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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Central Park by Guillaume Musso is one of those books that leaves you questioning whether it’s a stroke of genius or utterly ridiculous. It’s a thriller packed with twists, suspense, and psychological intrigue, but by the end, you’re either going to be completely impressed by its cleverness or feel like you’ve been taken on a wild goose chase.
The story starts with an absolutely gripping premise—Alice, a Parisian cop, wakes up handcuffed to Gabriel, an Irish jazz musician, on a bench in Central Park, with no memory of how they got there. Her gun is missing a bullet, there’s blood on her shirt, and her last memory is of a night out in Paris. From there, the novel becomes a fast-paced puzzle as Alice and Gabriel try to piece together what happened, leading them through a series of seemingly impossible revelations.
Musso’s storytelling is undeniably compelling. His ability to keep readers hooked with constant twists and shifting timelines is impressive. The tension builds brilliantly as Alice’s past starts to unravel, revealing layers of trauma, deception, and a deep psychological game. The writing keeps you on edge, throwing in just enough clues to keep you guessing but never enough to fully piece things together until the final reveal.
And then… the ending happens. It turns out nothing was real. Gabriel is not a stranger, nor is he a jazz musician. In fact, he’s Alice’s psychiatrist. The entire Central Park scenario, the chase, and the apparent threat of her past haunting her were all a fabricated psychological test, designed to force Alice to confront her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. She decides to commit suicide but is stopped by Gabriel, who tells her that he’s fallen in love with her.
This is where the book becomes polarizing. The big twist, which explains everything, is either an incredibly bold narrative move or a complete cop-out, depending on how you look at it. On one hand, it’s unexpected and makes you rethink everything that came before it. On the other hand, it stretches the limits of believability to such an extent that it risks undoing all the brilliant tension that came before.
Beyond the plot mechanics, the novel explores themes of memory, trauma, and redemption. Alice’s character is well-developed, and her emotional journey is one of the strongest aspects of the book. Gabriel, while intriguing, sometimes feels more like a narrative device than a fully fleshed-out character. Musso’s blend of psychological depth and high-octane thriller elements makes for a unique reading experience, even if it occasionally feels like he’s trying to pull off too many tricks at once.
The story starts with an absolutely gripping premise—Alice, a Parisian cop, wakes up handcuffed to Gabriel, an Irish jazz musician, on a bench in Central Park, with no memory of how they got there. Her gun is missing a bullet, there’s blood on her shirt, and her last memory is of a night out in Paris. From there, the novel becomes a fast-paced puzzle as Alice and Gabriel try to piece together what happened, leading them through a series of seemingly impossible revelations.
Musso’s storytelling is undeniably compelling. His ability to keep readers hooked with constant twists and shifting timelines is impressive. The tension builds brilliantly as Alice’s past starts to unravel, revealing layers of trauma, deception, and a deep psychological game. The writing keeps you on edge, throwing in just enough clues to keep you guessing but never enough to fully piece things together until the final reveal.
And then… the ending happens. It turns out nothing was real. Gabriel is not a stranger, nor is he a jazz musician. In fact, he’s Alice’s psychiatrist. The entire Central Park scenario, the chase, and the apparent threat of her past haunting her were all a fabricated psychological test, designed to force Alice to confront her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. She decides to commit suicide but is stopped by Gabriel, who tells her that he’s fallen in love with her.
This is where the book becomes polarizing. The big twist, which explains everything, is either an incredibly bold narrative move or a complete cop-out, depending on how you look at it. On one hand, it’s unexpected and makes you rethink everything that came before it. On the other hand, it stretches the limits of believability to such an extent that it risks undoing all the brilliant tension that came before.
Beyond the plot mechanics, the novel explores themes of memory, trauma, and redemption. Alice’s character is well-developed, and her emotional journey is one of the strongest aspects of the book. Gabriel, while intriguing, sometimes feels more like a narrative device than a fully fleshed-out character. Musso’s blend of psychological depth and high-octane thriller elements makes for a unique reading experience, even if it occasionally feels like he’s trying to pull off too many tricks at once.
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Definitely major twists and turns, but maybe too many?? Didn’t vibe with the character. Enjoyed the writing tho.
3.5⭐
The plot twist at the end was so good, even though some things remain unanswered.
Sadly, I didn't feel really attached with the characters and some parts could be a little bit boring.
But overall, enjoyable read!
The plot twist at the end was so good, even though some things remain unanswered.
Sadly, I didn't feel really attached with the characters and some parts could be a little bit boring.
But overall, enjoyable read!
Praticamente sono stata settimane a buttar giù le prime 200 pagine e poi in 4 ore ho finito il libro...
Non so cosa ci sia di strambo in me che prima mi fa odiare un libro e poi me lo fa mangiare in quattro e quattr'otto..
Quello che voglio dire è che io amo i libri che mi spiazzano.
Amo farmi mille teorie e poi vederle andare giù per lo scarico come se fossero carta igienica..
Questo libro mi ha commossa.
Questo finale mi ha spiazzata talmente tanto che alla fine singhiozzavo come un poppante.
Mi dispiace che l'inizio sia un po' lento, molto, molto descrittivo e petulante. Sembra dare un sacco di indizi quando il caso non esiste proprio.
Però trovo eccellente la trovata di Musso. Davvero, credo che qualunque altra cosa non mi avrebbe sorpresa di più.
E poi quell'epilogo.
Cavolo, l'epilogo mi ha tolto il fiato.
Scena finale alla "Amore e altri rimedi"..
Credo che me ne starò imbambolata per un'altra oretta e poi troverò il modo di tornare a vivere una vita normale.......
Non so cosa ci sia di strambo in me che prima mi fa odiare un libro e poi me lo fa mangiare in quattro e quattr'otto..
Quello che voglio dire è che io amo i libri che mi spiazzano.
Amo farmi mille teorie e poi vederle andare giù per lo scarico come se fossero carta igienica..
Questo libro mi ha commossa.
Questo finale mi ha spiazzata talmente tanto che alla fine singhiozzavo come un poppante.
Mi dispiace che l'inizio sia un po' lento, molto, molto descrittivo e petulante. Sembra dare un sacco di indizi quando il caso non esiste proprio.
Però trovo eccellente la trovata di Musso. Davvero, credo che qualunque altra cosa non mi avrebbe sorpresa di più.
E poi quell'epilogo.
Cavolo, l'epilogo mi ha tolto il fiato.
Scena finale alla "Amore e altri rimedi"..
Credo che me ne starò imbambolata per un'altra oretta e poi troverò il modo di tornare a vivere una vita normale.......
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the book, was written to be read quickly. The end was cool but could of been written with a little more details...
Plein de rebondissements, on ne sait jamais à quoi s'attendre. On reste en haleine du début à la fin.
De nouveau, je suis conquise par la si jolie plume de MUSSO. Un nouveau roman qui vaut énormément la peine d'être lu et d'être apprécier à sa juste valeur!
De nouveau, je suis conquise par la si jolie plume de MUSSO. Un nouveau roman qui vaut énormément la peine d'être lu et d'être apprécier à sa juste valeur!
