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The Writing Retreat
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The Writing Retreat | part 4
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Just finished and can’t wait to see what others think. I read this and Spite House back to back and I love how tight this is compared to SH. Limited characters, clear roles, not 1000 different plot offshoots to wrap up. I liked SH but The Writing Retreat just holds together so well. My only minor critique is that it went too long between Daphne interludes. I forgot what was happening in the story by the time we got another one, so I kinda fell out of those parts. But I also don’t love that story in a story approach, so it probably would’ve bugged me if they were too frequent.
I also regularly forget things that happened 10 pages ago, so it could be a me thing. Overall loved it. 5 stars.
The first half of this book I was leaning toward a 4.5, but after the second half? It'll probably be a three. As unhinged as the second half of the book was, I don't think that's what bothers me the most (though I'll admit, it does bother me). I think what bothers me most is how she's going to "keep writing for Roza" Like??? Sis you remember the part where she kidnapped you, imprisoned you, tried to steal your book, starved you, threatened to kill you, threatened to kill your friend, and actually did kill the others? Then again, maybe the implication there is that Alex isn't totally sane anymore either? Maybe it's just the justice seeking element of my personality that would've liked to see the "big bad" get her comeuppance lol. Also, was anyone else dying for confirmation that Lucy and Mila got credit for their books?
By the end, I kinda loved it. Although I don't think the book was without issues--- I enjoyed it and had fun reading it. 5☆ for me. (I see this one as being divisive though. I can see -and understand- why someone might give it a 2, 3, 4, or 5 star rating.)
I really enjoyed this one! I'm not a big thriller person so I can't compare this to anything, but I was so engaged the whole time and would recommend it to someone. As others have said, not without its problems, but the ride itself made it worth a five star for me personally. I do wish Roza had died though, and that the other writers had gotten posthumous credit for their work explicitly.
This was so good! The last part really had me hooked, I read it in one sitting because I just had to know what would happen. I do have to say that I caught on that Taylor was part of it all along quite soon. The first suspicions came when she started telling Alex what Wren was supposedly saying about her and when Alex and Wren had the fight, I was sure. I also wasn't really interested in Daphne's story until the last part.
I loved this book! I loved the discussions about writing and the writing process, and although the end was unhinged and far-fetched, that made me love it even more!? I thought the writing was really well done and I loved how the plot didn’t drag on forever, because a long ending is what I dislike the most about thrillers.
This book was okay. This isn’t my kind of thriller, but that’s okay. I’m sure others loved it!I disliked the ending. Why did they not shoot Roza when they had the chance? The bullet would’ve hit Roza first before she could slice Wren’s neck (although this is assuming they have good aim). I also don’t understand why Roza didn’t kill them after she had control of the gun? That’s unlike her character IMO. Also, Alex has Stockholm Syndrome at the end, like what the heck?
No favorite scenes. Keira was probably my favorite. Themes: Taylor likes to kill people- very repetitive. Nope, I wouldn’t recommend it. I would’ve enjoyed this more if I was into writing.
This book reminded me of nine perfect strangers a little bit. Not an exact match, but the retreat and one of the events are similar.
Overall 2.75 stars
I think the first and second part were good! I guess I expected to actually see a bit more of the drama Taylor set in effect unfold like everyone becoming divided and chaotic before boom Poppy is suddenly gone and do they work together but there's also drama, like I feel like there could have been more tension there (and more reason to mistrust eachother too). and damn I so hoped they would kill Roza and her crew and then light the house on fire and like take Rozas cover story for "oh no it was just a fire"
idk guess how everything really ended was a bit too wrapped in a bow and the low-key side eye at therapy, and Alex not really believing/taking in therapy? i guess I'm just tired of seeing the whole "therapy doesn't do shit/is stupid/therapists don't know what they're talking about" kind of stories around. I mean it's a good way to start the story and then get character development but I don't like how it was used in the beginning. Also whats up with Alex basically getting Stockholm Syndrome?
oh and it's a 3 star for me, I did like the first half a lot, and I love that it went so unhinged, i could just have used a bit more tension before the poppy disappearance, and I would change the ending
I've just reached the ending and...wow. It was quite the rollercoaster. It was a slow start for me, but I was hooked from part 2. It went off the rails and was utterly unhinged, but I realized I couldn't put it down.
