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meandmypaperback's review against another edition
4.0
3.75
I enjoyed this. I just wished things didn't just end the way they did. I feel like there are too many unanswered questions
I enjoyed this. I just wished things didn't just end the way they did. I feel like there are too many unanswered questions
swampette's review against another edition
3.0
I struggled with my rating for this book. I landed on three stars because all in all I just wanted it to be better. It’s an interesting twist on a suspense novel - I picked it up initially because Tana French did a recommendation newsletter via GoodReads, and I love Tana French. One immediate difference here is that although it’s set in Ireland, you wouldn’t necessarily know that. Tana French always seems to make you feel like you’re there, experiencing the rain, the old neighborhoods next to new, the class struggles and culture. But this could have been set in Manhattan - location wasn’t described and didn’t really play a role in the story. That was a little disappointing.
The story was told in alternating chapters from a husband and wife. I found the woman to be much better written - or maybe just that she reacted appropriately. That leads to my second frustration: the man was written as bumbling-but-well-meaning, while the women were withholding and suspicious at best, manipulative at worst. That’s a perfectly realistic dynamic...sometimes. But it seems like we see an awful lot of it.
So overall, while the story was interesting enough, the writing and development left quite a bit to be desired. The quintessential novel written with the primary goal of selling movie rights - which they have!
The story was told in alternating chapters from a husband and wife. I found the woman to be much better written - or maybe just that she reacted appropriately. That leads to my second frustration: the man was written as bumbling-but-well-meaning, while the women were withholding and suspicious at best, manipulative at worst. That’s a perfectly realistic dynamic...sometimes. But it seems like we see an awful lot of it.
So overall, while the story was interesting enough, the writing and development left quite a bit to be desired. The quintessential novel written with the primary goal of selling movie rights - which they have!
kaleenazagrzebski's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great, slow burn of a novel! I loved the character development of everyone. Switching between the point of view of the husband and wife, this book held just the right amount of curiosity to keep me guessing. I also loved the question that came out of this book around the different point of views. If your husband all of a sudden found out he had a child with a past lover, how would that make you feel, what would you do? And on the other side, if you found out you had a child that was a student at your university, how would do you balance getting to know that child? How would you also make sure the children you do have, who are still young and at a very important stage of their lives, don’t feel threatened by a new person in their family? I had the book pretty much predicted as I got towards the end, but I still really enjoyed reading this one!
imperfectcj's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
2.5
The interpersonal drama of this story is intricate and interesting, but the execution is plodding, and it takes way too long for the story to unfold. And while I know there wouldn't have been any plot (and it wouldn't have been realistic) if the characters had been emotionally mature, well-adjusted people, I just felt annoyed at them. Throughout the novel, I'm like, "Dude, just TALK to each other!"
mmk4725's review against another edition
2.0
Ho-hum. Nothing new here. Just skim the book - you'll get the idea
heathersbike's review against another edition
This was an audio-roulette. It was okay. Not great. Not bad. The twist at the end felt forced. By the end I was just waiting for it to be over so I could listen to something else.
mpr2000's review against another edition
3.0
A stranger arrives at Connolly's family.... a secret daughter that will change the fate of this family forever. Ready to discover The Unknown Girl?
A tense psychological thriller, with dark secrets, untold truths and a very dangerous girl... I can assure you that after reading this book you will doubt every new person that enters in your life!
While we are reading the book we know that Zoë Barry has a secret agenda, don't know what she really wants but all her actions are suspicious and sometimes scary. What is her real motive?
David and Caroline have a lot of marriage problems, and Zoë's appearance will make things worse... David's complete trust to this unknown daughter get me nervous sometimes, I know he doesn't trust his wife after the infidelity, but really, will you trust someone who you don't know before your wife or your sons? His roll in the story sometimes is not very real, why he doesn't want to know the truth? If you are tired of your life, change it! No, he wasn't my favourite character of the story...
I have to say this would be a great movie, the tense moments, the dark looks between the characters and of course the twist in the end, the best!
This book will make you think if we ever know the people around us, they say something, but we never know their real thoughts... The most trusted person in our life can always surprise us... even for the worst. Scary don't you think?
This is the first book I've read from Karen Perry, but after this book I will search for new ones!
Ready for The Unknown Girl?
A tense psychological thriller, with dark secrets, untold truths and a very dangerous girl... I can assure you that after reading this book you will doubt every new person that enters in your life!
While we are reading the book we know that Zoë Barry has a secret agenda, don't know what she really wants but all her actions are suspicious and sometimes scary. What is her real motive?
David and Caroline have a lot of marriage problems, and Zoë's appearance will make things worse... David's complete trust to this unknown daughter get me nervous sometimes, I know he doesn't trust his wife after the infidelity, but really, will you trust someone who you don't know before your wife or your sons? His roll in the story sometimes is not very real, why he doesn't want to know the truth? If you are tired of your life, change it! No, he wasn't my favourite character of the story...
I have to say this would be a great movie, the tense moments, the dark looks between the characters and of course the twist in the end, the best!
This book will make you think if we ever know the people around us, they say something, but we never know their real thoughts... The most trusted person in our life can always surprise us... even for the worst. Scary don't you think?
This is the first book I've read from Karen Perry, but after this book I will search for new ones!
Ready for The Unknown Girl?
chellski's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
3.0
proudlocks's review against another edition
4.0
Amazingly written. You feel connected to every character. A few shocking twists too, not what I expected from thr blurb, but I guess that's what made it a really good book. You won't be disappointed.