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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I began this book with high expectations from other reviewers and I was in no way disappointed.
Cathy is just like lots of people although we know from the outset that something bad has happened to her, why else would she have to check everything?
Gradually from two timelines we find out what happened to her and are drawn into a terrifyingly real situation.
This book made me jump! At no point did I feel that Cathy was safe and I found myself trusting no-one so that suddenly I discovered what she was feeling.
If it is possible read this book through your fingers, in daylight and in a locked house.
Cathy is just like lots of people although we know from the outset that something bad has happened to her, why else would she have to check everything?
Gradually from two timelines we find out what happened to her and are drawn into a terrifyingly real situation.
This book made me jump! At no point did I feel that Cathy was safe and I found myself trusting no-one so that suddenly I discovered what she was feeling.
If it is possible read this book through your fingers, in daylight and in a locked house.
Cathy’s relationship with Lee seems good to begin with, but as his true self starts to emerge, the more she is pushed into the darkest corner. This is a story of a very abusive relationship and the chilling effects it has on Catherine. Lee is controlling, abusive and thinks he is smart enough to get away with it; but can he?
Written in two parts, Into the Darkest Corner slowly unfolds the destructive relationship between Cathy and Lee. It also includes the story four years after, showing the damage done to Cathy which has left her isolated, suffering from OCD and post traumatic stress. The two different time periods are written in a slightly different format showing the chilling tale of a woman slowly slipping into her darkest corner, then showing her trying to recover from all the damage. The two different writing styles are what makes this book so haunting; it’s like watching a car crash, you can see Cathy’s happy and party-like attitude slowly dissolving.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s dark, chilling and very disturbing; it was sickening at times but still an exciting novel to read. I had real pleasure reading something so dark; not often do you find a book so disturbing and yet so enjoyable to read. While I think this book was really good, I couldn’t recommend it to anyone that might freak out or identify with Cathy too closely. This is not a light book and definitely not for overly emotional or the faint of heart. I was really impressed with Elizabeth Haynes’ debut novel Into the Darkest Corner and I can’t wait to read her next book.
Original review appeared on my blog;
http://literary-exploration.com/2012/05/20/book-review-into-the-darkest-corner/
Written in two parts, Into the Darkest Corner slowly unfolds the destructive relationship between Cathy and Lee. It also includes the story four years after, showing the damage done to Cathy which has left her isolated, suffering from OCD and post traumatic stress. The two different time periods are written in a slightly different format showing the chilling tale of a woman slowly slipping into her darkest corner, then showing her trying to recover from all the damage. The two different writing styles are what makes this book so haunting; it’s like watching a car crash, you can see Cathy’s happy and party-like attitude slowly dissolving.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s dark, chilling and very disturbing; it was sickening at times but still an exciting novel to read. I had real pleasure reading something so dark; not often do you find a book so disturbing and yet so enjoyable to read. While I think this book was really good, I couldn’t recommend it to anyone that might freak out or identify with Cathy too closely. This is not a light book and definitely not for overly emotional or the faint of heart. I was really impressed with Elizabeth Haynes’ debut novel Into the Darkest Corner and I can’t wait to read her next book.
Original review appeared on my blog;
http://literary-exploration.com/2012/05/20/book-review-into-the-darkest-corner/
Wonderful fast-paced thriller that I couldn't put down. I really enjoyed the back and forth between the past and present. It really added to the tension in the story.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
SO long and SO boring. Some pretty good topics arre brought up by this book but overall it’s so slow that halfway in not much was happening and I was skipping pages like a mad woman.
SO long and SO boring. Some pretty good topics arre brought up by this book but overall it’s so slow that halfway in not much was happening and I was skipping pages like a mad woman.
Cathy is a complete wreck. She can't leave her home without checking the locks and the windows six times each. If she doesn't do it exactly right, she has to go back and do it again---from the beginning. It turns out that there's a very good reason for this. A few years ago, she went by Catherine and dated a guy named Lee. At first, he seems wonderful. He's gorgeous and very caring and attentive. Except he's a little TOO attentive and what initially seems flattering becomes creepy and obsessive. Because while you may think you want to be the center of someone's universe, you probably don't. Not really.
This novel goes back and forth in time (Cathy to Catherine and back) so we see how Cathy is now and then how she became that way.
The worst part, I think is that Catherine tried to tell people. She begins to have suspicions about Lee almost immediately and when she shares them with her friends, they don't believe her. They try to say that she's just not used to being treated well and that, after all, doesn't she LIKE being someone's number one priority? Lee is a total catch, they tell her, and if she doesn't start appreciating it, she'll lose him.
There's a low sense of unease throughout this novel and by the end, I was so incredibly creeped out.
There's a scary movie where somewhat similar things happen. A serial killer breaks into a young woman's apartment and begins to move things around to scare her and nobody believes her, either, except for one woman who says that when you live alone, you know where things are in your apartment. You know which book is on what shelf and where this particular object goes.
I think that's honestly what scares me the most about this book---the fact that you can do what you're "supposed" to do and tell people (police, friends, etc.) that things aren't right in your relationshop and not be believed. (And also the fact that the person who ends up hurting you is someone you actually invited into your life. That's terrifying, too.)
Highly recommended.
This novel goes back and forth in time (Cathy to Catherine and back) so we see how Cathy is now and then how she became that way.
The worst part, I think is that Catherine tried to tell people. She begins to have suspicions about Lee almost immediately and when she shares them with her friends, they don't believe her. They try to say that she's just not used to being treated well and that, after all, doesn't she LIKE being someone's number one priority? Lee is a total catch, they tell her, and if she doesn't start appreciating it, she'll lose him.
There's a low sense of unease throughout this novel and by the end, I was so incredibly creeped out.
There's a scary movie where somewhat similar things happen. A serial killer breaks into a young woman's apartment and begins to move things around to scare her and nobody believes her, either, except for one woman who says that when you live alone, you know where things are in your apartment. You know which book is on what shelf and where this particular object goes.
I think that's honestly what scares me the most about this book---the fact that you can do what you're "supposed" to do and tell people (police, friends, etc.) that things aren't right in your relationshop and not be believed. (And also the fact that the person who ends up hurting you is someone you actually invited into your life. That's terrifying, too.)
Highly recommended.
this book was REALLY good. aaaaand also really terrifying. horror shit doesnt scare me but psychological thrillers sure do!! as a mental health professional i can say that this author did an EXCELLENT job illustrating mental illness as well as overcoming it.
Into the Darkest Corner is a stunning debut thriller that presents a terrifying look at the world of anguish and terror suffered by victims of domestic abuse.
From the very first page you will be pulled into that world as you follow two separate timelines. The life of a carefree outgoing Catherine as she used to be and the paralyzing life she leads as Cathy four years later will open your eyes to what it is like to have severe OCD and panic attacks and how hard it is to escape domestic abuse.
From the very first page you will be pulled into that world as you follow two separate timelines. The life of a carefree outgoing Catherine as she used to be and the paralyzing life she leads as Cathy four years later will open your eyes to what it is like to have severe OCD and panic attacks and how hard it is to escape domestic abuse.
Good so far (and a fast read, I'm through 100 pages in an hour and a half) but I'm hoping there will be some kind of twist since the blurb I read to get me interested gave what seems to be the whole plot away. It's compelling, don't get me wrong, but a bit obvious so far.
Finished - and it did stay it obvious but it was so tense and gripping (and a portrait of terrifying domestic abuse) that it didn't matter. Though it didn't end quite how I thought it would. (No spoilers.)
Finished - and it did stay it obvious but it was so tense and gripping (and a portrait of terrifying domestic abuse) that it didn't matter. Though it didn't end quite how I thought it would. (No spoilers.)
This started off slowly but whoa, almost had a heart attack while reading the last chuck of this book!