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dvo19's review
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
miavitula's review
1.0
Quick read but I was expecting a plot twist that never came. Wouldn’t really recommend this book
alexalowry's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
janagaton's review
3.0
Love the super quick and choppy writing style, especially because not many authors could pull that off. There was one intense scene that made my jaw drop a little about halfway through the book, but the rest was a bit redundant and not shocking at all. The timeline was weird and not indicated. It seemed like some chapters were flashbacks or time jumps but there was nothing to show that at chapter headings or anything. I was highly anticipating this one, but it fell flat for me.
sarahkreads's review against another edition
4.0
loved it!
Twisted dark comedy. I can see this being made into an entertaining movie. I didn’t get the very end though… that wasnt Demi right ?
Twisted dark comedy. I can see this being made into an entertaining movie. I didn’t get the very end though… that wasnt Demi right ?
thephdivabooks's review
5.0
At first, you’ll read this and likely strongly dislike the main character Lila. She’s vapid, out of touch, and entitled. But for me, as the story went on I began to like parts of Lila. Initially I just found her entertaining (her commentary on her life and other people can be humorous and absurd). But eventually I realized that as a character she goes through a subtle growth arc. The Lila the book ends with is not exactly the same person who began it. Is money the root of evil afterall?
Lyla is so beautiful that sometimes she even gazes at herself in awe. Some of it is natural, and some of it is the sort of beauty that money can help with. Her husband Graham has the two things that make a man impossible to resist: money and looks. And Graham is extremely wealthy and extremely handsome.
But Graham also has a coldness to him. He’s obsessed with games. Lyla thinks she is too, but most of her personality is actually her trying to like the same things as Graham or be the person she thinks he wants her to be. Graham and his mother Margot like to play a game. They invite someone to live in the guest house on their property, befriend them, and then ruin their life. They particularly love to do this to someone poor or vulnerable.
Trust me when I say you will hate them! Graham and Margot the most, but you’ll hate Lyla too for letting it happen. It’s clear that she doesn’t really want to play along with them, but she also doesn’t stop them—this is in my opinion Lyla’s biggest character flaw at the beginning of the novel.
Things really get complicated when Graham and Margot insist that it is Lyla’s turn to play (they say she needs to prove herself). Lyla doesn’t want to, but she doesn’t see a way to get out of it when they find someone to move in. The new tenant is a wealthy tech professional named Demi, and she’s about to change everything for them.
Because it turns out, Demi isn’t actually the person they intended to move in. The Demi they know is actually a homeless women who followed the real Demi home one night after she bought heroin from a man named Michael in the homeless camp. Upon arriving home, Demi falls asleep and when she wakes up, the woman has overdosed. She goes to leave the scene in terror, but runs into Lyla and realizes Lyla doesn’t know she isn’t the real Demi.
So she decides maybe she can slip into Demi’s life—just for a little bit! No one will know and no one will be hurt by it, right? But when Michael arrives and helps her dispose of the body, Demi becomes trapped in the life. She enjoys it’s privileges but what will happen when she becomes ensnared in the cruel games Graham, Margot, and Lyla play?
This book is entertaining and witty. The central couple are so over the top that often the book veers towards comical.
So many things in the book are extravagant. Margot’s gardens, for instance, are modeled on different levels and represent the nine circles of Hell.
Lyla is planning a birthday party for Graham and knowing his love of games, buys real guns that use “simmunition”—fake ammunition that police officers use for gun training. The one that Lyla procured will splatter the person shot in gold glitter.
Demi is another fascinating character. Before she becomes Demi, she describes her back story. Many of the things Demi says about being poor or homeless are profound—she made me think about her life in a very real way. This is in sharp contrast to Lyla’s life, which is ridiculous, over the top, and impossible to relate to.
By the end of the book, I was left with a strong message about the worth of a human life and what really differentiates rich and poor people. The title is also referenced in the book, as Demi muses if it is possible for there to be good people who are incredibly rich? Demi reflects on her status—and over the book she muses on how she always felt she wasn’t good enough to be rich, or have a secure life, or even a home. But what will she discover by the end of this twisted story?
