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bahlamber's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a creepily wonderful novel! Santino Fontana was wonderful! He brings such a special layer to Joe's character. I gave an extra star just because of his performance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting
gabrielab's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, and Toxic friendship
time_travel_tragedy's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Caroline Kepnes became one of my new favorite authors with this book. I love the fact that it is told from the stalkers perspective and it's done so well. Joe is one of the funniest narrators I've read in a while. With iconic lines such as: (paraphrased cause I don't have the book in front of me) "I love Stephen King as much as anybody, but as the bookseller, I am his bitch." And many many more. His irrational anger at some of the things characters were saying and doing was hilarious to read. Oh and one of my favorite lines in the entire book that isn't funny, it's just stuck with me for months as just being the best simile I've heard in a while: "She looked at me like I'd asked her for spare change." Again paraphrased because I don't have the book in front of me. I haven't gotten the chance to get my hands on the sequels but as soon as I get them I will be reading them because I need more of Joe's narration in my life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Stalking
Moderate: Sexual content
jbells7's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Murder
findingtoriii's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I read this book before the show came out and absolutely couldn’t stand the show, reread this again recently and it just reminded me why I loved it so much. Joe is irredeemable, since you’re in his head you will catch yourself “understanding” him but when you step back you realize how twisted he is. The characters have their flaws and I love that about them, they feel like people you know, not untouchable beings who don’t exist.
The audiobook is also beautifully read and I’d say- perfect.
The audiobook is also beautifully read and I’d say- perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Gaslighting
jessicat103's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Stalking
Moderate: Death
cayleejanet's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Stalking, and Murder
kryskross's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking, and Murder
esus's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Stalking
redwrapped's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The way You was written was fantastic: claustrophobic, highly detailed, and wholly original. I felt like I could be Joe Goldberg. It was that intense and that immersive. But the characters were so utterly unlikable they were not merely just unlikable; I fucking hated them. Which is probably what the author intended, and a reflection of how the narrator feels about the various characters, but honestly, I wanted to throw the book away because of how awful the characters are. Not so much for how they were written but what they did and said.
And why Beck was so "different" and "brave" and "interesting" is beyond me; she felt incredibly shallow and bratty, not a bad person (she's not a killer, for one thing) but she is fantastically stupid, and I don't understand how she's able to survive in New York without a job for 95% of the story, or how she got into university and writes the stories she writes, when it does sound as though her stories are mediocre and her work ethic is lacking. She doesn't spend time writing, or workshopping her writing, or working; her time is spent coddling her emotionally insecure friends, masturbating (supposedly, I don't really believe those parts), and tweeting. Why Joe is obsessed with her is past my comprehension, and unless it's just him being a dishonest, unreliable narrator, she really wasn't worth being stalked—and put on a pedestal for the length of a whole book!
The only reason I kept on was because of how the book was written, and I wanted to guess how much of the story was reality and how much was distorted fantasy. And the amount of fact versus fiction was never confirmed or truly alluded to at the end, so I guess I'll never know.
And why Beck was so "different" and "brave" and "interesting" is beyond me; she felt incredibly shallow and bratty, not a bad person (she's not a killer, for one thing) but she is fantastically stupid, and I don't understand how she's able to survive in New York without a job for 95% of the story, or how she got into university and writes the stories she writes, when it does sound as though her stories are mediocre and her work ethic is lacking. She doesn't spend time writing, or workshopping her writing, or working; her time is spent coddling her emotionally insecure friends, masturbating (supposedly, I don't really believe those parts), and tweeting. Why Joe is obsessed with her is past my comprehension, and unless it's just him being a dishonest, unreliable narrator, she really wasn't worth being stalked—and put on a pedestal for the length of a whole book!
The only reason I kept on was because of how the book was written, and I wanted to guess how much of the story was reality and how much was distorted fantasy. And the amount of fact versus fiction was never confirmed or truly alluded to at the end, so I guess I'll never know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment