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learivel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
underwhelming but had a lot of potential:/// ending was what I expected and the last 30 pages tried to tie up too many loose ends too quickly- some plot points were unnecessary. I think the real substance in this book comes from the exploration of the characters and their dynamic, rather than the quality of the final mystery
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Gun violence
emilye's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy
mykenzi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy and Toxic friendship
Minor: Stalking, Miscarriage, and Medical content
erink87's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
edatta's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
2.0
I've read a good bit of Tana French, largely out of order, and this was definitely the slowest and most cerebral of the ones I've encountered. The plot plods along, only picking up any real pace about two-thirds through the whole story. And while French's novels are always very protagonist-focused, it was disappointing to see so much of the book focus on Cassie's introspection. We spend so much time around four other characters but never get beyond some surface-level description and some throw-away dialogue. <spolier> The ending was a bit disappointing too. The people you suspect did it are in fact the ones that did it all along. No grand twist, no huge reveal, no big moment of shock. It didn't come as a surprise as much as a slow realization, like waking up out of a dream. </spolier> The quality of the writing carried the story. But I don't think I would've finished this book if it wasn't such a fan of French's oeuvre. If you're looking for a tightly-paced detective story, try Broken Harbor instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Suicide
Minor: Homophobia
cfell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Violence, Suicide, Alcohol, Classism, and Death
bootsmom3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Gore, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Suicide, and Sexual content
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Likeness was my first book by Tana French, even though it is actually the second in a series. It opens with Detective Cassandra Maddox (I confess a fondness for the name - had my mother had her way it would have been mine) being called to a murder scene where the victim looks exactly like her, and bears the name of Lexie Madison, an entirely fictional alias Cassie once used on an undercover assignment. To take advantage of this somewhat unbelievable coincidence Cassie is persuaded to go undercover once more and, claiming to have been only injured, take up Lexie’s life in an effort to discover exactly who killed her and who she really was.
What I enjoyed most about the book was the eerie atmosphere - the almost gothic vibes from the house, compounded by the attacks against it, and the claustrophobic closeness of Lexie‘s friends, all very idiosyncratic PhD students sharing an isolated run down mansion one of them had inherited.
I also appreciated some of the issues which were raised, if not necessarily covered in great depth - the continuing resentment against the British colonialism in Ireland, material vs spiritual wealth, art, the factors that make a good life, class, and the rural-urban divide.
I had mixed feelings about Cassie. While I loved the badass side of her personality, and the nature of her relationship with her former boss Frank, her deliberately violating protocol and taking unnecessary risks irked me. Why put yourself in danger for no good reason? Possibly if I had read the first book in the series I might have had more insight into what drove Cassie’s behaviour.
I did find this book a little on the long side but it mostly held my interest. While I enjoyed the reading experience it wasn’t enough to convince me to join the Tara French fan club.
What I enjoyed most about the book was the eerie atmosphere - the almost gothic vibes from the house, compounded by the attacks against it, and the claustrophobic closeness of Lexie‘s friends, all very idiosyncratic PhD students sharing an isolated run down mansion one of them had inherited.
I also appreciated some of the issues which were raised, if not necessarily covered in great depth - the continuing resentment against the British colonialism in Ireland, material vs spiritual wealth, art, the factors that make a good life, class, and the rural-urban divide.
I had mixed feelings about Cassie. While I loved the badass side of her personality, and the nature of her relationship with her former boss Frank, her deliberately violating protocol and taking unnecessary risks irked me. Why put yourself in danger for no good reason? Possibly if I had read the first book in the series I might have had more insight into what drove Cassie’s behaviour.
I did find this book a little on the long side but it mostly held my interest. While I enjoyed the reading experience it wasn’t enough to convince me to join the Tara French fan club.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death
Minor: Homophobia
mephala's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book overwhelmed me a little, hence it took me so long to write some thoughts here.
As with the previous book by this author, In the Woods, this one is also very rich and intricate. The feel of it was even more eerily haunting than the previous story in this series.
It's more a character study of a group of people, and as the blurb said - a story about belonging - rather than a straightforward <i>whodunit</i> murder mystery.
The premise seemed a little outlandish, but I think it perfectly fit the story's atmosphere.
It actually reminded me of classic fairy tales where dreamy, almost whimsical atmosphere, has this dark and unnerving undertone to it. I loved the subtle references to legends of Fea and how the more a mortal stays in their world (even eats something) the more anchored and even trapped one is in this otherworldly space. With Cassie pretending to be Lexie being such an mortal and the house she willingly entered, a dangerous almost supernatural being.
Because, The Whitethorn House was like this almost mystical place. It was as much a character in this book as all the others. It seemed such an eerie place, and Cassie/Lexie was slowly but surely becoming entwined in it and with people who lived in it.
I think it was very intentional to portray the group living in the house as outsiders; almost stuck in the weird time in between. They wore vintage clothes, didn't use electronics, spend time listening to vinyls and drinking wine and discussing deep philosophical topic. They willingly separated themselves from the outside world and into this magical bubble, that also had this unnerving dark feel to it.
I actually liked that - the constant feeling of dread that Cassie/Lexie felt through the whole book. It was not only about being discovered as a undercover agent, but something different. Scarier.
So the story has a brilliant atmosphere. But did it work as murder mystery?
Not really. As I mentioned it was more of a character study; there's a lot of dialogs. A LOT. They are brilliant, but at some point I felt overwhelmed and slightly bored. I enyoed how the relationship between Cassie/Lexie and the rest of the group was portrayed; how she struggled with where her loyalty laid and how she made some disastrous mistakes along the way.
Unfortunately the book dragged a little by the end. I think the build up and tension was tremendous, but the pay off at the end seemed rather weak.
As with the previous book by this author, In the Woods, this one is also very rich and intricate. The feel of it was even more eerily haunting than the previous story in this series.
It's more a character study of a group of people, and as the blurb said - a story about belonging - rather than a straightforward <i>whodunit</i> murder mystery.
The premise seemed a little outlandish, but I think it perfectly fit the story's atmosphere.
It actually reminded me of classic fairy tales where dreamy, almost whimsical atmosphere, has this dark and unnerving undertone to it. I loved the subtle references to legends of Fea and how the more a mortal stays in their world (even eats something) the more anchored and even trapped one is in this otherworldly space. With Cassie pretending to be Lexie being such an mortal and the house she willingly entered, a dangerous almost supernatural being.
Because, The Whitethorn House was like this almost mystical place. It was as much a character in this book as all the others. It seemed such an eerie place, and Cassie/Lexie was slowly but surely becoming entwined in it and with people who lived in it.
I think it was very intentional to portray the group living in the house as outsiders; almost stuck in the weird time in between. They wore vintage clothes, didn't use electronics, spend time listening to vinyls and drinking wine and discussing deep philosophical topic. They willingly separated themselves from the outside world and into this magical bubble, that also had this unnerving dark feel to it.
I actually liked that - the constant feeling of dread that Cassie/Lexie felt through the whole book. It was not only about being discovered as a undercover agent, but something different. Scarier.
So the story has a brilliant atmosphere. But did it work as murder mystery?
Not really. As I mentioned it was more of a character study; there's a lot of dialogs. A LOT. They are brilliant, but at some point I felt overwhelmed and slightly bored. I enyoed how the relationship between Cassie/Lexie and the rest of the group was portrayed; how she struggled with where her loyalty laid and how she made some disastrous mistakes along the way.
Unfortunately the book dragged a little by the end. I think the build up and tension was tremendous, but the pay off at the end seemed rather weak.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
nixicat1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Car accident, Colonisation, Violence, Suicide, and Stalking