Entertaining, sharp, and a mix of shallow characters with deep messages!
Lyla is so beautiful that sometimes she even gazes at herself in awe. Some of it is natural, and some of it is the sort of beauty that money can help with. Her husband Graham has the two things that make a man impossible to resist: money and looks. And Graham is extremely wealthy and extremely handsome.
But Graham also has a coldness to him. He’s obsessed with games. Lyla thinks she is too, but most of her personality is actually her trying to like the same things as Graham or be the person she thinks he wants her to be. Graham and his mother Margot like to play a game. They invite someone to live in the guest house on their property, befriend them, and then ruin their life. They particularly love to do this to someone poor or vulnerable.
Trust me when I say you will hate them! Graham and Margot the most, but you’ll hate Lyla too for letting it happen. It’s clear that she doesn’t really want to play along with them, but she also doesn’t stop them—this is in my opinion Lyla’s biggest character flaw at the beginning of the novel.
Things really get complicated when Graham and Margot insist that it is Lyla’s turn to play (they say she needs to prove herself). Lyla doesn’t want to, but she doesn’t see a way to get out of it when they find someone to move in. The new tenant is a wealthy tech professional named Demi, and she’s about to change everything for them.
Because it turns out, Demi isn’t actually the person they intended to move in. The Demi they know is actually a homeless women who followed the real Demi home one night after she bought heroin from a man named Michael in the homeless camp. Upon arriving home, Demi falls asleep and when she wakes up, the woman has overdosed. She goes to leave the scene in terror, but runs into Lyla and realizes Lyla doesn’t know she isn’t the real Demi.
So she decides maybe she can slip into Demi’s life—just for a little bit! No one will know and no one will be hurt by it, right? But when Michael arrives and helps her dispose of the body, Demi becomes trapped in the life. She enjoys it’s privileges but what will happen when she becomes ensnared in the cruel games Graham, Margot, and Lyla play?
This book is entertaining and witty. The central couple are so over the top that often the book veers towards comical.
So many things in the book are extravagant. Margot’s gardens, for instance, are modeled on different levels and represent the nine circles of Hell.
Lyla is planning a birthday party for Graham and knowing his love of games, buys real guns that use “simmunition”—fake ammunition that police officers use for gun training. The one that Lyla procured will splatter the person shot in gold glitter.
Demi is another fascinating character. Before she becomes Demi, she describes her back story. Many of the things Demi says about being poor or homeless are profound—she made me think about her life in a very real way. This is in sharp contrast to Lyla’s life, which is ridiculous, over the top, and impossible to relate to.
By the end of the book, I was left with a strong message about the worth of a human life and what really differentiates rich and poor people. The title is also referenced in the book, as Demi muses if it is possible for there to be good people who are incredibly rich? Demi reflects on her status—and over the book she muses on how she always felt she wasn’t good enough to be rich, or have a secure life, or even a home. But what will she discover by the end of this twisted story?
Entertaining, sharp, and a mix of shallow characters with deep messages!
suzyq436's review
3.0
DNF 50%
Is anything going to happen in this story?
The pacing is waaaay too slow.
Is anything going to happen in this story?
The pacing is waaaay too slow.
littlelifeofbooks's review
3.0
WHAT THE MOET? You will either be so wrapped up in this book OR you’re going to completely lose your mind and check the lost in found to try to get it back. This is a book that makes you question everything you think you know about rich people. I had little to know clue of what I was getting into with this one. This is not a simple story, it’s downright crazy. There was a twist that starts off right away and it made the rest of the story so unpredictable. While this book was just insane, I did appreciate seeing the two perspectives in this book, where the exact scene would repeat but with a different character. The chaos that follows reminds me of the movie Ready or Not, if that gives you any sort of clue of how you can prepare for this one. Just say a little prayer before you read this one. The last thing I will say is, I would rather be poor and also drink Cook’s.
akane_readsyt's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25