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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe a 3.5? Maybe a 2.5? Honestly, I can’t decide if I like or hate this book more than I think I do.
Mostly, I feel like this story dragged on for far too long. It had a tediously slow start (so slow I had to look up the book description to confirm there actually was a plot) and, while the pacing did pick up in the middle along with the tension and suspense, the ending dragged any momentum gained in the middle of the book WAY past the point of no return. In many ways, I feel like simply too much time passed between events for any dread to build. Also, even though I understand most of the tension is really meant to be psychological, I found the injection of these sudden “stream of consciousness” moments in the middle of paragraphs to be disruptive more than a meaningful callback to the protagonist’s declining/problematic mental state. Again, there was so much space between “breaks” in this mental breakdown that I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the suspense.
I just could not “jive” with the pacing of this story and was never able to fully immerse myself in the flow of the narrative. I always felt disconnected or disjointed from the work.
As far as the content goes, I did find the main narrative to be compelling. I like the exploration of self being depicted as a traumatic event in and of itself. The question of, “are we just all that we are?” is haunting and I feel it looming over the story, over my shoulder. It’s horrifying to realize we and the people around us are so often so much more than we can ever truly realize. It makes the world and ourselves feel more alien. We are capable of so much more than we can understand or, sometimes, even articulate to ourselves.
I think the character development and devolution was interesting if a bit insufferable to read at times. I honestly don’t think I truly enjoyed any character in this book except for Hugo and Melissa — who both got the shortest ends of the stick. Towards the main characters, though, I don’t feel any particular sympathy. I feel understanding in regards to particular actions but not much sympathy. Though several instances of misfortune and uneven social structures were rightfully emphasized throughout the book and framed as symptoms of larger structural prejudices, I found it hard to relate to the struggles of these upper-middle class white kids who lived fairly charmed lives. That’s not to dismiss the vile and disgusting crimes perpetrated against these characters but it’s also not an excuse. It’s just that, overall, their lives and their more petty issues and family seemed so far removed.
Anyway, I don’t want to beat a dead horse. I don’t hate this book but I also don’t think I love it. Would I read more work from this author? Maybe. Would I recommend this book? It probably wouldn’t be in my top 20 recommendations.
Mostly, I feel like this story dragged on for far too long. It had a tediously slow start (so slow I had to look up the book description to confirm there actually was a plot) and, while the pacing did pick up in the middle along with the tension and suspense, the ending dragged any momentum gained in the middle of the book WAY past the point of no return. In many ways, I feel like simply too much time passed between events for any dread to build. Also, even though I understand most of the tension is really meant to be psychological, I found the injection of these sudden “stream of consciousness” moments in the middle of paragraphs to be disruptive more than a meaningful callback to the protagonist’s declining/problematic mental state. Again, there was so much space between “breaks” in this mental breakdown that I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the suspense.
I just could not “jive” with the pacing of this story and was never able to fully immerse myself in the flow of the narrative. I always felt disconnected or disjointed from the work.
As far as the content goes, I did find the main narrative to be compelling. I like the exploration of self being depicted as a traumatic event in and of itself. The question of, “are we just all that we are?” is haunting and I feel it looming over the story, over my shoulder. It’s horrifying to realize we and the people around us are so often so much more than we can ever truly realize. It makes the world and ourselves feel more alien. We are capable of so much more than we can understand or, sometimes, even articulate to ourselves.
I think the character development and devolution was interesting if a bit insufferable to read at times. I honestly don’t think I truly enjoyed any character in this book except for Hugo and Melissa — who both got the shortest ends of the stick. Towards the main characters, though, I don’t feel any particular sympathy. I feel understanding in regards to particular actions but not much sympathy. Though several instances of misfortune and uneven social structures were rightfully emphasized throughout the book and framed as symptoms of larger structural prejudices, I found it hard to relate to the struggles of these upper-middle class white kids who lived fairly charmed lives. That’s not to dismiss the vile and disgusting crimes perpetrated against these characters but it’s also not an excuse. It’s just that, overall, their lives and their more petty issues and family seemed so far removed.
Anyway, I don’t want to beat a dead horse. I don’t hate this book but I also don’t think I love it. Would I read more work from this author? Maybe. Would I recommend this book? It probably wouldn’t be in my top 20 recommendations.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Tana French knows how to set the stage. Her descriptions that juxtapose the cacophony of loud Sunday dinners and packed bars against the quiet, halcyon evenings alone with loved ones in the Ivy House are alluring, engaging the senses. I'm not at all sure how much of a "mystery" this story is (to avoid spoilers, I won't go into details), but it definitely earns full marks for vivid detail and suspense!
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
Slowwwww is an understatement. Sad cause I love all of her other books.

I wish I could tell you exactly what rating I would give The Wych Elm by Tana French, but I don't think I could.
It took me the guts of two weeks to get through the first two hundred pages. Pages and pages were spent concentrating on something that had seemed so trivial and unnecessary. Considering that the novel follows the "lucky", superficial lad Toby, I guess that this narration style is fair enough.
After hitting the two-hundredth page, it all kicks off and I realised the importance of every single page up until then. The reader gets to know Toby in a way that makes you love him and hate him.
Toby is a guy who has never had many problems. He is popular, good looking and rich. Until his circumstances change drastically and alter who he is. Suddenly, Toby feels what it is to be misrepresented, confused, ignored and pitied. And when a seemingly random skull is found inside the titular wych elm, the detectives get involved.
I thought I knew the message French was going for. I thought this novel would be a comeuppance for middle-class ignorance. I thought that this book would be, essentially, annoyingly politically correct. And, yes, French discusses an array of important issues, all encompassed within the Hennessy family and their friends. Class, gender, sexuality, mental health and disability are all thrown into the spotlight. But most importantly, in my opinion, French highlights the inevitability of who we are regardless of circumstance.
Are we who we are due to nature or nurture?
This is definitely a book to delve into.
I wish I could tell you exactly what rating I would give The Wych Elm by Tana French, but I don't think I could.
It took me the guts of two weeks to get through the first two hundred pages. Pages and pages were spent concentrating on something that had seemed so trivial and unnecessary. Considering that the novel follows the "lucky", superficial lad Toby, I guess that this narration style is fair enough.
After hitting the two-hundredth page, it all kicks off and I realised the importance of every single page up until then. The reader gets to know Toby in a way that makes you love him and hate him.
Toby is a guy who has never had many problems. He is popular, good looking and rich. Until his circumstances change drastically and alter who he is. Suddenly, Toby feels what it is to be misrepresented, confused, ignored and pitied. And when a seemingly random skull is found inside the titular wych elm, the detectives get involved.
I thought I knew the message French was going for. I thought this novel would be a comeuppance for middle-class ignorance. I thought that this book would be, essentially, annoyingly politically correct. And, yes, French discusses an array of important issues, all encompassed within the Hennessy family and their friends. Class, gender, sexuality, mental health and disability are all thrown into the spotlight. But most importantly, in my opinion, French highlights the inevitability of who we are regardless of circumstance.
Are we who we are due to nature or nurture?
This is definitely a book to delve into.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was not my favorite Tana French novel. It was too long for me. I think she could have had a much more suspenful novel if she had condensed it. There was just sooo many discussions of the same thing over and over again!! Also didn't like the main character and while yes he is supposed to be unreliable so much of his thinking made zero sense. And the extent of his problems were not made out to be serious enough to justify some of his thinking or actions.
I couldn't put this down! Her sing-song prose and creepy story-line chilled me to the bones.