. I re-read them at times. I have read a couple of other books that were written as a journal.
So far I would give this book 4 stars.

[Summer]

I found the journal entries a bit repetitive. They had to be in order to maintain authenticity, but I think they bogged down the book at times.

As for Dr. Nash, I have some questions about his ethics. (view spoiler)[ He wants publish her case and I can certainly understand his desire to do so given the very odd presentation of her amnesia. But by the same token, the nature of her amnesia means she can't fully provide consent. She has very little information about what his treatment has actually looked like and at least at the beginning, can only recall several days' worth of interactions with him. Typically, I think someone's in Christine's position would have had power of attorney arrangements made and it would be more ethical to have both Christine and the person holding her POA give their consent for any publication on Dr. Nash's part. The fact that Dr. Nash was treating Christine without some arrangement like this in place was a huge plot hole for me. There's a reason patients in Christine's condition can't give their own consent -- to avoid circumstances exactly like those detailed in the book.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Linda]

My interest was peaked at the beginning, but got bogged down in the middle.

The journal entries were repeative, but needed to get the point across to the readers that Christine lost her memery every night and had to "jump start" it every morning.

I have mixed feelings still about Ben not telling Christine about Adam. For him, it was easier to deal with Christine with her thinking that they didn't have any children. Sometimes when she asked him the question, I wonder if he told her the truth in the beginning, or was that mentioned in the book? It's been a while since I read it.

[Brian]

Did the book peak your interest from the start or did it take awhile to get into?

Right from when the doctor visited her and it said do not trust Ben, that is when I really got into it.

Did the writing mainly as journal entries suit the book style? Did you find this way easy to follow get into?

Yes and no, there were points where as everyone is saying it got pretty repetitive, but there are other points where something big did happen so it needed the long entries she gave in her journal. And yeah, it was pretty much like a diary of a prisoner.

I was also thinking that maybe the doctor was in on the plan, because if you had researched her and combed through her past life since losing her memories wouldn't a picture of the actual Ben have come up or the fact that her son is not dead? Did she not tell the doctor Adam died, all he would have had to do was call any of the old hospitals to know he was not in the army.

[Lila]

1.Did the book peak your interest from the start or did it take awhile to get into?
I was hooked from the start.
2.Did the writing mainly as journal entries suit the book style? Did you find this way easy to follow get into?
I didn't have problem following the story. When I think of it, there weren't big differences between consecutive journal entries and any other first person POV novel. And it helped creating general sense of paranoia and suspense.
3.Christine believes Ben doesn’t tell her about Adam so that she doesn’t get upset. Would he be right to do this?
Hmm, well, I think he is not wrong if she was that bad in the beginning. But when she started showing progress, I think he should have told her.
4.What are Dr Nash’s...?
Doctor Nash was somehow unfinished for me. He doesn't have feelings toward Christine, It was just professional for him.I didn't like that he kept things from her, too. Guilty by omission...
5.Towards the end...
I think he lied. He wanted to write that study really bad. I think he called because of that.
6.As you read...?
Well, my thriller fiction induced brain thought that he made her forget things every night with some weird chemical combo because he is a chemist by profession.And he always prepared food and was really upset when she made that omelet, instead of his stakes.
7.Did you like...?
(view spoiler)[Ending was a bit rushed. I would like to know more about her real husband and son, their reactions... We hopped from that hotel room right to "Ben and I are together,he sleeps beside me, he always loved me..." (hide spoiler)] The other thing is that ending which should be peek of any suspense story, was here predictable.
3,5 stars for me.
@David- For first time leading discussion, I think you did great.:)

[Heidi]

I did not like the ending. Even though we found out the truth toward the end, I would have liked to know if she did eventually remember when she woke up in the hospital the last time.

[Linda]

The book peaked my interest from the very beginning. I hated when I had to stop reading as I wanted to know what happened next. I did not suspect anything wrong about the Ben/Mike character until closer to the end. There were times that I thought she might be being drugged. I did feel there were some gaps; especially with the ending. As some one else mentioned it did seem rushed at the ending; it felt like the author just needed to conclude the book. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and give it a rating of 4.

[Shell]

Although I usually like books written via letters or journal entries, I found the journal entries in this book to be repetitive. The thoughts and actions of the people who cared deeply about Christine didn't ring true.

[John]

I loves this book from start to finish.

It's one if the books that I had to finish and I was really intrigued by the idea you could forget everything when you slept.

[Summer]

Shell wrote: "The thoughts and actions of the people who cared deeply about Chris..."

I agree. I thought that (view spoiler)[her best friend, who's name I can't remember now, was particularly odd. She seemed so interested in reconnecting with Chris and yet never really took any action in that direction. That felt like a giant plot hole to me. If I were amnesiac and my closest friend was living in the same town, I certainly hope she'd care enough to notice I was living with a creepy stranger. (hide spoiler)]

[Heidi]

Esse wrote: "Shell wrote: "The thoughts and actions of the people who cared deeply about Chris..."

I disagree a little. I thought that [spoilers removed]"
I had a different opinion on that. (view spoiler)[ I think she felt guilty to having an affair with her husband. Claire did not know where she was. She had left a note at Waring House and her number. Mike must have disposed of it. She also did really believe that Ben had reunited with her because she never saw Mike. It wasn't until Christine described "Ben" to her that Claire knew it wasn't the real Ben. (hide spoiler)]

[Ian]

I read this months ago and it was a disappointment as it failed to live up to its hype. Reading the comments from the group, I wonder if this is not a classic example of a book that is too long. At half the length it would be tight, gripping to the end and the reader would be less likely to be asking 'what about ...?' as the increasingly improbable scenario unfolds.
I think it will make a great film, by the way.

[Frances]

Ian wrote: "I read this months ago and it was a disappointment as it failed to live up to its hype. Reading the comments from the group, I wonder if this is not a classic example of a book that is too long. At..."

I agree. It's a good book that would be a great one if shorter. It's too drawn out allowing the plot holes to become evident.