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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading Blog
While only one character is a hypnotist, this book covers 3 people who are in some version of a trance. Hypnotist Ellen, burdened by her past failed relationships and her Type A personality, thinks she understands love when she is just beginning. Patrick, a widowed single dad, has been relentlessly stalked by his ex-girlfriend for way too long and has yet to do anything about it. And finally there is Saskia, Patrick’s ex-girlfriend who realizes she is crossing the line with her stalking but is unable to control it or her love for Patrick and his son.
So Patrick is under a trance of guilt while Ellen & Saskia are dealing with with the ideals and truths of love.
In an engrossing novel, set in Australia, this novel shifts from the POVs of Ellen and Saskia as their lives continue to intersect. While it starts a little slow and sometimes Ellen’s overthinking feels arduous, this love story is worth trudging through the first couple of chapters.
Because it gets oh-so good
There are several references to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction and many moments when I feared this book could cross some Lifetime lines. Somehow Moriarty managed to build up such drama without letting the story spiral out of control. It was so creepy yet heartbreaking and I was surprised to find myself relating to stalker Saskia and totally feeling for her. (Yes, I’m admitting that.)
Patrick wasn’t exactly innocent when it came to Saskia either. And this was one plotline I felt could make or break the entire book for me. Why wasn’t he filing a restraining order? (But still keeping diligent notes about Saskia’s intrusions?) I feared the moment this story could go off the deep end and make Patrick out to be a totally ridiculous character. I am here to assure you his reasons are presented very realistically, even if it takes awhile to get there. Moriarty did a great job of creating an unbiased perspective for all of these charactes and I much appreciated that.
As far as hypnosis goes, I have no knowledge of it at all and found those bits extremely interesting as we got to see Ellen work with her clients and even from the little snippets that began each chapter. The details were never too technical and were mostly told through Ellen’s interactions with her clients. When hypnosis manages to creep into her relationship with Patrick, I just kept thinking… gee, I could never date a hypnotist. While her career was a strength, it was clever how the author made it part of her own self-consciousness too.
It’s been awhile since I read a nice piece of adult fiction, especially after coming down from the high of an amazing YA book (Dreamland Social Club), but The Hypnotist’s Love Story was just the ticket. It kept my attention, toyed with my emotions (yet was constantly amusing), and kept me at the edge of my train seat until the very end.
While only one character is a hypnotist, this book covers 3 people who are in some version of a trance. Hypnotist Ellen, burdened by her past failed relationships and her Type A personality, thinks she understands love when she is just beginning. Patrick, a widowed single dad, has been relentlessly stalked by his ex-girlfriend for way too long and has yet to do anything about it. And finally there is Saskia, Patrick’s ex-girlfriend who realizes she is crossing the line with her stalking but is unable to control it or her love for Patrick and his son.
So Patrick is under a trance of guilt while Ellen & Saskia are dealing with with the ideals and truths of love.
In an engrossing novel, set in Australia, this novel shifts from the POVs of Ellen and Saskia as their lives continue to intersect. While it starts a little slow and sometimes Ellen’s overthinking feels arduous, this love story is worth trudging through the first couple of chapters.
Because it gets oh-so good
There are several references to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction and many moments when I feared this book could cross some Lifetime lines. Somehow Moriarty managed to build up such drama without letting the story spiral out of control. It was so creepy yet heartbreaking and I was surprised to find myself relating to stalker Saskia and totally feeling for her. (Yes, I’m admitting that.)
Patrick wasn’t exactly innocent when it came to Saskia either. And this was one plotline I felt could make or break the entire book for me. Why wasn’t he filing a restraining order? (But still keeping diligent notes about Saskia’s intrusions?) I feared the moment this story could go off the deep end and make Patrick out to be a totally ridiculous character. I am here to assure you his reasons are presented very realistically, even if it takes awhile to get there. Moriarty did a great job of creating an unbiased perspective for all of these charactes and I much appreciated that.
As far as hypnosis goes, I have no knowledge of it at all and found those bits extremely interesting as we got to see Ellen work with her clients and even from the little snippets that began each chapter. The details were never too technical and were mostly told through Ellen’s interactions with her clients. When hypnosis manages to creep into her relationship with Patrick, I just kept thinking… gee, I could never date a hypnotist. While her career was a strength, it was clever how the author made it part of her own self-consciousness too.
It’s been awhile since I read a nice piece of adult fiction, especially after coming down from the high of an amazing YA book (Dreamland Social Club), but The Hypnotist’s Love Story was just the ticket. It kept my attention, toyed with my emotions (yet was constantly amusing), and kept me at the edge of my train seat until the very end.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would probably giveaways more like 3.5 stars. It wasn't anything spectacular, but was still an enjoyable read. I always like books by this author.
This was a character driven novel rather than a plot driven one which seems to turn people off but I found myself delighted to go on Ellen’s journey with her! I particularly enjoyed the switching perspectives and the way you have to figure out which one of Ellen’s clients is her lover’s stalker in disguise. It seems like there were some missed opportunities in plot development; however, overall I found this an enjoyable read.
I think I put too much into this one before I had even started it; I enjoyed it, and stayed up late to finish it, but it's not my favorite of her books so far.
Not a bad book but was fairly anti-climactic. I would have picked a different ending.
I kept imagining Anne as Lucille 1 from Arrested Development. Quite fitting.
I kept imagining Anne as Lucille 1 from Arrested Development. Quite fitting.
the premise may have been good if anything had actually happened but it was so darn long. It’s as if Moriarty couldn’t decide whether to write a thriller or a love story and spent 400+ pages achieving neither.
Liane won't let you down, she's gonna give you a solid book with solid characters and good writing. Enjoyed the themes of how taking past experiences in relationships with you can color new ones, for better or worse. And how not letting go of past relationships can keep you from fully embracing and experiencing the joy of new ones.
I love this author and this one did not disappoint. I enjoy books that alternate the characters' perspectives so you can empathize with the "villain".