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mariaviola'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: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Misogyny
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Body horror, and Car accident
Minor: Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use
trash_reader_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
This book disturbed me from the the very first sentence. And what made it so unsettling was the fact that it was written in 2nd person POV. Despite the title, I was not expecting it to be written that way. It got the desired affect, though, that's for sure.
I loved the fact that the characters were far from perfect, Obviously, Joe has issues. But the fact that he's obsessing over this woman who is clearly mentally unstable and doesn't take care of herself or really care about anything other than getting laid was refreshing. Beck could have been this picture perfect, straight A student who wrote amazing prose and new all about the classics and "fine modern literature," but she wasn't. She was just as messed up as Joe was.
My biggest issues with this book, though, and why I couldn't rate it above a 3.5 despite how much I loved it, was the unbelievability of certain aspects of the plot and the characters themselves.
This book takes place in the 2010's. There's iPhones and high speed internet and bluetooth and all this great technology, and the characters ONLY communicate with each other through email? Not even a group chat through imessages or private messaging on the many social medias these girls had? Beck's email communication with Nicky at the end made sense, because they had to be secretive about it, both from Joe and from Nicky's wife Marcia, but the fact that email was the main means of communication between all of them made no sense. And if the term "email" was being used in place of texting, then that's just a poor choice of words on the author's side, and it doesn't make it any better.
Another issue I had was with the lack of police investigation into WEALTHY WHITE PEOPLE'S disappearances? Joe was smart about Benji, but what he did with Peach was careless. He bashed her in the head with a rock and they just decided not to see that when they find her body washed up? There were absolutely no forensics done and they just carted her off to a funeral? No. That's not how the authorities deal with wealthy white people who go missing and/or are found dead.
And the last thing I'm going to complain about is probably the most unrealistic to me. Joe was able to have several false identities with no identification and no questions asked? The hospital in Rhode Island I can understand. He was in and out, but absolutely no paperwork was filed and that's not real life. But he never would have been able to get an appointment with a therapist without any identification and with no insurance or proof of insurance, whether he paid for the sessions in cash or not. And the amount of cash he always seemed to have didn't make sense, either. He always had "just enough" to cover whatever emergency costs he came across, despite stating several times about how it's difficult to live on the salary he had from working in the bookstore and how he didn't have money to afford a lot of things.
All in all, this book was amazing. But the few things that I found to be inaccurate distracted from the narrative for me. I don't care to read the other two books, but this one was great and I feel like adding on the other two probably ruined it. We get it, Joe has issues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
shaunarae's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read the book quickly, and I found it very good. It was a good fast-paced book to get me out of a book slump! I read it after watching the Netflix series. It was surprising to see the huge differences the show made from the book, one being that Joe is way more likable in the show than in the book. In the book, he just gives off this creepy vibe and you end up not rooting for him, but I felt differently about his character in the show. Other than that, it gets points for the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
cutiepie999's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
steffff's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, Mental illness, and Murder
paigemistler's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence
whrohala's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dark. Fascinating. Terrifying. Terrifying in a - "My God... I could know someone like this, but not even know it."
The writing is great, and I will likely need to read again to catch all the small, subtle things that provided insight into the way that Joe's mind works. The inconsistencies in his mindset, the depravity, the twisted way he views the world becomes more and more obvious the longer you are reading (from his POV) and almost makes you sick to your stomach.
There was a moment towards the end, maybe 75-50 pages left, when I was reading Joe contradic himself in his own mind multiple times on a single page about what made Beck "perfect" that it really hit me - There was always only one way the story could end. With Beck dying. Because Joe doesn't know what he wants from a women, yet she needs to meet his expectations constantly or be met with intense criticism and suspicion and hatred. She is perfect for being bold, but also perfect for being shy. Perfect for being independent and strong, but also perfect for being obsessed with him 24/7. Perfect for looking down on fluffy books, but perfect for not being a snob like all the other bitches she goes to school with who also look down on fluffy books. Perfect for being daring and sexual, but a slut because that sexuality hasn't been solely focused on him since the beginning of time. And it's hot when she doesn't wear a bra... except for when someone else looks at her of their own accord, because she likes the attention - slut.
She can't be a person, she can only be his. She has to always be the version of her that he created in his mind the first second he saw her, but she can't be that person. Because that person doesn't exist. She never did.
Also... FUCK JOE. He acts like his dick cures the flu. It doesn't, it's a dick and he probably has good days and bad days like every other person. He's a bad boyfriend. He isn't cool for hating everything - he's a cliché. And he's cliche that he doesn't know he's cliche.
Joe is a human embodiment of the way society as a whole treats women - puts them on a pedestal, treats them like shit, doesn't understand why they are upset and tells them to not be so sensitive, calls them ungrateful, praises the "not like other girls" girls, but they shouldn't stray from the ideal beauty standard or feminine clothes, interests, characteristics...
Joe doesn't know what he wants because the world tells him to expect everything and nothing and whatever is in between from the woman he honors with his love... (give me a break.)
Already bought book 2.
FYI - If you came to this book due to the show (like I did), this is way darker, dirtier, and grittier. The show makes the characters more likeable (on purpose, obviously), but I think the story told in the book is more believable. You will not finish this book liking the characters - certainly not Joe. Thank God.
The writing is great, and I will likely need to read again to catch all the small, subtle things that provided insight into the way that Joe's mind works. The inconsistencies in his mindset, the depravity, the twisted way he views the world becomes more and more obvious the longer you are reading (from his POV) and almost makes you sick to your stomach.
She can't be a person, she can only be his. She has to always be the version of her that he created in his mind the first second he saw her, but she can't be that person. Because that person doesn't exist. She never did.
Also... FUCK JOE. He acts like his dick cures the flu. It doesn't, it's a dick and he probably has good days and bad days like every other person. He's a bad boyfriend. He isn't cool for hating everything - he's a cliché. And he's cliche that he doesn't know he's cliche.
Joe is a human embodiment of the way society as a whole treats women - puts them on a pedestal, treats them like shit, doesn't understand why they are upset and tells them to not be so sensitive, calls them ungrateful, praises the "not like other girls" girls, but they shouldn't stray from the ideal beauty standard or feminine clothes, interests, characteristics...
Joe doesn't know what he wants because the world tells him to expect everything and nothing and whatever is in between from the woman he honors with his love... (give me a break.)
Already bought book 2.
FYI - If you came to this book due to the show (like I did), this is way darker, dirtier, and grittier. The show makes the characters more likeable (on purpose, obviously), but I think the story told in the book is more believable. You will not finish this book liking the characters - certainly not Joe. Thank God.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
taelights's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As a big fan of the show I loved getting to listen to the audiobook version. Joe is somehow even worse in the book than in the Netflix show which shocked me a bit because I didn't realize he could get any worse lol. I look forward to reading more of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
bookdragonk'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
3.5
Completely unforgetable (and not in the best way). I was so creeped out by many scenes in this book, and I really have to give props to the writer for being able to get inside my head. I was so disgusted, but that just made me want to keep on reading. The characterisation of Joe as a manipulative, gas-lighting and egotistical stalker who blamed other for his downfalls was perfect. You can't root for any of the characters, but you definitely cannot root for him. Personally, the book could be a bit slow at times, and the faster-paced scenes seemed to end quite abruptly.
Major content warnings would be graphic depictions of violence, sex, and murder, as well as the obvious stalking and kidnapping.
Rating: 3.5/5
Major content warnings would be graphic depictions of violence, sex, and murder, as well as the obvious stalking and kidnapping.
Rating: 3.5/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
jackobotts's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Physical abuse