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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Started strong, but was a lot to take in. I am curious about the TV show though...
A lot of potential triggers for some readers so be advised.
A lot of potential triggers for some readers so be advised.
James is a Junior Minister in the UK Government, married to Sophie whom he first met when they were students at Oxford. They seem to be the perfect couple: very attractive, living in a gorgeous home with two lovely children, both coming from privilege. However scandal is about to hit: in the form of an affair that James has had with one of his staff members, who has now accused him of rape. Kate, the barrister prosecuting his case, is convinced of his guilt and is determined to see him found guilty.
This is a fast paced book which goes down very easily but there's nothing very memorable here. Each character is keeping secrets that date back to the early 1990s, which get teased out for so long that it feels a bit anti-climactic by the time they are revealed. The court case takes up the central part of the book and after it ends the plot limps along without ever picking up. I realised by the end that I had no investment in any of the characters and didn't particularly care what happened to them.
This is a fast paced book which goes down very easily but there's nothing very memorable here. Each character is keeping secrets that date back to the early 1990s, which get teased out for so long that it feels a bit anti-climactic by the time they are revealed. The court case takes up the central part of the book and after it ends the plot limps along without ever picking up. I realised by the end that I had no investment in any of the characters and didn't particularly care what happened to them.
This one also was a miss for me. Don't get me wrong, the book was not bad by any means. It just didn't work for me. The book talked extensively about how rape and consent had so many ambiguous meanings from a legal standpoint. I didn't personally connect with any of the characters or with their tragedy. The writing was far too clinical to my liking.
Though the story was about sensitive issues, the author did not hold back any details. It was all there in the book. The ease with which men get away saying that they didn't know that "She really meant it". "No" means "No" no matter what anyone thinks. This book followed James, who is clearly a rich, narcissist and his wife Sophie. Kate is the barrister who is in charge of the case.
The only twist in the book is no surprise at all. It was glaring obvious to me. The timeline flits between the past and present of all the characters. The central story was about Jame's affair with his colleague Olivia. Her accusation of rape and the rest of the story follows the trial. This book didn't show anything new. I would suggest you to try "The night swim by Megan Goldin" or "Grown by Tiffany D Jackson" to learn more about these issues.
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
What was the point of this book? A total waste of time.
I had such high hopes for this book. I was completely enthralled by it, reading as fast as my mind and eyes would go. I found Sophie's character transformation from beginning to end so well written. To see the havoc one man could have on so many people, it was incredible.
I felt completely let down though by the revealing of the event that occurred (and was alluded to the entire book) between Tom and James. And then by the ending. I just felt like it was an incomplete book. I wanted to know so much more than what was provided to us.
I felt completely let down though by the revealing of the event that occurred (and was alluded to the entire book) between Tom and James. And then by the ending. I just felt like it was an incomplete book. I wanted to know so much more than what was provided to us.
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan is now a Netflix series, which is what attracted me to the book.
The premise of the storyline was interesting. A British Politician is accused of rape by his lover and legal aid. The story is told by the point of view of his wife and opposing counsel. How the lives of these women connect and how the truth is unraveled makes this story very compelling.
If you've watched the series on Netflix, you will be pleased at how close they kept to the novel. Definitely worth the read if you want a deeper dive.
Enjoy
The premise of the storyline was interesting. A British Politician is accused of rape by his lover and legal aid. The story is told by the point of view of his wife and opposing counsel. How the lives of these women connect and how the truth is unraveled makes this story very compelling.
If you've watched the series on Netflix, you will be pleased at how close they kept to the novel. Definitely worth the read if you want a deeper dive.
Enjoy
Este libro es lo que promete, la historia de un escándalo sexual de un político, pero nada más. Para mi gusto, los giros se ven venir de lejos y el final se queda corto en intensidad. No hay sucesos ni escenas impactantes.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book. The fact that it had its background in the murkier end of the UK political system is what immediately drew me to this book. Coupled with a picture of a privileged debauched existence at Oxford University in the era I myself was a student only added to the intrigue.
In light of the recent allegations of sexual harrassment and abuse within UK politics, this could not be a more timely novel. The court scenes are excellent and the whole book had me gripped, moving between past and present as well as flitting between "behind closed doors" and the public facade of a politician's life.
Highly recommend, and although it's a great thriller, to my mind its greatest strength is how it paints a picture of the lasting damage of the consequences of sexual assault and the hurdles faced by those making the accusations.
In light of the recent allegations of sexual harrassment and abuse within UK politics, this could not be a more timely novel. The court scenes are excellent and the whole book had me gripped, moving between past and present as well as flitting between "behind closed doors" and the public facade of a politician's life.
Highly recommend, and although it's a great thriller, to my mind its greatest strength is how it paints a picture of the lasting damage of the consequences of sexual assault and the hurdles faced by those making the accusations.