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exorcismemily's review against another edition
4.0
I'm going to say this upfront - do not go into Providence expecting a thriller, and you will get much more enjoyment out of the book. I was warned by reviewers before me, and I am glad that I had the proper expectations going in. This is also completely different than You & Hidden Bodies, so don't be disappointed when it's not Joe Part 3. It's a great story on its own.
I'm not really sure what genre to classify this book as - it's a mystery, a supernatural story, a romance, a tragedy, a coming of age story, a (partial) procedural, a serial killer story...it has a little bit of everything.
This book does have a lot of Lovecraft references, particularly to The Dunwich Horror. I'm currently listening to the audiobook of The Dunwich Horror since I had never read it. Reading this beforehand may help you appreciate Providence a little bit more, but you can still grasp it just fine without reading it. I don't have much of a background in Lovecraft & I still enjoyed this story.
Providence starts out very strong, and I think Kepnes did an excellent job with the coming of age portions. The book starts to slow down around the middle, and is a bit repetitive at times, but never to the point where I was actually bored. I still liked the characters & hearing about what was going on in their lives.
Another strong point of this book is the writing of heartbreak. As I got more invested in the characters, I really began to feel for them & wanted things to work out for them. The closest thing I can compare this to is 11/22/63 - in both books, the writing is excellent, the romance is more than tolerable, and there's more of a story surrounding everything than just love.
My biggest complaint is that I feel like I was still left with a few questions, and I wish more time could have been spent on certain storylines. There is still enough to wrap up the ending well, so I am happy with the book has a whole. I am so excited that I was able to read more from Caroline Kepnes, and I can't wait to see what she does next!
I'm not really sure what genre to classify this book as - it's a mystery, a supernatural story, a romance, a tragedy, a coming of age story, a (partial) procedural, a serial killer story...it has a little bit of everything.
This book does have a lot of Lovecraft references, particularly to The Dunwich Horror. I'm currently listening to the audiobook of The Dunwich Horror since I had never read it. Reading this beforehand may help you appreciate Providence a little bit more, but you can still grasp it just fine without reading it. I don't have much of a background in Lovecraft & I still enjoyed this story.
Providence starts out very strong, and I think Kepnes did an excellent job with the coming of age portions. The book starts to slow down around the middle, and is a bit repetitive at times, but never to the point where I was actually bored. I still liked the characters & hearing about what was going on in their lives.
Another strong point of this book is the writing of heartbreak. As I got more invested in the characters, I really began to feel for them & wanted things to work out for them. The closest thing I can compare this to is 11/22/63 - in both books, the writing is excellent, the romance is more than tolerable, and there's more of a story surrounding everything than just love.
My biggest complaint is that I feel like I was still left with a few questions, and I wish more time could have been spent on certain storylines. There is still enough to wrap up the ending well, so I am happy with the book has a whole. I am so excited that I was able to read more from Caroline Kepnes, and I can't wait to see what she does next!
mariaologist's review against another edition
2.0
A lot of this book read like YA. Also, Paranormal is not for me. If i had known it was paranormal i never would have read it. It was so cliched in the main characters constant denial and disbelief and so repetitive in his search for answers. The narrative switches between three perspectives and one of the perspectives was supremely boring and not directly involved in the plot so it seemed unnecessary. The book does not feel resolved at the end. It felt more like some sort of 13 hour allegory. Ugh. Two stars bc good writing, and the first quarter of the book had promise.
plzu's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Caroline Kepnes' writing style is thoroughly entertaining and captivating. The voices she gave to the three protagonists each unique.
It did feel like it dragged and kept leading to nothing, at points, but I think that was the point - to keep you on your toes, to see and wonder what's going to happen next, especially with Jon and Eggs chapters. And Chloe! I appreciate her flaws, thought I kept feeling so... not bad for her, per se? I mean, a little bad for her. I wanted her to find happiness and got mad on her behalf for everything that happened since Jon disappeared & came back. Ugh.
It did feel like it dragged and kept leading to nothing, at points, but I think that was the point - to keep you on your toes, to see and wonder what's going to happen next, especially with Jon and Eggs chapters. And Chloe! I appreciate her flaws, thought I kept feeling so... not bad for her, per se? I mean, a little bad for her. I wanted her to find happiness and got mad on her behalf for everything that happened since Jon disappeared & came back. Ugh.
blurrypetals's review against another edition
4.0
Between this book, You, and Hidden Bodies, I've come to find that I really dig Caroline Kepnes's style.
