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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
This was fun!! Easy and quick to read. Would recommend.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
medium-paced
This wasn’t the most thrilling of thrillers, but the twist was decent.
This was a good premise, and had a decent beginning. But the ending really fell flat and kind of ruined the novel for me.
At the start the story had a good vibe, part Clue, part Agatha Christie. I was invested in the unlikable characters and the over the top Hitchcock references. The pace, a slow burn, leant to the theme of the book.
About 3/4 of the way through I feel like it lost its way and I just didn’t like the way it headed. The ending was lackluster and doesn’t feel at all worthy of a decent thriller.
At the start the story had a good vibe, part Clue, part Agatha Christie. I was invested in the unlikable characters and the over the top Hitchcock references. The pace, a slow burn, leant to the theme of the book.
About 3/4 of the way through I feel like it lost its way and I just didn’t like the way it headed. The ending was lackluster and doesn’t feel at all worthy of a decent thriller.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After being utterly captivated by her debut novel, I couldn't wait to dive into this intriguing novel featuring "The Hitchcock Hotel."
Picture this: "The Hitchcock Hotel," a twisted haven born from the mind of Alfred Smettle, an enigmatic character as unsettling as the legendary director himself. The hotel is a tribute to the Master of Suspense.
When five old college friends receive a surprise invitation from the reclusive sixth member of their group, Alfred Smettle, they reluctantly accept. Smettle vanished from their lives following an embarrassing incident that led to his expulsion just before graduation.
The narrative shifts between past and present, allowing characters to leap off the page with their unique voice. While I'm not a die-hard Hitchcock fan, I found the references and the hotel's eerie atmosphere incredibly engaging. Smettle, much like the other characters, isn't particularly likable—especially as their dark histories unfold. His seemingly generous invitation carries a manipulative edge, amplified by his unsettling obsession with Hitchcock's films. The way he echoes the director's chilling themes throughout the hotel creates an atmosphere of tension. Things really take a turn halfway through, transforming into a classic whodunit, complete with a dead body that turns everyone into a suspect.
Wrobel has a remarkable ability to create a chilling atmosphere. She masterfully crafts a sense of unease through the setting, the quirky behavior of the characters, and that ever-present tension. An isolated hotel steeped in shady history, packed with individuals harboring dark secrets? Talk about an irresistible setup! The suspense is meticulously built through elements like ominous quotes in Hitchcock's style, the story's timing on Friday, October 13th, actual props from Hitchcock films, an aviary full of crows, and themed experiences that evoke memorable movie moments. I only recall seeing one Hitchcock film, The Birds, and it terrified me as a child — just as the thought of crows lurking within the hotel does now!
Smettle's character adds another layer of intrigue. His troubled past emerges, transforming him from merely creepy to genuinely sinister. Other characters can't help but feel the chill when he's around. And we can't forget the secrets he's hiding in the attic!
Listening to the audiobook was the perfect way to experience this book! The story is an exciting adventure featuring clever references to Hitchcock's work and the eerie concept of the hotel. There's something about a locked-room mystery that keeps my heart racing, and this one was a thrilling puzzle to solve!
Picture this: "The Hitchcock Hotel," a twisted haven born from the mind of Alfred Smettle, an enigmatic character as unsettling as the legendary director himself. The hotel is a tribute to the Master of Suspense.
When five old college friends receive a surprise invitation from the reclusive sixth member of their group, Alfred Smettle, they reluctantly accept. Smettle vanished from their lives following an embarrassing incident that led to his expulsion just before graduation.
The narrative shifts between past and present, allowing characters to leap off the page with their unique voice. While I'm not a die-hard Hitchcock fan, I found the references and the hotel's eerie atmosphere incredibly engaging. Smettle, much like the other characters, isn't particularly likable—especially as their dark histories unfold. His seemingly generous invitation carries a manipulative edge, amplified by his unsettling obsession with Hitchcock's films. The way he echoes the director's chilling themes throughout the hotel creates an atmosphere of tension. Things really take a turn halfway through, transforming into a classic whodunit, complete with a dead body that turns everyone into a suspect.
