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annamickreads's review against another edition
3.0
Although this book is comp'd to "The Devil Wears Prada," I would say it's probably closer to "The Talented Mr. Ripley."
Florence Darrow is a young literary assistant who desires to have her own work recognized, especially when compared to her seemingly over-achieving officemate, Amanda. When she begins an affair with one of her bosses, she's quickly fired from her job with no prospects — that is, until she gets a mysterious phone call asking if she's willing to be the personal assistant for the deeply elusive bestselling author Maud Dixon (which is also a pseudonym).
Initially, I was loath to call this a thriller because the "thriller" elements don't really kick in until 1/3 of the way through the book. Some of the exposition sets up what we could've predicted would be Florence's pattern of behavior based on the back cover; her ambition, obsession, bit of delusion, desperation to be something greater while also feeling the ire of never living up to her mother's expectations.
The pacing of this book is nuts because once Florence actually meets "Maud," things start to gear up and completely take off the last 1/4 of the book. I feel like most of the book was pretty even until the end, when it rocketed off the rails.
That said, something I could appreciate is the uniqueness of the situation - I think I went into this book presuming Florence would be a force of her own undoing but found myself pleasantly surprised to see "Maud" with a few tricks up her sleeve as well.
Florence Darrow is a young literary assistant who desires to have her own work recognized, especially when compared to her seemingly over-achieving officemate, Amanda. When she begins an affair with one of her bosses, she's quickly fired from her job with no prospects — that is, until she gets a mysterious phone call asking if she's willing to be the personal assistant for the deeply elusive bestselling author Maud Dixon (which is also a pseudonym).
Initially, I was loath to call this a thriller because the "thriller" elements don't really kick in until 1/3 of the way through the book. Some of the exposition sets up what we could've predicted would be Florence's pattern of behavior based on the back cover; her ambition, obsession, bit of delusion, desperation to be something greater while also feeling the ire of never living up to her mother's expectations.
The pacing of this book is nuts because once Florence actually meets "Maud," things start to gear up and completely take off the last 1/4 of the book. I feel like most of the book was pretty even until the end, when it rocketed off the rails.
That said, something I could appreciate is the uniqueness of the situation - I think I went into this book presuming Florence would be a force of her own undoing but found myself pleasantly surprised to see "Maud" with a few tricks up her sleeve as well.
laurrecommends's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
cluelessleigh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
holdenkillfield's review against another edition
4.0
Well, that was a lot of fun! The main protagonist is extremely unlikable, actually hateable, and yet, I was invested in the outcome of this The Talented Mr. Ripley-esque story. The second half of the book was jam-packed with twists and turns that had me stressed out as it unfolded It was a fascinating read that isn't as easy to discern the outcome. Again, the main protagonist, Florence, is horrible, but the author does a great job of pulling a reader into this world and nervously fret as the plot develops. It was a great thriller and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller story that ramps up the tension towards the end.
mpoydock's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jed's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pronkbaggins's review against another edition
4.0
4.0/5.0 stars
This was a fun read! Definitely a new premise. The ending felt a bit rushed in certain respects, but overall was still an interesting. Would definitely read from this author again!
This was a fun read! Definitely a new premise. The ending felt a bit rushed in certain respects, but overall was still an interesting. Would definitely read from this author again!