She's the queen of stream of consciousness and inner monologues and it's evident here she's excellent at not only writing great inner monologues, but she's great at writing different, distinctive ones. If I were given the same events told through the eyes of each of our narrators here, Jon, Chloe, and Eggs, I would be able to distinguish each of them from one another quite easily, I'm sure, and that goes for Joe from You and Hidden Bodies, too.
With that said, the only reason this is a 4-star instead of a 5-star is because the narrative is a little aimless. We know Jon wants to fix what was done to him, we know Chloe wants to be with Jon and he wants to be with her, and we know Eggs wants to figure out what's causing all the coronaries, but we don't have much of a "how" in sight for all these goals and desires.
I really enjoyed this, though. Just like Kepnes's past work, it's engaging, strange, scarily relatable, and smart. I would have liked a little less Eggs and more Chloe and Jon, too, just to focus more on the emotional center with them, but other than that I have few complaints, especially with MacLeod Andrews and Emily Rankin narrating Jon's and Chloe's chapters, respectively. Definitely a breezy listen and an intriguing story.
She's the queen of stream of consciousness and inner monologues and it's evident here she's excellent at not only writing great inner monologues, but she's great at writing different, distinctive ones. If I were given the same events told through the eyes of each of our narrators here, Jon, Chloe, and Eggs, I would be able to distinguish each of them from one another quite easily, I'm sure, and that goes for Joe from You and Hidden Bodies, too.
With that said, the only reason this is a 4-star instead of a 5-star is because the narrative is a little aimless. We know Jon wants to fix what was done to him, we know Chloe wants to be with Jon and he wants to be with her, and we know Eggs wants to figure out what's causing all the coronaries, but we don't have much of a "how" in sight for all these goals and desires.
I really enjoyed this, though. Just like Kepnes's past work, it's engaging, strange, scarily relatable, and smart. I would have liked a little less Eggs and more Chloe and Jon, too, just to focus more on the emotional center with them, but other than that I have few complaints, especially with MacLeod Andrews and Emily Rankin narrating Jon's and Chloe's chapters, respectively. Definitely a breezy listen and an intriguing story.
senlorandir's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Guys would literally rather become crime fighting vigilantes than go to therapy.
In some respects even this could be an interesting story theme, but as it is the book comes off melodramatic and repetitive.
In some respects even this could be an interesting story theme, but as it is the book comes off melodramatic and repetitive.
geezenstack444's review against another edition
2.0
I hate to say it, but this is a DNF. I didn't read anything after the dog died. I can't deal with dog deaths, sorry.
skylabeouf's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
The aftermath of a sci-fi kidnap...
4.5 stars.
You. Hidden Bodies. On the strengths of these titles alone, I was prepared to read Providence without even reading a synopsis. Of course, reading a synopsis only added to the allure. Kepnes has a knack for twisted characters and situations, and though you have to take a big mental leap to allow for the plot here, it's a riveting trek.
As a young teenager, bullied student Jon goes missing on his walk to school. His best friend Chloe refuses to accept he is not coming back, beginning a series of paintings of the boy she misses, not letting life move on without him. Four years later, Jon wakes up underneath a mall with no memory of his kidnapping but a note from the perpetrator saying they have "you have power, power that will present itself to you slowly."
But now he's back, just being around him seems to trigger nosebleeds in his parents... Chloe faints when she runs to greet him. What has been done to him? And can he control it?
Told from dual perspectives, we see the adolescent hesitant love between Chloe and Jon before the kidnapping grow into something more adult with the time and pain the kidnapping provides. Chloe is the one who stayed loyal, who hasn't been able to move on, but also the one whose life has cruelly benefitted somehow. I sympathised with her, stuck between pursuing success and other avenues of love, or waiting for her soulmate to come out of the shadows.
And it's impossible not to feel for Jon, put in a situation not of his own making, having to piece together what has been done to him and how he can live with it. The scenes where he slowly works out what he is capable of are dark.