Kudos to the writer for being so clear and detailed in describing the way all the rooms/basement/attic were connected to each other.
I could have done without the sex scenes but I loved the the meta-element of the book within the book.
4 stars.
2 stars for me, i just didn't gel with the writing style at all and wasn't really invested, although i did find it very readable. i'm also blown away that the author never addresses the fact that Wren sexually assaulted Alex. i mean, she explicitly says "I tried to stop her and she told me to relax." i get the impression that we're supposed to think "it was messed up that Wren ghosted Alex and that Alex pushed Wren" and i honestly don't think Alex has anything to apologize for after going through that! just hugely weird vibes, i'm glad they didn't end up together in the end.
3 stars for me. I felt like the first two parts were a totally different book (more eerie, haunted vibes) and then it completely changed route (over the top action).However, I thought it was well written and I found the Alex-Wren relationship very interesting. Keira was my favourite character.
One thing that really bugged me is that, at the end, Alex feels like she kinda owes to Roza. I mean, seriously girl, wtf?
The first half was 5 stars for me. The Haunting of Hill House vibes plus theme of toxic friendships and belonging? So good. The second half was still riveting, but felt like another book. I also kind of felt the Daphne excerpts were super meh. Like THIS is what Roza is willing to kill for?!! In the end I wish Alex killed Wren and saved herself. That would have been so much more twisted and satisfying for me. Overall, I gave it 4.25 stars because I had a fun time!
This was 2 stars for me. I really liked the premise so I though I would love this. I didn't really like any of the characters and the book was weirdly sexual from start to finish (maybe it just wasn't for me). I also found Roza as a villain very cartoonish.
4.5 stars for me. It wouldve been a 5 if they would've chased Roza down and killed her. I also wanted lamia to some how be...real. and not just her imagination. or just left for us to think it was real maybe...but wow, ate this up!
The latter half fell off for me, but the beginning was very strong. I guess it lands at a solid three stars for me. It was a mix of Misery by SK and Home Before Dark by RS; I preferred those two books to this one. I’m not against sexual content, but it did throw me throughout this novel as an unexpected plot point. I’m disappointed by the paranormal aspects that didn’t really go anywhere. If they were going to be included, I’d love to have the writing commit.
4.5 stars - absolutely loved my time with it, but I was pissed that Roza lived. When she was having her last chat with Alex in the hallway I was convinced that we were going to have a callback to Alex’s nightmare where she was pushed over the railing and that Roza would die getting pushed over the stairs and hitting her head on the marble or whatever. I was SO EXCITED and then that just… didn’t happen.How good would it have been if Roza had died and she replaced Daphne’s voice for Alex?! That would have wrapped things up sooo nicely.
Hmmm it's a 3 for me! Definitely not the worst thriller I've ever read, and I enjoyed the first half so much. It was exactly the vibe I wanted. However the 2nd half really didn't work for me. I wouldn't even have minded the absurd direction if it would have been handled with a little more craft & precision, but what I really wanted a dark competition & survival game vibe. I feel like there were so many ideas in here with great potential, but they were thrown away for a hasty wrap up.
A solid 3. I really felt like this book had 5 star potential, but it just started to go downhill after part 3 started for me.
3 for me, might downgrade to 2. It was a totally alright book for me. Some parts of it were great, but some just meh. I feel like the book wasn't weird or horrifying enough for me? I think I would have enjoyed it more if the resolution arch had supernatural involvement beyond Alex's mind. The pacing was inconsistent and character's thought and feelings didn't fully make sense for me either. Still a good book though, just a little bland.
It's a 3.5 star for me. I liked it fine, but I started the book already assuming Roza was hosting this retreat in order to steal the books the girls wrote. I was hoping it would turn out that Roza was actually Daphne, and she made a deal with Lamia for eternal life or something, and Roza was sacrificing the writers she hosted to Lamia and then stole their books.
