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beccamc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.75
eve19's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
angelamichelle's review
4.0
I like this much better than Swimming Lessons. A slow-building simmer that doesn’t feel contrived. I hate when I feel a Book is messing with me, manipulating me, holding things back just to toy with my emotions. In this one, each turn or revelation felt right. Annoying characters all, but fun to read.
thebobsphere's review against another edition
4.0
Claire Fuller is one of my favourite authors. I like the way she is able to create a tense atmosphere and yet there is something cozy about her writing. Mansions, forests and run down cottages usually feature. I guess psychological dramas are good ways to describer her novels but there’s something very British aspect to them.
Bitter orange is her third novel (which means I have now read all her books) and one can feel Daphne du Maurier’s spirit running through it in a bit way.
The novel takes the form of a flashback by Frances, who is now an old woman and seems to be in some sort of care facility. She is recounting a moment in her 40’s when she was sent to survey a crumbling mansion. Once she’s there Frances meets Cara and Peter, a couple who have a lot of secrets. As Frances manages to unearth them, her destiny changes and we readers start seeing some of her own hidden past.
Unreliable narrators, lots of twists and turns and intense relationships form the basis of Bitter Orange. This is a book where everything is revealed slowly with each denouement more surprising than the last. This makes a satisfying read. If one does like the more psychological aspects of Claire Fuller’s novels then Bitter Orange as all those aspects are amped up.
Bitter orange is her third novel (which means I have now read all her books) and one can feel Daphne du Maurier’s spirit running through it in a bit way.
The novel takes the form of a flashback by Frances, who is now an old woman and seems to be in some sort of care facility. She is recounting a moment in her 40’s when she was sent to survey a crumbling mansion. Once she’s there Frances meets Cara and Peter, a couple who have a lot of secrets. As Frances manages to unearth them, her destiny changes and we readers start seeing some of her own hidden past.
Unreliable narrators, lots of twists and turns and intense relationships form the basis of Bitter Orange. This is a book where everything is revealed slowly with each denouement more surprising than the last. This makes a satisfying read. If one does like the more psychological aspects of Claire Fuller’s novels then Bitter Orange as all those aspects are amped up.
alistar's review
1.0
Pretty dull, especially during the first half of the book. You won't know what the plot is about until the last 40 pages, which will leave you absolutely disappointed after all the life retellings you will have to go through. Besides, both the main character and the couple were quite annoying, I didn't get to empathize with them and their stories that much. The setting and the descriptions of the house and its surroundings were quite beautiful to imagine.
1.4/5⭐
1.4/5⭐