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3.25 AVERAGE
3.25 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
I picked this off the bookshelf as it had been there for a while. I started reading it Saturday morning and have just finished Monday night. When I started I thought it didn’t seem too bad and then inconsistencies started to show ..
Twins, yet he is in the year above her. Twins yet at one point, she was 14 and he was 15?! What?
Featured gang rape which too it from a interesting story to one I didn’t really want to read anything. Also in the kindle version her name is Sophie not holly? I had a paperback version to which said holly.
Too many inconsistencies and too many sensitive topics.
Twins, yet he is in the year above her. Twins yet at one point, she was 14 and he was 15?! What?
Featured gang rape which too it from a interesting story to one I didn’t really want to read anything. Also in the kindle version her name is Sophie not holly? I had a paperback version to which said holly.
Too many inconsistencies and too many sensitive topics.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
A Version Of The Truth wasn’t really what I expected it to be. I did expect secrets to be revealed and for lives to fall apart. What I didn’t expect was for the storyline to be mainly about how one of the characters dealt with what she found out. I also didn’t expect to detest so many of the characters, most of them are repulsive. There were only two I liked throughout, but they appeared less than everybody else. Two did grow on me as I read more and I realised how they had been duped. The others were cruel, controlling, elitist and they had many other faults that I struggle to reveal without spoilers.
Narrated by both Julianne and Holly my feelings changed a few times about whose account I preferred to read. Julianne appealed most at first, her account was more about how she handled realising that she had never really known her husband. When I found out what really happened to Holly and saw more of her strength I found I preferred her. I wanted her to be strong, happy and away from the university and her unfeeling mother.
I did find the ending a little abrupt, but overall its a good debut.
Narrated by both Julianne and Holly my feelings changed a few times about whose account I preferred to read. Julianne appealed most at first, her account was more about how she handled realising that she had never really known her husband. When I found out what really happened to Holly and saw more of her strength I found I preferred her. I wanted her to be strong, happy and away from the university and her unfeeling mother.
I did find the ending a little abrupt, but overall its a good debut.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The cover of this book doesn’t in any way relate to the novel, neither does the genre of mystery/thriller. There isn’t much of a clearly defined story, just awful things that seem to occur. The graphic descriptives are a bit too much, but I kept reading hoping that some kind of strong storyline would emerge. The ending felt rushed and all a little too late and all in all this book is a real disappointment.
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
This is a dark, twisted and addictive read from B.P. Walter. Set in the present day and focusing on Julianne, whose son has found something awful on their family ipad, the story also takes us back to 1990, when student Holly heads off for the first time to university at Oxford. What follows is shocking, horrifying and absorbing, and I found myself not wanting to put this book down, despite the disturbing subject matter and themes (which I won't give away here so as not to ruin anything).
I really liked that there were two timeframes and storylines, as it allows the reader to slowly uncover more and more about certain characters, and how their history could be linked, and offers - as the title suggests - a different version of the story.
There are some truly evil characters in this novel alongside those I ended up rooting for, and BP Walter has also created some people whose truthworthiness seemed unclear, adding to the sense of unease, confusion and intrigue.
This is definitely not an 'easy' read - it pushes many difficult buttons and it certainly doesn't pull any punches, meaning it could be difficult reading for many, but it's really well crafted and clever, and I raced through it in no time. Definitely an author to watch!
Many thanks to Avon Books for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
This is a dark, twisted and addictive read from B.P. Walter. Set in the present day and focusing on Julianne, whose son has found something awful on their family ipad, the story also takes us back to 1990, when student Holly heads off for the first time to university at Oxford. What follows is shocking, horrifying and absorbing, and I found myself not wanting to put this book down, despite the disturbing subject matter and themes (which I won't give away here so as not to ruin anything).
I really liked that there were two timeframes and storylines, as it allows the reader to slowly uncover more and more about certain characters, and how their history could be linked, and offers - as the title suggests - a different version of the story.
There are some truly evil characters in this novel alongside those I ended up rooting for, and BP Walter has also created some people whose truthworthiness seemed unclear, adding to the sense of unease, confusion and intrigue.
This is definitely not an 'easy' read - it pushes many difficult buttons and it certainly doesn't pull any punches, meaning it could be difficult reading for many, but it's really well crafted and clever, and I raced through it in no time. Definitely an author to watch!
Many thanks to Avon Books for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rating:
In the beginning, I was unsure between 4 or 5 stars.
By the time I finished the review, I am settling on 4.
Cover:
I don't understand the cover. I am definitely 'missing' the interpretation of it...
Trigger:
Rape
Gang rape
Sexual predators
Short review:
It is difficult to read the book and hence it is difficult to review. At the same time, it is a heck of a page-turner! I finished reading it in a couple of hours and literally stayed awake past midnight to finish it.
If you need a fast-paced, well-written psychological thriller, this is it. You might not need more than a blurb of the book to jump into it. Just keep in mind those 'triggers' I listed above.