My main issue with the book is that it wasted so many ideas and possibilities. There have been loads of suggestions made in this thread alone which would have made the book more interesting and creative.There were also some things that just didn't make sense to me. Why include the scene at the beginning of Roza exposing someone who stole his girlfriend's book if that's what she was also doing? It served no purpose and suggested a theme that wasn't pursued of men benefitting from women's creativity. It was just a waste of a good scene.
It seems petty but I was also frustrated that the cab ride took 10 minutes to drive 20 miles. That's very fast for country roads.
Keira was shot in the back and left for dead but when she returned for revenge only her freezing injuries were mentioned.
Another wasted opportunity was mentioning the nuns and then never seeing them again. Here is a household of women writing books, there is a household of women doing whatever nuns do. I was expecting Keira to make it there in her escape and for the nuns to turn out to be some badass order that had emerged to control Lamia's power or in general response to local demonic energies.
This was my kind of unhinged. Read it in a day, while it wasn’t perfect it did have me drawn in, unable to stop turning the pages. It’s a 5 star for me. I just put it down and the biggest qualm I can’t see pastes at the moment is all book Alex mentions how she’s loved Roza since she was 12 and then on the last page “At thirteen I learned from Roma’s stolen book…” was it an editorial issue or a nod to Alex being an unreliable narrator? I need to know.
I can totally see how some people will not like this, it got absolutely absurd at the end but I found the whole reading experience so fun.
What did I read? In the best way possible.I loved this book. It wasn’t exactly what I thought I was getting into. I thought it was going to be more of a “one by one” by Ruth Ware vibe, but this was almost more horror than thriller to me.
I flipping loved how unhinged this book got. 5 stars. My favorite book club pick so far this year - which is saying something since I adored Finlay.
What the damn hell? 4 stars since I did enjoy it, but the last 50 pages were batshit, like what? and the end felt anti climatic. I don't tend to read thrillers, so I guess it is.
I liked the tripping sex scene, or at least it is stuck in my brain. which is great. love that for me.
I liked Keira and Zoe. I would recommend it.
I really liked this. The paranormal elements, the twists, the unlikeable characters. Yes, it was over the top, but I had a good time. 4.5 stars.
This book was a roller coaster ride, but in all the wrong ways. The slow climb was a tedious attempt to setup the plot and the characters. However the plot was flat until past the halfway point when the mystery element was introduced and the characters were juvenile and annoying. Not only that but the characters all felt basic and linear. It was hard to tell most of them apart and their angst and petty attitudes left much to be desired in the way of personality. I really enjoyed the setting and the setup of the writing retreat itself. I think Roza was the most well fleshed out character in the novel and though she was the villainess she embodied the role and felt the most genuine. The rest of the characters felt like imposters that were vindictive and full of anger towards each other and the world. This felt young and diminished the characters in my eyes. I was unable to connect with anyone.
The storyline itself was all over the place. A friend of mine compared it to A24 films but I think that is being too nice. This was an attempt at genre-bending but it's attempt was half-hearted. This is part mystery thriller, part horror, but it doesn't commit to the horror elements in a big way and the ending attempt to rationalize it only serves to hurt the overall narrative. These supernatural elements helped to create tension and atmosphere in the setting, but then they devolved into background filler for the book within the book and the story lost what was sure to make it stand out.
The concept and premise were great but the execution was lacking. The slow build that exploded into break-neck speed was jarring. The writing was fine, but the characters were poorly constructed. I would not personally recommend this to others.
MAN the last two parts of this book were FUNKY for me: I was LOVING it at the beginning, but things kinda went a little off the rails with the new directions of the latter parts. I look forward to hearing everyone else's thoughts rewatching the liveshow later!
You've made it to the end. All spoilers welcome and encouraged here.
How did you feel about the ending?
Is this a type of thriller you enjoy?
Have you read anything like it before?
Favourite scenes? Favourite characters? What themes did you notice? Would you recommend this to others?