Wrobel has a remarkable ability to create a chilling atmosphere. She masterfully crafts a sense of unease through the setting, the quirky behavior of the characters, and that ever-present tension. An isolated hotel steeped in shady history, packed with individuals harboring dark secrets? Talk about an irresistible setup! The suspense is meticulously built through elements like ominous quotes in Hitchcock's style, the story's timing on Friday, October 13th, actual props from Hitchcock films, an aviary full of crows, and themed experiences that evoke memorable movie moments. I only recall seeing one Hitchcock film, The Birds, and it terrified me as a child — just as the thought of crows lurking within the hotel does now!
Smettle's character adds another layer of intrigue. His troubled past emerges, transforming him from merely creepy to genuinely sinister. Other characters can't help but feel the chill when he's around. And we can't forget the secrets he's hiding in the attic!
Listening to the audiobook was the perfect way to experience this book! The story is an exciting adventure featuring clever references to Hitchcock's work and the eerie concept of the hotel. There's something about a locked-room mystery that keeps my heart racing, and this one was a thrilling puzzle to solve!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
The Hitchcock Hotel definitely had an intriguing premise, and as I love anything to do with Htichcock, I was looking forward to seeing how the author tied in his movies and horror elements into the book. And while I did enjoy the atmosphere, I just could not connect to the characters and I thought the story line was quite predictable.
First of all, for Hitchcock fans, there were quite a few references to his movies, something that added to the overall atmosphere of the book. The mansion is a tribute to Hitchcock and comes complete with movie props, references to his movies, and even a screening for the guests. While I wouldn’t like it to just be focused on Hitchcock, the idea of a hotel focused on horror movie elements does sound quite intriguing to me as I love horror and would definitely take a second look at such a place, especially if the screenings show those difficult to find movies.
Where I struggled was in the plot and character development. While I don’t mind slow-burn delivery as the payoff can be great, the one-dimensional characters did not help build up the tension in any way. While I appreciate that we are all flawed, and these characters definitely had their flaws, I should have felt some empathy for their situations, but I didn’t, which meant the constant bickering between them grew a bit annoying and childish. I don’t mind characters who are annoying, but they need to have redemptive qualities to them; these characters were just self-righteous and felt justified for all their actions, taking no responsibility for anything. This meant the plot didn’t quite work for me and I found it predictable.
Verdict
The Hitchcock Hotel had a cool concept, but both the plot and character development were lacking which affected my overall enjoyment. I felt the author didn’t go deep enough into the relationships to really make me care about them, and there were so many darker elements that were just glossed over as if the author was afraid to go there. Because of this, the story followed a predictable story line with characters that were bland. It’s too bad as all the elements were there for a really great horror novel.
First of all, for Hitchcock fans, there were quite a few references to his movies, something that added to the overall atmosphere of the book. The mansion is a tribute to Hitchcock and comes complete with movie props, references to his movies, and even a screening for the guests. While I wouldn’t like it to just be focused on Hitchcock, the idea of a hotel focused on horror movie elements does sound quite intriguing to me as I love horror and would definitely take a second look at such a place, especially if the screenings show those difficult to find movies.
Where I struggled was in the plot and character development. While I don’t mind slow-burn delivery as the payoff can be great, the one-dimensional characters did not help build up the tension in any way. While I appreciate that we are all flawed, and these characters definitely had their flaws, I should have felt some empathy for their situations, but I didn’t, which meant the constant bickering between them grew a bit annoying and childish. I don’t mind characters who are annoying, but they need to have redemptive qualities to them; these characters were just self-righteous and felt justified for all their actions, taking no responsibility for anything. This meant the plot didn’t quite work for me and I found it predictable.
Verdict
The Hitchcock Hotel had a cool concept, but both the plot and character development were lacking which affected my overall enjoyment. I felt the author didn’t go deep enough into the relationships to really make me care about them, and there were so many darker elements that were just glossed over as if the author was afraid to go there. Because of this, the story followed a predictable story line with characters that were bland. It’s too bad as all the elements were there for a really great horror novel.