Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
4 stars. This was an entertaining psychological thriller. The first 1/4 was a bit confusing as the story switched between POV's. The story progressed and the pieces started lining up. I thought the pacing of the timeline switches worked well overall. Then there were a couple of good twists. I really felt for Catherine. I was unnerved for her as her suspicion grew that someone knew about her past. I would recommend to a friend. It was worth pushing through the slower first quarter of the book. I felt that it had good payoff in the end.
Who doesn't have secrets to keep? This book explores the devastating effects on Catherine's life when her darkest secret is exposed in a book she mysteriously finds in her house. She is horrified that what she has tried to keep hidden for so long appears to be known to someone else and in great detail too. This is a very intelligent, well plotted psychological thriller and while I wasn't immediately gripped by it, the more I read and found out, the more compelling it became. It is soon clear who the author of the book is and he slowly makes sure that the people closest to Catherine realise that she is the main character as he attempts to exact retribution. As more secrets are revealed you do start to feel a degree of sympathy for this man, despite what he is doing to Catherine's life. However, this sympathy wanes as Renee Knight reveals more about what he is planning for Catherine. As well as portraying Catherine's increasing desperation at her situation convincingly, I was moved by Renee Knights' portrayal of the grief felt by the characters. Difficult to say who without spoilers but grief because of a death and also grief at the loss of possibilities and expectations unfulfilled. Renee Knight has written a tense novel with the many secrets gradually revealed throughout the story until we realise, with the final reveal, that all was not what it seemed. A beautifully written debut novel which I highly recommend.
The writing is really nice. The conflict of the plot was a bit mild compared to my taste but that's just my opinion. Other than that, I absolutely loved the characters. The main character's decision at the end (trying to not give spoilers) truly makes me very happy. The extra story was really good too!
This book was a bit difficult getting started. However, it ended up being one of the better ones I've read recently. Lots of twists and turns but also, unfortunately, many times those could have been cleared up by simply being open and truthful. No one in this book appears to be capable of honesty, however.
This book took me a little while to get into (at first I just didn't feel much investment in the characters), but it was worth it. At first the revelation of the secret seemed not that shocking/ surprising, but the twists that followed were seriously good. I debated at various points in this book whether it was a feminist novel or not. Ultimately, I think so?
The character of the guy who wrote the novel (I forget his name) didn't seem to hang together for me psychologically.
Content warning - sexual assault.
The character of the guy who wrote the novel (I forget his name) didn't seem to hang together for me psychologically.
Content warning - sexual assault.
Wenn ich hier null Sterne vergeben könnte. Leider kann ich dieses Machwerk nicht zerreißen, ohne es massivst zu spoilern.
Nur ein Wort der Warnung: Nicht überall wo Bücher mit Todesdaten drauf stehen, sind auch welche drin.
Nur ein Wort der Warnung: Nicht überall wo Bücher mit Todesdaten drauf stehen, sind auch welche drin.
Disclaimer by Renée Knight Published by: Transworld - 9th April 2015 (kindle & hardcover), 31st December 2015 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1784160227 (paperback)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4*
Synopsis:
What if you realised the book you were reading was ask about you?
When an intriguing novel appears on Catherine's bedside table, she curls up in bed and begins to read.
But as she turns the pages she is sickened too realise the story will reveal her darkest secret.
A secret she thought no one else knew.
My review:
Disclaimer is a tense thriller of the slow burning variety. The first quarter of the book lays the foundations, leaving the story to develop over the rest of the book. It is not until the last quarter that the pace really picks up, and I found I lost interest a little around the middle section. I became a little impatient and could feel my interest waning a touch. In contradiction, however, I do like that the story is quite dark, with Catherine's secret held back from the reader until the last possible minute. I want it both ways!
I found the characters well written and Catherine believable. I was less keen on the other characters and couldn't warm to Nick at all. The narrative is relayed from multiple perspectives, which don't always work for me but did in this case. The various ways the characters interpret the events is interesting and the evidence led me to the same conclusion; to be more fickle would've served us well.
Disclaimer should appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and I'd also recommend it to readers of other fiction. The deeply humanistic focus will endear this novel to a great many readers.
*I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
ISBN: 978-1784160227 (paperback)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4*
Synopsis:
What if you realised the book you were reading was ask about you?
When an intriguing novel appears on Catherine's bedside table, she curls up in bed and begins to read.
But as she turns the pages she is sickened too realise the story will reveal her darkest secret.
A secret she thought no one else knew.
My review:
Disclaimer is a tense thriller of the slow burning variety. The first quarter of the book lays the foundations, leaving the story to develop over the rest of the book. It is not until the last quarter that the pace really picks up, and I found I lost interest a little around the middle section. I became a little impatient and could feel my interest waning a touch. In contradiction, however, I do like that the story is quite dark, with Catherine's secret held back from the reader until the last possible minute. I want it both ways!
