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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Very slow. 95 pages in and still haven't gotten to the main plot.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
3.5 - audiobook - good language and tons of imagery. Somewhat predictable and last half of the book dragged on. Not much payoff in the end.
slow-paced
2 1/2 stars. I was pre-warned that this might be a struggle, and it lived up to expectations.
I love Tana French but I’m not sure about this one... Complex but with spare plot points that drive the action which is mostly a lot of endless conversations between the characters over cigarettes and booze. It felt like an endurance test. Also, very very DARK. Psychological to be sure, and sad, but is Toby really so irredeemable? Also felt like there was emphasis placed on certain moments where the main character steps out of the action and calls out the moment as a turning point, (like taking the call from Melissa on his walk home at the beginning,) but which never gets tied up at the end. Finished this one feeling sad when usually her books stimulate me.
I'd give a split review if I could. The first half of the book is slow and plodding with boring, over-extended character plotlines. However, the last half moves along quickly and becomes a page turner. This would have been twice as good if it was half as long.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In this episode of "Maddie reads everything Tana French has written," I consumed The Wych Elm and quickly realized that this is NOT as similar to her friendly murder squad novels as I had anticipated. This is a depressing and creepy book - I still really enjoyed it, but again need a little TF break before diving into the next one to avoid any nightmares or lingering malaise. An excellent slowburn of a story with a gripping ending and a fun inversion of her regular formula.
I'm not sure how much I like this compared to the Murder Squad books. I'm not actually sure how much I liked it at all. It took me a long time to warm up to it, and then, once I thought I knew what French was doing, I geared myself up to be wowed again by character development and twists....and then by the end I was just left feeling vaguely disappointed. I don't think (an hour after finishing it) that this is due to any problems with the creation of the story, but this book just didn't have as much of what I usually love about French's books.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No