Review in image/gif:
Recommended:
Yes
Aftermath: (possible spoilers)
Reading this book is like looking at train-wreck - about to happen, you know it is happening, but you cannot stop it from happening, neither you can look away.
I think this section would be longer than the main review but please don't read it if you want to read this book (and I recommend that you do).
1. Train wreck situation: I constantly questioned Holly's thought process and decision-making skills. She knew there was something 'wrong' with her new friends but she ignored all warning signs. My mother used to tell me that girls are born with a certain instinct for this type of situations and she asked me to always trust that natural instinct. Overall these years, I trusted it and my mom, by extension of it, and it helped me stay safe. But that doesn't mean I am saying Holly deserved what happened to her - NO WAY! It is not acceptable for society to assume that. NO means NO.
She was such a brilliant student - got a scholarship to Oxford even though coming from a poor family but she played with fire paid the price. It was such heartbreaking realisation of wasted youth which should have been entitled to a bright future.
2. The question which continuous nagged at my mind after finishing this book was, does it take this long to realise that there is something fundamentally wrong with your husband? Considering you have dated him since college and basically helped him cover up a mistake (a severe one as rape)? Can you really turn a blind eye? Maybe you can because the said husband is so charming, wealthy and understanding but still...I may never know.
3. The cover says 'There are three sides to every story' - what was the 3rd side? The entire book is in dual POV - Jullien, and Holly. Maybe I missed the third side in my haste to finish this book? I don't know. But speaking of the third side, I would really have liked James/Ernest or even Ally's POV. Because even though, they are the 'bad' guys, it is enlighting to read why the villain thinks it is such a righteous idea. isn't it? It would have been a despicable but insightful chapter. It would have made the book 'complete', I guess.
4. The climax - it was unexpected like any other psychological thrillers but rather unsavoury. I would have preferred much more dark and sinister because if someone has threatened my son like Julienne was threatened of hers, I would have ended that person's life. There would have been no other ending acceptable to me. I understood her situation and between fight and flight - she chose the flight but still. To tell the truth, I was hoping for Better and Worse sort of ending but was disappointed when it wasn't like one. Still, kudos on a fast-paced thriller and that being said, I would be keeping an eye on Walter's next book.
In the beginning, I was unsure between 4 or 5 stars.
By the time I finished the review, I am settling on 4.
Cover:
I don't understand the cover. I am definitely 'missing' the interpretation of it...
Trigger:
Rape
Gang rape
Sexual predators
Short review:
It is difficult to read the book and hence it is difficult to review. At the same time, it is a heck of a page-turner! I finished reading it in a couple of hours and literally stayed awake past midnight to finish it.
If you need a fast-paced, well-written psychological thriller, this is it. You might not need more than a blurb of the book to jump into it. Just keep in mind those 'triggers' I listed above.
Review in image/gif:
Recommended:
Yes
Aftermath: (possible spoilers)
Reading this book is like looking at train-wreck - about to happen, you know it is happening, but you cannot stop it from happening, neither you can look away.
I think this section would be longer than the main review but please don't read it if you want to read this book (and I recommend that you do).
Spoiler
1. Train wreck situation: I constantly questioned Holly's thought process and decision-making skills. She knew there was something 'wrong' with her new friends but she ignored all warning signs. My mother used to tell me that girls are born with a certain instinct for this type of situations and she asked me to always trust that natural instinct. Overall these years, I trusted it and my mom, by extension of it, and it helped me stay safe. But that doesn't mean I am saying Holly deserved what happened to her - NO WAY! It is not acceptable for society to assume that. NO means NO.
She was such a brilliant student - got a scholarship to Oxford even though coming from a poor family but she played with fire paid the price. It was such heartbreaking realisation of wasted youth which should have been entitled to a bright future.
2. The question which continuous nagged at my mind after finishing this book was, does it take this long to realise that there is something fundamentally wrong with your husband? Considering you have dated him since college and basically helped him cover up a mistake (a severe one as rape)? Can you really turn a blind eye? Maybe you can because the said husband is so charming, wealthy and understanding but still...I may never know.
3. The cover says 'There are three sides to every story' - what was the 3rd side? The entire book is in dual POV - Jullien, and Holly. Maybe I missed the third side in my haste to finish this book? I don't know. But speaking of the third side, I would really have liked James/Ernest or even Ally's POV. Because even though, they are the 'bad' guys, it is enlighting to read why the villain thinks it is such a righteous idea. isn't it? It would have been a despicable but insightful chapter. It would have made the book 'complete', I guess.
4. The climax - it was unexpected like any other psychological thrillers but rather unsavoury. I would have preferred much more dark and sinister because if someone has threatened my son like Julienne was threatened of hers, I would have ended that person's life. There would have been no other ending acceptable to me. I understood her situation and between fight and flight - she chose the flight but still. To tell the truth, I was hoping for Better and Worse sort of ending but was disappointed when it wasn't like one. Still, kudos on a fast-paced thriller and that being said, I would be keeping an eye on Walter's next book.