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andyavidreaderhehe's review against another edition
4.0
definitely on my top 5 best thriller dark novels. I love how Joe in the book is far more fucked up than the show Joe, and theres literally nothing redeemable about him which does make him a pure antagonist.
not a 5 star because I liked the show much much better, but the inside of a criminal psychopath's mind is so beautifully written in this. thank u Caroline Kepnes for the meal :P
not a 5 star because I liked the show much much better, but the inside of a criminal psychopath's mind is so beautifully written in this. thank u Caroline Kepnes for the meal :P
book_reviews_only's review against another edition
4.0
This book was reviewed as “Hypnotic and scary” by Stephen King... Hypnotic yes, but not scary.
The book compared to the Netflix series is extremely different (as expected). The difference though, in the tv series you FEEL for Beck and see how creepy Joe is. But this book... it’s all in Joe’s point of view. It gives you an understanding on why Joe does what he does. On how his brain works.
That type of perspective was a different type of read. But it hooks you and doesn’t let you go.
The book compared to the Netflix series is extremely different (as expected). The difference though, in the tv series you FEEL for Beck and see how creepy Joe is. But this book... it’s all in Joe’s point of view. It gives you an understanding on why Joe does what he does. On how his brain works.
That type of perspective was a different type of read. But it hooks you and doesn’t let you go.
kenzieewaters's review against another edition
4.0
This book is so much different than the show but yet so intriguing! I can’t wait to read the second!
lecheeese's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
elliearchive's review against another edition
3.0
that was quite intense. i listened to this as audiobook which made the experience even more terrifying since this book is written in second person and i felt like there was a man talking to me about me. i usually don't enjoy audiobooks but this was great. i really had me hooked and i loved being inside the head of someone like our main character here. someone who is seriously twisted and trapped in his delusions. i really saw how deluded he was in the end when beck was in the cage and he still thought she didn't mean was she said, and he still thought their relationship could be saved. it was terrifying and tragic and i loved it
rouselle's review against another edition
4.0
It’s just another day at work for Joe Goldberg, manning the cash register, arranging book displays, and signing off delivery receipts at the rare and used books store in East Village. He loves the store and the feeling of being surrounded by books. Joe doesn’t have a fancy university degree, but he’s way smarter than any Ivy League student who comes walking through the store doors.
And then Joe meets beautiful, intelligent, aspiring writer Guinevere Beck. They share a brief but meaningful moment about books. They flirt a little. Joe is instantly smitten and knows in his gut that this girl is special. She seems to like him, too, but maybe she’s just shy, or maybe she’s just being coy when she leaves without giving her number.
Joe doesn’t have much to go on, just her name on her credit card. There’s only one Guinevere Beck in this part of New York City, who’s also got a public profile on Twitter and Facebook. Without much difficulty, Joe is able to monitor Beck’s online activities and physical locations, get a glimpse of her private moments in her apartment, learn what makes her tick, and understand what goes through that pretty little head of hers with every email and status update.
When Joe conveniently bumps into her at a party that she Tweeted about, she accidentally leaves her cellphone behind. All of Beck’s social media accounts, including her email, are still logged in, providing Joe with unrestricted access to her online life. So begins an obsessive, complicated, and murderous pursuit of a girl, who has no idea she is being stalked methodically and single-mindedly by that cute guy from the bookstore.
I have never read a book quite like this. It’s so unique and creepy --- and you know how much I love unique and creepy. I love it because it’s dark and disturbing. It’s obsessive, sexy, and even incredibly romantic. It’s the classic tale of stalker and stalkee, told from the twisted, messy, and frantic point of view of the stalker. Reading only one narrator from start to finish ought to bore you to tears, but not this narrator.
I loved how he revered her, and how certain chapters felt like an ode to all things Guinevere Beck. He’s so good at loving her I kind of fell for Beck, too. She’s a lying, insecure girl, who craves attention from men because of her daddy issues, but even those things look adorable through the eyes of Joe Goldberg. He’s responsible for every shitty and magical thing that happened to Beck’s life, and I found it shocking that I approved some of the things he had to do to just to get her.
Joe has orchestrated the perfect romance, until things start to unravel, of course. He’s another unreliable narrator, but it’s this quirky character trait that makes this book such a compelling read. Because you just don’t know when he will go in for the kill, or when he will sweep you off your feet. The ending is even sicker and more twisted than I thought. So before you publish that status update or post that seemingly harmless selfie, think about all those sickos out there lurking on the internet, looking for their next victim. That could be you.
And then Joe meets beautiful, intelligent, aspiring writer Guinevere Beck. They share a brief but meaningful moment about books. They flirt a little. Joe is instantly smitten and knows in his gut that this girl is special. She seems to like him, too, but maybe she’s just shy, or maybe she’s just being coy when she leaves without giving her number.
Joe doesn’t have much to go on, just her name on her credit card. There’s only one Guinevere Beck in this part of New York City, who’s also got a public profile on Twitter and Facebook. Without much difficulty, Joe is able to monitor Beck’s online activities and physical locations, get a glimpse of her private moments in her apartment, learn what makes her tick, and understand what goes through that pretty little head of hers with every email and status update.
When Joe conveniently bumps into her at a party that she Tweeted about, she accidentally leaves her cellphone behind. All of Beck’s social media accounts, including her email, are still logged in, providing Joe with unrestricted access to her online life. So begins an obsessive, complicated, and murderous pursuit of a girl, who has no idea she is being stalked methodically and single-mindedly by that cute guy from the bookstore.
I have never read a book quite like this. It’s so unique and creepy --- and you know how much I love unique and creepy. I love it because it’s dark and disturbing. It’s obsessive, sexy, and even incredibly romantic. It’s the classic tale of stalker and stalkee, told from the twisted, messy, and frantic point of view of the stalker. Reading only one narrator from start to finish ought to bore you to tears, but not this narrator.
I loved how he revered her, and how certain chapters felt like an ode to all things Guinevere Beck. He’s so good at loving her I kind of fell for Beck, too. She’s a lying, insecure girl, who craves attention from men because of her daddy issues, but even those things look adorable through the eyes of Joe Goldberg. He’s responsible for every shitty and magical thing that happened to Beck’s life, and I found it shocking that I approved some of the things he had to do to just to get her.
Joe has orchestrated the perfect romance, until things start to unravel, of course. He’s another unreliable narrator, but it’s this quirky character trait that makes this book such a compelling read. Because you just don’t know when he will go in for the kill, or when he will sweep you off your feet. The ending is even sicker and more twisted than I thought. So before you publish that status update or post that seemingly harmless selfie, think about all those sickos out there lurking on the internet, looking for their next victim. That could be you.
taelortot_97's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't like any of the characters, but the story is so well written and kept me in suspense the entire time! I can't wait to read the second one and start the show. <3
yokesh99's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aj38318's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
readingwithavengeance's review against another edition
4.0
I usually reserve 4 and 5 star ratings for books that move me or fill me with joy. This is the second book I have read this year (the other being All the Ugly and Wonderful Things) that has disturbed me and left my soul tainted for days after finishing it. The narrator, Joe, is clearly the bad guy here but I found myself agreeing with him on all his rants about compulsive Tweeting, selfies and all the self-centeredness of our society. Beck may've been beautiful on the outside, but ten minutes with this girl I would've skipped the effort of stalking her and went straight to the strangling. It's a wonder there aren't more serial killers/stalkers in the world. I enjoyed this even though it made my skin crawl. Or maybe because it did.....?