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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
Emma Chapman's 2013 debut nobel is an intriguing, psychological thriller about a woman who is either slowly losing her mind or, in fact, recalling events from her tragic past which she has been sadly forced to forget. At the start of the novel, Marta Bjornstad appears to be the average, regular housewife who stays at home all day, meticulously cleaning her home and making meals faithfully for her (much older) husband, Hector, who is a professor at a nearby school. However, the first sentence of the book certainly sets a curious tone. It states: "Today, somehow, I am a smoker", as if Marta is suddenly discovering random new things about herself. She eventually discloses that she is voluntarily not taking the prescribed pills her husband has been requiring she take every day... you know that her story is going to turn out rather unusually.
I really enjoyed this book, more than I anticipated I would. It was a page turner (I finished it pretty much within the space of a day or so), and carried much suspense. Chapman's writing is nicely descriptive without getting bogged down in details. I discovered this book while looking for a book "with an unreliable narrator" in a reading challenge I am doing during 2017. Originally, I had tried to read "Lolita" - which, with the creepy Humbert Humbert as its narrator, consistently tops the list for unreliable narrator books - but I just couldn't get into it from the get-go. I'm glad I read this book instead. It's intriguing without being too heavy. I began to wonder if Marta was, indeed, an unreliable narrator, or someone whose circumstances were something to be pitied and concerned about. Even after its final pages, I wasn't certain if the life and past she imagined was truly real, or if it was all part of an overactive and un-medicated imagination. I suspect the ambiguity may have been Chapman's intent. If so, it's certainly a troubling story which serves its purpose, and lingers with the reader for a bit upon finishing it. A good read - and I'd like to read more of Chapman's books after this.
I really enjoyed this book, more than I anticipated I would. It was a page turner (I finished it pretty much within the space of a day or so), and carried much suspense. Chapman's writing is nicely descriptive without getting bogged down in details. I discovered this book while looking for a book "with an unreliable narrator" in a reading challenge I am doing during 2017. Originally, I had tried to read "Lolita" - which, with the creepy Humbert Humbert as its narrator, consistently tops the list for unreliable narrator books - but I just couldn't get into it from the get-go. I'm glad I read this book instead. It's intriguing without being too heavy. I began to wonder if Marta was, indeed, an unreliable narrator, or someone whose circumstances were something to be pitied and concerned about. Even after its final pages, I wasn't certain if the life and past she imagined was truly real, or if it was all part of an overactive and un-medicated imagination. I suspect the ambiguity may have been Chapman's intent. If so, it's certainly a troubling story which serves its purpose, and lingers with the reader for a bit upon finishing it. A good read - and I'd like to read more of Chapman's books after this.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this novel!
I'm going to lead with - WHAT A SLEEPER READ!!
Seriously, I had a hard time in the beginning. I knew something was up, but things seemed to be moving terribly slow so at about 50%, I was getting nervous. Shortly after, I was no longer nervous, but instead was pumped up, intrigued, angry, flabbergasted...you name it - I was feeling it! My heart RACED the entire rest of the novel which I devoured in under two hours - totally worth the wait.
Chapman can definitely write some psychological drama! Readers will be curious from page one. What is going on with Marta? Something has to be going on with Marta. She's a nice enough woman. Good wife (hell, she has the book). Good mom. But something is off. She's seeing things, seeing people. Why? What's wrong with her? What caused it? And, oh by the way, what the heck happened to her parents that caused her so much trauma that her husband, Hector, had to save her?
Throughout the book there are little quotes from the book (How To Be A Good Wife) Marta received on her wedding day from her mother-in-law. Sadly, Marta is judging herself and her wifely ability on these archaic standards and she frequently thinks of herself as a failure - to her son and her husband. Hearts will ache for Marta as she fumbles through this spot in her marriage. Standing by while her son moves on and out with his life. All the while trying to piece together small memories that Hector has always provided her.
Chapman is planting seeds the whole way. They are small seeds and readers will feel like connections are being made, but they don't actually get made until it is time - I love that. This novel jumps up, bites ya, and then drags you down a windy, heart-racing path! Then the end, oh HOLY HOTCAKES, the end!! I just have feelings and suspicions and...OHMYGOSH the end.
