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ngb1980's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Had to skip some sections.
I didn't like all the cheating and the weirdness of the uncle and the niece's affair.
Interesting story.
I didn't like all the cheating and the weirdness of the uncle and the niece's affair.
Interesting story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Death of parent
jwmcoaching's review against another edition
2.0
2 1/2 stars.
Not terrible but pretty predictable and way too much of a slow burn along the way. It takes over half the novel until the gears really start clicking and even then things continue to move pretty slowly. The three female lead characters are also unfortunately not that interesting and thankfully, Swanson is a decent writer because otherwise, this would potentially be an interminable slog. The suspense here should have been tightened up a lot more considering the type of novel she was trying to write.
Not terrible but pretty predictable and way too much of a slow burn along the way. It takes over half the novel until the gears really start clicking and even then things continue to move pretty slowly. The three female lead characters are also unfortunately not that interesting and thankfully, Swanson is a decent writer because otherwise, this would potentially be an interminable slog. The suspense here should have been tightened up a lot more considering the type of novel she was trying to write.
mayar_reading_stuff's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5, again *sighs*.
In conclusion: The Glass Brothers should have been put down when they were babies.
This book had all what domestic thrillers have but with a touch of the 60'. Men tipped their hats -I could picture it vividly- and women were weak-willed and unhappy, plus of course racism and suspecting everyone to be a commie (Never thought I'll have a chance to use that word.) while the commies were generally good people who aren't involved in horrendous acts.
Angie was a small town girl before it was cool, married to her Cary Grant lookalike Paul Glass, and I don't know what all the fuss is about but whatever. He's sweet and loving and calls her Angel, but be aware reader, he is one sick puppy.
Selja -which is a lovely name- is a Finnish hard-working girl who falls in love with the other Cary Grant lookalike, Henry Glass. He doesn't try to be charming from the first meeting and on, he objectifies, abuses, and all-around acts like a jerk the whole time.
Ruby, whom I found the least attractive narrator but the most informative, is the daughter of Selja and Henry and she's peculiar and smart and crafty.
The story goes slowly until the last 15 chapters or so, but it's not impossible to get through. I didn't like it as much as The Bookseller but didn't hate it, I guess.
In conclusion: The Glass Brothers should have been put down when they were babies.
This book had all what domestic thrillers have but with a touch of the 60'. Men tipped their hats -I could picture it vividly- and women were weak-willed and unhappy, plus of course racism and suspecting everyone to be a commie (Never thought I'll have a chance to use that word.) while the commies were generally good people who aren't involved in horrendous acts.
Angie was a small town girl before it was cool, married to her Cary Grant lookalike Paul Glass, and I don't know what all the fuss is about but whatever. He's sweet and loving and calls her Angel, but be aware reader, he is one sick puppy.
Selja -which is a lovely name- is a Finnish hard-working girl who falls in love with the other Cary Grant lookalike, Henry Glass. He doesn't try to be charming from the first meeting and on, he objectifies, abuses, and all-around acts like a jerk the whole time.
Ruby, whom I found the least attractive narrator but the most informative, is the daughter of Selja and Henry and she's peculiar and smart and crafty.
The story goes slowly until the last 15 chapters or so, but it's not impossible to get through. I didn't like it as much as The Bookseller but didn't hate it, I guess.
marie_b4531's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've read. Never saw those plot twists coming.
bowdiesgirl's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Psychological thriller set in the 1950s. Good read. Makes you think throughout it
kabamango22's review against another edition
4.0
I usually have issues sometimes with POV changes - one chapter from Angie's point of view, another from Ruby's, a third from Silja's - it can be distracting. However, it was well done in this book. Not only did POVs change, but tenses, also. Angie chapters were in first person, past; Ruby had present tense, third person; Silja was the typical novel style of third person, past. It was a great way to get a true feel of the story in the novel.
I instinctively disliked one of the characters very early on, but not until the audience was given a reason to hate a second character did I hop onto that train.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it. Be careful, however, as this is one of those books that can ensnare you and you find yourself saying "one more chapter, just one more chapter" until it's nearly 1 A.M., you have work the next morning, and you realize all that after you've finished the last page.
I instinctively disliked one of the characters very early on, but not until the audience was given a reason to hate a second character did I hop onto that train.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it. Be careful, however, as this is one of those books that can ensnare you and you find yourself saying "one more chapter, just one more chapter" until it's nearly 1 A.M., you have work the next morning, and you realize all that after you've finished the last page.
kangguru's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jordiehicks's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an interesting one. It took me quite a while to get through as I was pretty bored for the first 75% of it. I thoroughly enjoy Cynthia’s writing style, however I found this book to go around in too many circles. Would have been a 2, however the ending is pretty damn clever.
qofdnz's review against another edition
4.0
I was never quite sure who dunnit right until near the end.
ahayes's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this twisty and dark mystery. The characters had depth and were developed, so that I was feeling all the anxiousness, tension and hopelessness as I read the story. Ruby kept me on my toes and I was never sure if I could trust her to not. The despicable characters were despicable and everything they did made me angrier and more frustrated as the story went on. The ending left some unanswered questions, which I'm not about since it added to the mysteriousness of the plot. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.