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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
If this wasn't the January book club book, I likely would've put it down early. Part of it is on me -- it's a British author writing a British novel, so the political/legal structuring details were confusing to me, but I also wasn't a big fan of the story itself. I didn't think the Holly = Kate twist felt like the big 'aha' that I presume it was supposed to and the constant flash back/forward and across characters had me constantly flipping back and forth between the pages to recall the order of events. Obviously, James is not a likeable character, but I struggled with pretty much all of them, save for maybe BFF Ali. I think the pile of rape + death + drugs + privilege + taking advantage of others (James of Sophie, Sophie of Holly, etc.) + their general unlikeability as a result just made this a hard novel to find a silver lining in. I don't see myself recommending this to anyone and may steer friends away if they ask.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-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
Excellent! Compelling, gripping, as we follow various actors during events of their college time, and people reveal their characters. Mysogny and patriarchy! The voices of Holly and Sophie are particularly strong. Courtroom drama is part, but only part, of the story. CW for sexual assault.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Much better than the tv show
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rising star of the Conservative Party James Whitehouse seems to have everything. Successful in his career, handsome, popular and with the perfect family, James has lived a gilded life but he harbours secrets. When at Oxford he was involved in a night he has spent his time trying to forget. After an ill-favoured affair with a colleague James is accused of rape and brought to trial. The prosecutor, Kate, has her own reasons for wanting to ensure James is found guilty and, as the case goes on, James wife Sophie finds the scales falling from her eyes.
Reading the reviews I was a little sceptical of this novel, it comes across as a rather formulaic attempt to write something that addresses current obsessions. In fact it is all of that but it is so much more. The pace is breathless, the characters quite rounded and the plot suitably complex to catch my attention. I really found myself addicted to it and loved the twist!
Reading the reviews I was a little sceptical of this novel, it comes across as a rather formulaic attempt to write something that addresses current obsessions. In fact it is all of that but it is so much more. The pace is breathless, the characters quite rounded and the plot suitably complex to catch my attention. I really found myself addicted to it and loved the twist!
This was quite underwhelming, particularly based on the reviews, and the fact that it has been adapted for a show. I found the pacing to be rather slow and the characters a bit flat; even with the author’s descriptions of their appearances, etc.
So really, the rating is a 2.5
So really, the rating is a 2.5
dark
mysterious
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
I found this book to be slow and confusing. It was difficult keeping track of who was narrating especially since Kate changed her name. I loved the story line, but it could have been shorter. I also found some the the terminology to be confusing since the story took place in England.