I was provided an ARC copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.
Find this and much more at Read, Run, Ramble
I'm going to lead with - WHAT A SLEEPER READ!!
Seriously, I had a hard time in the beginning. I knew something was up, but things seemed to be moving terribly slow so at about 50%, I was getting nervous. Shortly after, I was no longer nervous, but instead was pumped up, intrigued, angry, flabbergasted...you name it - I was feeling it! My heart RACED the entire rest of the novel which I devoured in under two hours - totally worth the wait.
Chapman can definitely write some psychological drama! Readers will be curious from page one. What is going on with Marta? Something has to be going on with Marta. She's a nice enough woman. Good wife (hell, she has the book). Good mom. But something is off. She's seeing things, seeing people. Why? What's wrong with her? What caused it? And, oh by the way, what the heck happened to her parents that caused her so much trauma that her husband, Hector, had to save her?
Throughout the book there are little quotes from the book (How To Be A Good Wife) Marta received on her wedding day from her mother-in-law. Sadly, Marta is judging herself and her wifely ability on these archaic standards and she frequently thinks of herself as a failure - to her son and her husband. Hearts will ache for Marta as she fumbles through this spot in her marriage. Standing by while her son moves on and out with his life. All the while trying to piece together small memories that Hector has always provided her.
Chapman is planting seeds the whole way. They are small seeds and readers will feel like connections are being made, but they don't actually get made until it is time - I love that. This novel jumps up, bites ya, and then drags you down a windy, heart-racing path! Then the end, oh HOLY HOTCAKES, the end!! I just have feelings and suspicions and...OHMYGOSH the end.
I was provided an ARC copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.
Find this and much more at Read, Run, Ramble
неймовірно незатишна книжка (що, враховуючи сюжет, радше комплімент, ніж ні).
вона викликає дивне роздвоєння: з одного боку, ми все знаємо про ненадійних нараторів і про те, як легко надурити довірливого читача, тож скрізь видивляємося підступу; з іншого, ми віримо своїй ненадійній нараторці, навіть якщо це має значити, що світ страшний і шансів на порятунок мало, – бо й без неї, в принципі, знаємо, що так, страшний.
вона викликає дивне роздвоєння: з одного боку, ми все знаємо про ненадійних нараторів і про те, як легко надурити довірливого читача, тож скрізь видивляємося підступу; з іншого, ми віримо своїй ненадійній нараторці, навіть якщо це має значити, що світ страшний і шансів на порятунок мало, – бо й без неї, в принципі, знаємо, що так, страшний.
This book is about a newly empty-nested housewife who is either crazy...or suffering the after affects of a traumatic event. As she gets off her medication, it's hard to know if her point of view gets increasingly delusional or increasingly clear. I may have been going into this book with my expectations set too high. I understand that It was purposely confusing and disjointed in order to give a sense of mental illness, but it was hard to follow. I was hoping it would be saved by an extraordinary ending, but it fizzled.
This book was haunting but frustrating at the same time. I don't know what to write about it without giving the storyline away. Definitely worth reading. Excited to discuss the story with my book club.
When I got to the end of this book, my heart broke. It was all so beautifully written and painted such beautiful images in my mind; but it also cast such dark shadows. It left me with questions, it left me wondering, but either way it broke my heart. Whether brought about by a mental illness or whether they were memories of who she was resurfacing, I was overwhelmed with sympathy for the main character. I wanted to find her answers, I wanted to scream in the face of those who doubted her - how terrifying that would be for those you love the most to view you with pity and refuse to listen to the things that seem so real to you.
3.5
There were definitely some confusing moments and frustrating, second hand embarrassment moments. But I did enjoy the plot of the book. However, there was a lot of convenient situations for plot progression and that was a bummer.
There were definitely some confusing moments and frustrating, second hand embarrassment moments. But I did enjoy the plot of the book. However, there was a lot of convenient situations for plot progression and that was a bummer.
I am a sucker for an unreliable narrator and I was sucked into this story. It's a quick read and it kept me wondering. Really the only reason it's not a 4 star book to me is just preference - I like to really know the truth of the story and the ending does not provide that.