J: “Need to Know” is my first thriller, a genre I don’t typically read. I enjoyed the book’s fast-paced, plot driven storyline, but I didn’t care for the author’s simple prose. Other readers may argue that the simple prose suits the book’s style.
Do you agree?
R: FIRST THRILLER?!?! WHAT?!?! How’d you spend your whole life never being on the edge of your seat?!?! But that being said, this probably wasn’t the best thriller to begin with. I do agree the storyline was intriguing, at least to begin with, despite the prose telling and telling and telling, had me curious enough. But she just kept telling and telling and telling. Every little movement, too. How many times did I Need to Know she picked up her coffee cup, or that she didn’t trust her husband (shocker!)? At the end of the day I struggled with it. But I tried to like it. I did. But that cheesy setting up for a sequel ending… ugh.
J: I quickly grew tired of the repetitiveness of certain sentences as well. It was boring to read the same description about her husband’s wrinkled forehead over and over. More descriptive phrases would have added immensely to the book. I wouldn’t have liked it as much if she didn’t excel at developing the suspenseful plot. I felt drawn into her world of lies and deception from the get-go. This was what redeemed the book’s weaker qualities for me. I was also surprised by the lack of character development.
R: I feel ya. The plot, rather than the words, is what worked for the novel. Especially in the first half. The steady unveiling kept the pages turning. Till near the last third when it got a little forced to fill some gaps. But a good (although not great) plot can only carry you so far. The writing—I wanted to yell at the book, “You’ve said that already!” every other paragraph. Telling me ad nauseam doesn’t make me trust your husband any less. I think maybe the author was using this (not only as a way to up the word count but) to round out her characters, but they fell so flat. Like informing me again and again you smell their shampoo doesn’t do much in terms of their depth.
I think Cleveland had a solid idea, and if she just managed to cut the word count by half and make a punchier ending something better could be said. But, it is what it is, so I’ve got to go with a 2.
J: I considered a rating of 2, but I enjoyed the storyline enough, in spite of the book’s shortcomings, to rate it 3 stars. It kept me guessing through three fourths of the book. The denouement tied up loose ends for me, but certain details were cheesy and apparent. I’m in agreement that the ending was ruined by her attempt to set up for a sequel.
J: “Need to Know” is my first thriller, a genre I don’t typically read. I enjoyed the book’s fast-paced, plot driven storyline, but I didn’t care for the author’s simple prose. Other readers may argue that the simple prose suits the book’s style.
Do you agree?
R: FIRST THRILLER?!?! WHAT?!?! How’d you spend your whole life never being on the edge of your seat?!?! But that being said, this probably wasn’t the best thriller to begin with. I do agree the storyline was intriguing, at least to begin with, despite the prose telling and telling and telling, had me curious enough. But she just kept telling and telling and telling. Every little movement, too. How many times did I Need to Know she picked up her coffee cup, or that she didn’t trust her husband (shocker!)? At the end of the day I struggled with it. But I tried to like it. I did. But that cheesy setting up for a sequel ending… ugh.
J: I quickly grew tired of the repetitiveness of certain sentences as well. It was boring to read the same description about her husband’s wrinkled forehead over and over. More descriptive phrases would have added immensely to the book. I wouldn’t have liked it as much if she didn’t excel at developing the suspenseful plot. I felt drawn into her world of lies and deception from the get-go. This was what redeemed the book’s weaker qualities for me. I was also surprised by the lack of character development.
R: I feel ya. The plot, rather than the words, is what worked for the novel. Especially in the first half. The steady unveiling kept the pages turning. Till near the last third when it got a little forced to fill some gaps. But a good (although not great) plot can only carry you so far. The writing—I wanted to yell at the book, “You’ve said that already!” every other paragraph. Telling me ad nauseam doesn’t make me trust your husband any less. I think maybe the author was using this (not only as a way to up the word count but) to round out her characters, but they fell so flat. Like informing me again and again you smell their shampoo doesn’t do much in terms of their depth.
I think Cleveland had a solid idea, and if she just managed to cut the word count by half and make a punchier ending something better could be said. But, it is what it is, so I’ve got to go with a 2.
J: I considered a rating of 2, but I enjoyed the storyline enough, in spite of the book’s shortcomings, to rate it 3 stars. It kept me guessing through three fourths of the book. The denouement tied up loose ends for me, but certain details were cheesy and apparent. I’m in agreement that the ending was ruined by her attempt to set up for a sequel.