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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
YES Haynes!!! You nailed it with this novel. It was the perfect blend of thriller, horror, psychological twist and edge-of-your-pages-ness. I loved that Haynes moved the plot along from the very beginning and didn't wait for the last 10% of the book for a big reveal. From chapter one you were thrown into the life of Catherine/Cathy.
What I cant get over is how Haynes portrayed Catherine and Cathy as one person, but how they were truly not. It is so believably how Catherine changed into Cathy after the whole ordeal and that I think deserves praises. Haynes did an amazing job with character development and believability.
As for thriller, psychological, horror and edge-of-your-pages-ness, I was between thinking Cathy is crazy, to her silently telling her to RUN from everyone she met. Amazingly well put together novel, I honestly could not put this down. I could not get over how bold faced and brazen Lee is.....
This is a must read, honestly, if you are looking for something to get out of your reading rut, or kick your reading in gears, this is it!!!
MUST READ!
What I cant get over is how Haynes portrayed Catherine and Cathy as one person, but how they were truly not. It is so believably how Catherine changed into Cathy after the whole ordeal and that I think deserves praises. Haynes did an amazing job with character development and believability.
As for thriller, psychological, horror and edge-of-your-pages-ness, I was between thinking Cathy is crazy, to her silently telling her to RUN from everyone she met. Amazingly well put together novel, I honestly could not put this down. I could not get over how bold faced and brazen Lee is.....
This is a must read, honestly, if you are looking for something to get out of your reading rut, or kick your reading in gears, this is it!!!
MUST READ!
Slow to get going, but very strong finish! Nail biter!!
This book is the definition of page-turning psychological thriller. I liked the alternating chapters that led up to both Cathy's falling apart and coming back together. I couldn't put this book down
I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up, I'm so glad I did though..... I was hooked from the very beginning, and after I had read the ending I was still thinking about it. The characters were believeable and the story was easy to follow, jumping backwards and forwards for different time frames. This was a new author for me and I'm looking forward to reading more.
This book. Wow. I mean, seriously. It was an intense ride from start to finish getting more and more f'd up by the chapter. It's about a woman named Catherine Bailey who at a young age is having fun meeting people partying sleeping around and stuff when she meets this guy Lee. Lee is hot and charming and takes charge and sweeps Cathy off her feet. Long story short, and the book opens up with the transcript of the court date, there is a charge of beating and Catherine isn't the one donning the boxing gloves.
The story picks up three years later with Catherine having picked up the pieces (and a major case of OCD) and dealing with her life post trauma. She meets another man and the book goes along a parallel path alternating between three years before and the present time.
i don't know what makes the story so compelling. It's practically a lifetime movie but the writing is fabulous and it flows. The story begs some questions about why she would stay why she would put up with abuse etc....but the story is so enveloping and you just have to keep reading to find out what the hell could happen next.
And the end.... no spoilers on my end ever but omg SERIOUSLY??????
so good.
soooooooooo good. another lovely addition to my dark thriller/ messed up relationships phase.
The story picks up three years later with Catherine having picked up the pieces (and a major case of OCD) and dealing with her life post trauma. She meets another man and the book goes along a parallel path alternating between three years before and the present time.
i don't know what makes the story so compelling. It's practically a lifetime movie but the writing is fabulous and it flows. The story begs some questions about why she would stay why she would put up with abuse etc....but the story is so enveloping and you just have to keep reading to find out what the hell could happen next.
And the end.... no spoilers on my end ever but omg SERIOUSLY??????
so good.
soooooooooo good. another lovely addition to my dark thriller/ messed up relationships phase.
This is one of the most chilling portrayals of abuse I have seen in a novel, because it is so accurate. The slow escalation of abuse, the narrator, Cathy's, increasing questioning of her own perceptions, the disbelief of her friends that her handsome, charming boyfriend could be anything but perfect, and her ultimate recovery are all rendered in absolutely perfect detail. If you have ever wondered why women "stay" in abusive relationships, this book is a brilliant window into just how terrifying and isolating it is to be in such a relationship.
Similarly, the subtle mechanisms that Lee uses to control Cathy might seem absurd to someone who has never experienced this kind of relationship, but were hauntingly familiar for me. Coming home to find things just slightly out of place, a sign that Lee had been there without Cathy's knowledge or permission, and the terror of those moments -- these details were captured perfectly. The subtle escalation of control was equally terrifying and accurate, beginning with suggestions about what Cathy should and should not wear and progressing to control over where she spends her time and with whom, all the while being expected to accept Lee coming and going whenever he pleased.
My one qualm with the book was the exhaustive detail. The narrator develops intense OCD and PTSD as a result of her abuse, which explains the need for such detail, but it sometimes made for an exhausting read.
It's not a happy book, entirely, but it's incredibly realistic and worth reading at least once. There are graphic depictions of rape and sexual assault, so those readers triggered by such things might wish to steer clear.
Similarly, the subtle mechanisms that Lee uses to control Cathy might seem absurd to someone who has never experienced this kind of relationship, but were hauntingly familiar for me. Coming home to find things just slightly out of place, a sign that Lee had been there without Cathy's knowledge or permission, and the terror of those moments -- these details were captured perfectly. The subtle escalation of control was equally terrifying and accurate, beginning with suggestions about what Cathy should and should not wear and progressing to control over where she spends her time and with whom, all the while being expected to accept Lee coming and going whenever he pleased.
My one qualm with the book was the exhaustive detail. The narrator develops intense OCD and PTSD as a result of her abuse, which explains the need for such detail, but it sometimes made for an exhausting read.
It's not a happy book, entirely, but it's incredibly realistic and worth reading at least once. There are graphic depictions of rape and sexual assault, so those readers triggered by such things might wish to steer clear.
A simply horrifying story. I found the characters to be really well-written - I look forward to more from the author.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism