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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I picked this off the annual NYPL blog post with recommendations to undertake items on Book Riot's 2024 Read Harder Challenge. I think the challenge this year is pretty weak and hasn't generated a whole lot of "reads" for me. This was under the "Read a Howdunit or Whydunit" item. It's a bit of a strange book, and I waffled between 3 and 4 stars here; 3.5 seems about right, but I went 4, because I didn't want to give the abruptness of the ending (a major source of any dissatisfaction) undue weight.
What's good about this book is really good; there's incisive, matter-of-fact treatment of racism, classism, misogyny, anti-immigrant sentiment, and other critical social issues that is stirring and useful for thinking through for me as a North American, as it is a different lens on shared problems. The writing itself is also compelling; I found myself staying up far later than I should have to get through just one more section as Slimani really creates this gravitational pull with set pieces from different characters' vantage points.
What's dissatisfying is that this really isn't a "Whydunit?", or at least not a wholly convincing one. I don't THINK that Slimani intends the reader to simply drink the "true crime" kool-aid and accept that Louise is simply tragically mad (and that Myriam and Paulwould have found this out and fended off the horror if they were appropriately paranoid, as good parents "should" be. Certainly, we have glimpses of Louise's past that show us that her "madness" is made by circumstance, not simply a broken nature, but the very last section of the book, from the point of view of the cop who will "play" Louise in the reconstruction of the crime, undoes some of the more interesting, carefully constructed groundwork.
What's good about this book is really good; there's incisive, matter-of-fact treatment of racism, classism, misogyny, anti-immigrant sentiment, and other critical social issues that is stirring and useful for thinking through for me as a North American, as it is a different lens on shared problems. The writing itself is also compelling; I found myself staying up far later than I should have to get through just one more section as Slimani really creates this gravitational pull with set pieces from different characters' vantage points.
What's dissatisfying is that this really isn't a "Whydunit?", or at least not a wholly convincing one. I don't THINK that Slimani intends the reader to simply drink the "true crime" kool-aid and accept that Louise is simply tragically mad (and that Myriam and Paulwould have found this out and fended off the horror if they were appropriately paranoid, as good parents "should" be. Certainly, we have glimpses of Louise's past that show us that her "madness" is made by circumstance, not simply a broken nature, but the very last section of the book, from the point of view of the cop who will "play" Louise in the reconstruction of the crime, undoes some of the more interesting, carefully constructed groundwork.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book - especially how the plot unravels as you begin to learn more about this seemingly perfect nanny - but not a book that will make a long-lasting impact on me. Still, a good and interesting read.
Engrossing thriller, a nanny joins a family and becomes more and more entwined in their life. The nanny becomes obsessed with the family and takes drastic measures to keep her position.
This novel delves into the complicated relationship between parents and their child's caregivers, whether they are in-home nannies like Louise, occasional babysitters, or even teachers. Every parent has experienced the delicate balance between trust and vigilance. While the child's well-being and comfort with the caregiver is paramount, parents are also on alert every day for other cues from the child-- questioning eating habits, injuries and sicknesses, mood changes, and worse... This novel is masterful in describing those tensions. I gave it 3 stars because the ending was unsatisfying and felt rushed. The reader knows from the first page that the story will end in tragedy, however I felt the author could have revealed more about what led Louise to her actions.
Did not enjoy at all. Did not love the third-person omniscient writing style. Never got any answers about anything.