I found the characters well written and Catherine believable. I was less keen on the other characters and couldn't warm to Nick at all. The narrative is relayed from multiple perspectives, which don't always work for me but did in this case. The various ways the characters interpret the events is interesting and the evidence led me to the same conclusion; to be more fickle would've served us well.
Disclaimer should appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and I'd also recommend it to readers of other fiction. The deeply humanistic focus will endear this novel to a great many readers.
*I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Ich hatte Schwierigkeiten in das Buch reinzukommen und bin mit den Charakteren nicht sonderlich warm geworden. Der zweite Teil des Buches und die unerwartete Wendung haben es nochmal positiv rumgerissen.
Ich gebe dem Buch 3,5 ★.
Ich gebe dem Buch 3,5 ★.
My local book store seems to be inundated with books described as “this year’s Girl on the Train” at the moment, and Disclaimer is one of these books. I was intrigued by the cover and picked it up a number of times before buying it; I was put off by the hype, but the sales woman recommended it and has thus far never steered me wrong.
The premise of this book is actually quite disturbing:
“What if you realised the terrifying book you were reading was all about you?
When a mysterious novel appears at Catherine Ravenscroft’s bedside, she is curious. She has no idea who might have sent her The Perfect Stranger – or how it ended up on her nightstand. At first she is intrigued by the suspenseful story that unfold.
And then she realises.
This isn’t fiction.”
Can you imagine anything more horrifying than realising that the novel you are reading is about you? That your worst secrets are there in black and white for the world to see? Catherine Ravenscroft seems to have the perfect life; she is an award winning documentary film maker, she has just moved house with her husband Richard, and their son Nicholas has left home. Nicolas is a bit of a wastrel, he drifts between low paid jobs and has a history of drug use, but he seems to be on the straight and narrow.
Soon after the move Catherine starts to read one of the books on her nightstand, The Perfect Stranger, and is appalled when she realises it is about her. Catherine can’t remember purchasing the book, and becomes paranoid that someone has been into her house. The character based on Catherine meets a violent end in the novel’s final chapter; is this fiction or a warning? Catherine’s perfect life starts to crumble around her as she becomes obsessed with finding the author of the novel; only one other person knew her secret, and that person is dead. Stephen Brigstocke the author of The Perfect Stranger has his own reasons for messing with Catherine; he wants revenge for her role in the destruction of his family, and he won’t be satisfied until she has lost everything.
Dislaimer is a very clever, very well written psycological thriller; there are two sides to every story, and in this novel you get to see both of them, although nothing is quite what it seems. Throughout the book I had a definite idea about who was the victim, and who was the villain; at the end of the book this was turned upside down. I’m one of those annoying people who always see the twist coming, but I didn’t see this twist.
Renee Knight has a knack for creating characters with multiple sides to their personality; Catherine is strong yet vulnerable, Stephen Brigstocke the archetypal creepy old man, and yet he is also a victim of circumstances.
Read it, you won’t be disappointed – it definitely lives up to the hype.
The premise of this book is actually quite disturbing:
“What if you realised the terrifying book you were reading was all about you?
When a mysterious novel appears at Catherine Ravenscroft’s bedside, she is curious. She has no idea who might have sent her The Perfect Stranger – or how it ended up on her nightstand. At first she is intrigued by the suspenseful story that unfold.
And then she realises.
This isn’t fiction.”
Can you imagine anything more horrifying than realising that the novel you are reading is about you? That your worst secrets are there in black and white for the world to see? Catherine Ravenscroft seems to have the perfect life; she is an award winning documentary film maker, she has just moved house with her husband Richard, and their son Nicholas has left home. Nicolas is a bit of a wastrel, he drifts between low paid jobs and has a history of drug use, but he seems to be on the straight and narrow.
Soon after the move Catherine starts to read one of the books on her nightstand, The Perfect Stranger, and is appalled when she realises it is about her. Catherine can’t remember purchasing the book, and becomes paranoid that someone has been into her house. The character based on Catherine meets a violent end in the novel’s final chapter; is this fiction or a warning? Catherine’s perfect life starts to crumble around her as she becomes obsessed with finding the author of the novel; only one other person knew her secret, and that person is dead. Stephen Brigstocke the author of The Perfect Stranger has his own reasons for messing with Catherine; he wants revenge for her role in the destruction of his family, and he won’t be satisfied until she has lost everything.
Dislaimer is a very clever, very well written psycological thriller; there are two sides to every story, and in this novel you get to see both of them, although nothing is quite what it seems. Throughout the book I had a definite idea about who was the victim, and who was the villain; at the end of the book this was turned upside down. I’m one of those annoying people who always see the twist coming, but I didn’t see this twist.
Renee Knight has a knack for creating characters with multiple sides to their personality; Catherine is strong yet vulnerable, Stephen Brigstocke the archetypal creepy old man, and yet he is also a victim of circumstances.
Read it, you won’t be disappointed – it definitely lives up to the hype.