There is a third voice that enters partway too, that of 'Eggs' DeBenedictus, a police detective investigating a series of heart attacks in seemingly healthy young people. His own initially strong marriage but underlying health issues contrast with the story of Chloe and Jon as he begins making connections. Older, world-weary, his voice adds gravitas and a new perspective on the pining love story of the now young adults.
It's hard to place this book in a genre. With horror elements, some fantasy/sci-fi, romance, coming of age, it's very different to Kepnes' previous pair. Though I feel it has wider appeal and there is a lot in there up for group discussion.
Much goes unexplained, but I don't think it's the sort of book where you demand justification, it's the story that matters rather than the 'how'.
Rather fascinating. Not a beach read, one to give you a lot to think about.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
4.5 stars.
You. Hidden Bodies. On the strengths of these titles alone, I was prepared to read Providence without even reading a synopsis. Of course, reading a synopsis only added to the allure. Kepnes has a knack for twisted characters and situations, and though you have to take a big mental leap to allow for the plot here, it's a riveting trek.
As a young teenager, bullied student Jon goes missing on his walk to school. His best friend Chloe refuses to accept he is not coming back, beginning a series of paintings of the boy she misses, not letting life move on without him. Four years later, Jon wakes up underneath a mall with no memory of his kidnapping but a note from the perpetrator saying they have "you have power, power that will present itself to you slowly."
But now he's back, just being around him seems to trigger nosebleeds in his parents... Chloe faints when she runs to greet him. What has been done to him? And can he control it?
Told from dual perspectives, we see the adolescent hesitant love between Chloe and Jon before the kidnapping grow into something more adult with the time and pain the kidnapping provides. Chloe is the one who stayed loyal, who hasn't been able to move on, but also the one whose life has cruelly benefitted somehow. I sympathised with her, stuck between pursuing success and other avenues of love, or waiting for her soulmate to come out of the shadows.
And it's impossible not to feel for Jon, put in a situation not of his own making, having to piece together what has been done to him and how he can live with it. The scenes where he slowly works out what he is capable of are dark.
There is a third voice that enters partway too, that of 'Eggs' DeBenedictus, a police detective investigating a series of heart attacks in seemingly healthy young people. His own initially strong marriage but underlying health issues contrast with the story of Chloe and Jon as he begins making connections. Older, world-weary, his voice adds gravitas and a new perspective on the pining love story of the now young adults.
It's hard to place this book in a genre. With horror elements, some fantasy/sci-fi, romance, coming of age, it's very different to Kepnes' previous pair. Though I feel it has wider appeal and there is a lot in there up for group discussion.
Much goes unexplained, but I don't think it's the sort of book where you demand justification, it's the story that matters rather than the 'how'.
Rather fascinating. Not a beach read, one to give you a lot to think about.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
pam2375's review against another edition
2.0
This book just didn't do it for me. It started out with a bang, but somewhere near the center I kind of lost my way. If you have read and enoyed Caroline Kepnes before, then you will this one, too. The story just fell flat (for me).
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this advanced readers copy.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this advanced readers copy.
suzyq436's review against another edition
1.0
Unfortunately, contrary to popular opinion, I did not really enjoy this book. I felt that the story line was very slow and drawn out to the point where I was bored most of the time while reading it. I felt disconnected from the characters and I felt depth was missing from the characters. As I read the book, I felt stuck in a time warp as the characters displayed little to almost no growth throughout the book. I felt the main female character, Chloe, never truly matured in terms of growing up and thinking about situations the way an adult would. Maybe this was intentional but I did not enjoy reading her chapters. I felt the chapters belonging to Eggs, the detective, were superfluous to the story. I felt the story would have provided the same feel regardless of whether his chapters were included in the story or not.
I also felt the book tried to jam way too many genres into one story. At times I was not sure if the book was aiming to be a romance, mystery or a paranormal story. A lot of questions were left unanswered and not in a thought-provoking way but in a way that leaves the book to end without having the story reach a climax. Towards the end, I could not wait to finish the book. It is frustrating as I am a huge fan of Caroline's previous book but this book was just not for me.
I also felt the book tried to jam way too many genres into one story. At times I was not sure if the book was aiming to be a romance, mystery or a paranormal story. A lot of questions were left unanswered and not in a thought-provoking way but in a way that leaves the book to end without having the story reach a climax. Towards the end, I could not wait to finish the book. It is frustrating as I am a huge fan of Caroline's previous book but this book was just not for me.