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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
A departure from the usual detective stories that Tana French usually writes, this one is told from the perspective of Toby, a rich, handsome young man who’s pretty much been handed everything in his life. Although there is a murder investigation that surfaces in the middle of this book, it is told from Toby’s somewhat-broken perspective and we as readers are not intended to entirely trust the perceptions he had. It was a good book overall- the circumstances and layered characters kept me guessing. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because it felt like it went on too long at the end.
This was my first venture into a Tana French novel. I enjoyed the writing. The book was incredibly long though. I actually think it could have ended much earlier than it did. The murder mystery kept me on my toes, always trying to guess who dunnit!
Terrible. I really shouldn’t have finished this book. So boring, could not have cared less about any of these characters.
rough read but I was sick so maybe that is why I didn't really enjoy the book
Tana French write a crime novel that isn’t also a deeply affecting study of trauma and memory challenge.
My fourth book by Tana French and she’s yet to put a foot wrong! All of the characters are deeply flawed but you love them (mostly?), extremely (like, really) unreliable narrator, a great central mystery but you don’t get to it until about 200 pages in and honestly who cares when the writing is this good?
Worrying that I’m already reaching for the bigger, cosy novels I had set aside for Autumn but the heart what’s what it wants.
My fourth book by Tana French and she’s yet to put a foot wrong! All of the characters are deeply flawed but you love them (mostly?), extremely (like, really) unreliable narrator, a great central mystery but you don’t get to it until about 200 pages in and honestly who cares when the writing is this good?
Worrying that I’m already reaching for the bigger, cosy novels I had set aside for Autumn but the heart what’s what it wants.
***3.5/5 stars***
I don't think there's any way I can write this review without spoilers so read at your own risk...
Toby is tall, handsome, blonde -- a golden boy who lives a charmed life. His girlfriend is lovely, his family is well off, and even when he gets in trouble, he manages to escape without any real consequences. Toby's luck runs out one evening when he surprises burglars in his apartment and they beat him within an inch of his life. During his long recovery, Toby struggles with anger, personality changes, physical limitations, slurred speech, and a fractured memory--all the hallmarks of a traumatic head injury. Facing an extended medical absence from work, Toby ends up going to stay with his beloved Uncle Hugo when his uncle is diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Hugo lives at the Ivy House, a large estate outside Dublin that used to belong to Toby's grandparents, and where he spent many weekends and summers as a kid, along with his cousins Susannah and Leon. Now Toby is back under much different circumstances, and everything is going more or less fine...until a skull is discovered in the wych elm in the garden. Suddenly detectives are digging up the garden and asking questions about the past-- questions that Toby, suffering from memory loss, can't seem to answer.
I really enjoyed the majority of this book, but the ending just changed it for me. I think this is how a lot of people felt at the end of "In The Woods" (which I loved).
The pace did not bother me--I like a meandering tale, and I've come to love the slow unspooling of Tana French's novels. The questions about luck, secrets, and personality that this novel grapples with are compelling.
I will just say, I enjoyed the journey but was not thrilled about the destination.
I don't think there's any way I can write this review without spoilers so read at your own risk...
Toby is tall, handsome, blonde -- a golden boy who lives a charmed life. His girlfriend is lovely, his family is well off, and even when he gets in trouble, he manages to escape without any real consequences. Toby's luck runs out one evening when he surprises burglars in his apartment and they beat him within an inch of his life. During his long recovery, Toby struggles with anger, personality changes, physical limitations, slurred speech, and a fractured memory--all the hallmarks of a traumatic head injury. Facing an extended medical absence from work, Toby ends up going to stay with his beloved Uncle Hugo when his uncle is diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Hugo lives at the Ivy House, a large estate outside Dublin that used to belong to Toby's grandparents, and where he spent many weekends and summers as a kid, along with his cousins Susannah and Leon. Now Toby is back under much different circumstances, and everything is going more or less fine...until a skull is discovered in the wych elm in the garden. Suddenly detectives are digging up the garden and asking questions about the past-- questions that Toby, suffering from memory loss, can't seem to answer.
I really enjoyed the majority of this book, but the ending just changed it for me. I think this is how a lot of people felt at the end of "In The Woods" (which I loved).
The pace did not bother me--I like a meandering tale, and I've come to love the slow unspooling of Tana French's novels. The questions about luck, secrets, and personality that this novel grapples with are compelling.
I will just say, I enjoyed the journey but was not thrilled about the destination.
I love a thriller, and this is a fascinating one, but it’s definitely a slower burn than most.
Interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about how it ended.
Once again, in The Witch Elm, French skillfully explores the intricate relationship dynamics of a close-knit group. She has a remarkable ability to maintain tension through dialogue, even in scenes where characters simply sit and talk. I think that is what keeps me coming back to her books. The Witch Elm opens with the following line: “I've always considered myself, basically, a lucky person.” Toby, the main character, believes he's always lived a pretty lucky life. During the opening scenes, his friends really give him a hard time for always having to so easy. Throuhgout the novel, I found myself questioning whether this percieved luck had more to do with Toby’s naive ignorance or sheer self-absorption. While this isn't my favorite book in Tana French's oeuvre, it’s still very engaging.