Scan barcode
bundy23's review
4.0
Great first half, great ending, just loses a star as it really meandered and got a bit repetitive for most of the final third.
writing_inthemountains's review
2.0
Omg this book... I’ve heard of Patricia’s work but I’ve never read her before. But omg... this book is insane. Jenny is engaged with Greg, she feels watched every night, they even consider the house being haunted. The house is in the middle of the woods but they have some neighbours. One night Jenny sees Robert watching her and she just froze. But he starts talking to her, tells her he won’t harm her and in a couple of seconds she invites him inside. They become friends, Jenny leaves Greg, falls in love with Robert. Strange right? Hell yeah.
Robert is going through a divorce with his wife from New York, a thing Greg finds about. His wife tells Greg how insane Robert is and that he should take Jenny far away from him because Robert is dangerous. Now, the atmosphere of this book doesn’t say much. We don’t know if Robert is harmful, or if Jenny is a nice person, or if Robert’s wife is telling the truth. All I can say for sure is that, at the moment I’m 36% in the book and nothing happened, good or bad. But it’s eerie, it makes me paranoid, anxious, keeps me waiting like something strange will happen.
Oh, and something strange does happen. Robert is a nice guy but a death magnet... The book is eerie, not good not bad. You can read it on a plane, it’s short. I don’t know what to think about it, didn’t hate it, didn’t love it.
Robert is going through a divorce with his wife from New York, a thing Greg finds about. His wife tells Greg how insane Robert is and that he should take Jenny far away from him because Robert is dangerous. Now, the atmosphere of this book doesn’t say much. We don’t know if Robert is harmful, or if Jenny is a nice person, or if Robert’s wife is telling the truth. All I can say for sure is that, at the moment I’m 36% in the book and nothing happened, good or bad. But it’s eerie, it makes me paranoid, anxious, keeps me waiting like something strange will happen.
Oh, and something strange does happen. Robert is a nice guy but a death magnet... The book is eerie, not good not bad. You can read it on a plane, it’s short. I don’t know what to think about it, didn’t hate it, didn’t love it.
bethreadsandnaps's review
3.0
3.5 stars
Robert, recently divorced and lonely, decides to trespass on youthful Jenny's property and watch her through her first-floor window. Not a terribly bright decision, but Robert is more lonely than creepy, at least how Highsmith writes him. Robert notes youthful Jenny has a suitor (Greg) that visits her frequently, and it's likely that the match will lead to marriage.
Jenny discovers Robert spying on her. In an unusual twist, she finds him intriguing and ditches Greg for Robert. Here is what's rather implausible. Robert, who is lonely, isn't interested in Jenny once she switches her affections toward him. And then you wonder if Jenny is the unbalanced one...
And then Greg disappears, which heightens the mystery.
While a bit implausible, interesting story that makes you wonder who is the crazy one. Then you realize that the answer might be D. All of the above.
Robert, recently divorced and lonely, decides to trespass on youthful Jenny's property and watch her through her first-floor window. Not a terribly bright decision, but Robert is more lonely than creepy, at least how Highsmith writes him. Robert notes youthful Jenny has a suitor (Greg) that visits her frequently, and it's likely that the match will lead to marriage.
Jenny discovers Robert spying on her. In an unusual twist, she finds him intriguing and ditches Greg for Robert. Here is what's rather implausible. Robert, who is lonely, isn't interested in Jenny once she switches her affections toward him. And then you wonder if Jenny is the unbalanced one...
And then Greg disappears, which heightens the mystery.
While a bit implausible, interesting story that makes you wonder who is the crazy one. Then you realize that the answer might be D. All of the above.
dresselaersdaphne's review
4.0
Eigenlijk was dit boek best nog wel goed. Minpunten voor het open einde en de onaangename leeservaring door triggers ayyyy
misshonky's review against another edition
2.0
Un libro raro que me aburrió hasta un tercio o así, y que no abandoné por pura curiosidad por ver qué demonios pretendía. Un triángulo amoroso extraño, una historia resuelta demasiado deprisa al final. Supongo que el que sea el primer libro de la autora se nota, aunque sí que se percibe ya la habilidad de Highsmith para crear ambientes de angustia y opresión, de sentirse atrapado por lo absurdo y ver que no hay manera de salir de una situación demencial. Quizás eso fue lo que me mantuvo leyendo hasta el final: la angustia. La sensación de que todo era tan absurdamente horrible que quería ver qué solución le daba la autora.
blueberryblue's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jeremyhornik's review against another edition
4.0
Creeeeepy.
So much death surrounds our lead that you just don't trust him, even though you know what he's done and what he hasn't.
Highsmith is so very good.
So much death surrounds our lead that you just don't trust him, even though you know what he's done and what he hasn't.
Highsmith is so very good.
lisa_parker's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
meikemols's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jatridle's review
4.0
Terrific, non-formulaic suspense novel with complex characters who form interesting relationships. You never know what direction Highsmith is going to take her story here. An awesome read and great reminder of why I love her books so much.