You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book because I could identify a lot with several of the characters! I also enjoyed the fact that this wasn't a typical love story!
Liane Moriarty is my ultimate guilty pleasure, but this one flops. She eschews her usual large cast of characters to focus on one person who is neither sympathetic nor interesting, and I had no investment in the story.
I LOVED this book!!! I was so invested in the main characters story
I loved Moriarty's two other books, her two latest ones, "Big Little Lies" - a phenomenally told story and "The Husband's Secret" which is probably my current favorite. So I had naturally high expectations with "The Hypnotist's Love Story" and while I finished it and was racing to get to the end, I didn't LOVE love love it the way I loved those two other books, hence the 4 stars, which is more like 3.9.
Why I didn't love the book as much: Well, I felt nearly nothing for Patrick or Jack, and Moriarty is skilled at her female characters so then there is protagonist Ellen, and antagonist Saskia, and I wasn't crazy about either of them. The trio dynamic of a stalker and a couple just didn't intrigue me as much. I didn't know where it was going but I wasn't that interested.
The writing is still tight and well-done and interesting, and it's all about relationships, with themes of letting go of loss, managing grief, having faith, friendship, dating, relationships and complicated families coming together. Honestly, I feel that it was a good book but maybe there weren't enough dynamic characters.
The author did a great job of helping us like Saskia, and in fact, I liked this heart-broken stalker far more than Ellen and her whims and fancies and doubts and miseries of ex-boyfriends and her insecurities. At least, Saskia was determined, she had absolute clarity - even though she was wrong in the end, poor thing - about how it all should be.
There was one part where I felt so bad for Saskia and could see her pain so clearly. She wanted to be able to grieve, just like you would if you lose someone, but how society was pressuring her to move on after a breakup. Why, she wondered, doesn't a breakup deserve a mourning period? After all, the person is out of your life for good, they might as well be dead. Can we not mourn them?
One thing I loved about this book is the true portrayal of not being able to let go and move on when a relationship comes to a sudden end. Some of us manage grief better than others, and a few of us simply refuse to accept the reality. That was Saskia. She refused to accept that her boyfriend had dared leave her. Kinda egotistical, yes, but it was done well. She was bold, brazen, and brash. She was also funny - her sections in the book were my favorites. How it all seemed to happen to her and how it was out of control, and how she wanted to casually be a part of their lives when it was so wrong. Yes, there was much humor with Saskia.
Moritarity won me over towards the end with Ellen and Patrick's new life and Saskia's hopeful friendships and signs of moving on. I loved it. And I am still thinking of reading "What Alice Forgot" by the same author.
Why I didn't love the book as much: Well, I felt nearly nothing for Patrick or Jack, and Moriarty is skilled at her female characters so then there is protagonist Ellen, and antagonist Saskia, and I wasn't crazy about either of them. The trio dynamic of a stalker and a couple just didn't intrigue me as much. I didn't know where it was going but I wasn't that interested.
The writing is still tight and well-done and interesting, and it's all about relationships, with themes of letting go of loss, managing grief, having faith, friendship, dating, relationships and complicated families coming together. Honestly, I feel that it was a good book but maybe there weren't enough dynamic characters.
The author did a great job of helping us like Saskia, and in fact, I liked this heart-broken stalker far more than Ellen and her whims and fancies and doubts and miseries of ex-boyfriends and her insecurities. At least, Saskia was determined, she had absolute clarity - even though she was wrong in the end, poor thing - about how it all should be.
There was one part where I felt so bad for Saskia and could see her pain so clearly. She wanted to be able to grieve, just like you would if you lose someone, but how society was pressuring her to move on after a breakup. Why, she wondered, doesn't a breakup deserve a mourning period? After all, the person is out of your life for good, they might as well be dead. Can we not mourn them?
One thing I loved about this book is the true portrayal of not being able to let go and move on when a relationship comes to a sudden end. Some of us manage grief better than others, and a few of us simply refuse to accept the reality. That was Saskia. She refused to accept that her boyfriend had dared leave her. Kinda egotistical, yes, but it was done well. She was bold, brazen, and brash. She was also funny - her sections in the book were my favorites. How it all seemed to happen to her and how it was out of control, and how she wanted to casually be a part of their lives when it was so wrong. Yes, there was much humor with Saskia.
Moritarity won me over towards the end with Ellen and Patrick's new life and Saskia's hopeful friendships and signs of moving on. I loved it. And I am still thinking of reading "What Alice Forgot" by the same author.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Really enjoyed this book, kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending was pretty tidy.
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I didn't enjoy it as much as her other books, but it was still very good, and worth my time. Interesting to read of a female stalker and about hypnotherapy.