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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
Scientists Kit Owens and Diane Fleming met in high school. Diane found Kit interesting, smart and a little different. Little did Diane know how different until Kit confided in Diane a deep dark secret which made Diane steer clear of Kit. And then many years later Kit arrives at Diane's lab and they are assigned to work together. Things start to get creepy and Diane finds out that Kit is capable of wrecking so much more terror (and trouble) than Diane is able to handle. Friendship gone wrong when murder is involved!
DNF at 20% I didn't even get far enough to feel like I could rate it.
I wanted to love [b:Give Me Your Hand|29569206|Give Me Your Hand|Megan Abbott|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511818302s/29569206.jpg|49894996], but there was nothing in it to interest me. I got bored! It was a whole bunch of much ado about nothing, so I told Overdrive to take it back. There's a surprisingly long list of people waiting for it, so it needs to be in the hands of someone who might appreciate it. Sadly I was not a fan.
On to the next book!
I wanted to love [b:Give Me Your Hand|29569206|Give Me Your Hand|Megan Abbott|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511818302s/29569206.jpg|49894996], but there was nothing in it to interest me. I got bored! It was a whole bunch of much ado about nothing, so I told Overdrive to take it back. There's a surprisingly long list of people waiting for it, so it needs to be in the hands of someone who might appreciate it. Sadly I was not a fan.
On to the next book!
Give Me Your Hand is not my favourite Megan Abbott. It took me longer than I expected to warm to the story and I never really warmed to the characters. It’s not shit by any stretch, Abbott is far too accomplished to knock out a dud.*
As with her previous novels, the book is female-centric, in this instance centring on a love / hate / despise / co-dependent relationship between Kit (our first-person point of view protagonist) and the possible sociopathic Diane. At school, the two of them competing for a scholarship for women in sciences, Diane tells Kit a secret, one so shocking, so awful, that their friendship comes to an abrupt end. Jump more than a decade and Kit is working for a famed scientist, researching a treatment/cure to premenstrual dysphoric disorder when, lo and behold, the famed scientist invites (or headhunts) Diane to join the Lab. The novel jumps chronologically between what happened when they were at school - and that dreaded confession - and their less than happy reunion a decade later.
Even if I didn’t particularly engage with Kit - she’s far too easily manipulated - once the plot kicks into gear it's very hard to put the book down, I zipped through the second half. But the real strength of the novel is Abbott’s peek into the world of science, and particularly how women are required to work harder and longer to get a modicum of the respect men take for granted. As Abbott points out, PMDD wasn’t taken seriously by science or medicine for many years, just filed away under “women’s issues”.
My reservations about the character-work shouldn’t stop you from reading “Give Me Your Hand”. It’s still an intelligent psychological thriller.
*I’ve given all three books I’ve read by Abbott four stars - which is a high mark, and I stand by them... but this book was the closest I got to giving a Megan Abbott book a three. Also, Goodreads stars are annoying, but that’s a whole different (and dull) discussion.
As with her previous novels, the book is female-centric, in this instance centring on a love / hate / despise / co-dependent relationship between Kit (our first-person point of view protagonist) and the possible sociopathic Diane. At school, the two of them competing for a scholarship for women in sciences, Diane tells Kit a secret, one so shocking, so awful, that their friendship comes to an abrupt end. Jump more than a decade and Kit is working for a famed scientist, researching a treatment/cure to premenstrual dysphoric disorder when, lo and behold, the famed scientist invites (or headhunts) Diane to join the Lab. The novel jumps chronologically between what happened when they were at school - and that dreaded confession - and their less than happy reunion a decade later.
Even if I didn’t particularly engage with Kit - she’s far too easily manipulated - once the plot kicks into gear it's very hard to put the book down, I zipped through the second half. But the real strength of the novel is Abbott’s peek into the world of science, and particularly how women are required to work harder and longer to get a modicum of the respect men take for granted. As Abbott points out, PMDD wasn’t taken seriously by science or medicine for many years, just filed away under “women’s issues”.
My reservations about the character-work shouldn’t stop you from reading “Give Me Your Hand”. It’s still an intelligent psychological thriller.
*I’ve given all three books I’ve read by Abbott four stars - which is a high mark, and I stand by them... but this book was the closest I got to giving a Megan Abbott book a three. Also, Goodreads stars are annoying, but that’s a whole different (and dull) discussion.
I feel like this book is the emperor's new clothes. I can't believe how many people liked it. The setting and concept are interesting, but the story was so dumb that I couldn't enjoy it.
I liked this one a lot, the setting especially. I find everything more creepy if it happens in a lab.
2.5 bumped to 3 stars. Lab researchers living like lab rats. Didn’t care for any of the characters except the dead mother.
3.5
I liked it - it was weird. Not entirely believable, but kept my attention.
I liked it - it was weird. Not entirely believable, but kept my attention.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I love how the author develops the female characters and their relationship, but I felt the plot fell a little flat. Pretty predictable, but still interesting enough.
I've heard good things about the author, especially how she writes about females so I am definitely willing to give her other books a try.
I'd recommend this book if you're looking for a quick read.
I love how the author develops the female characters and their relationship, but I felt the plot fell a little flat. Pretty predictable, but still interesting enough.
I've heard good things about the author, especially how she writes about females so I am definitely willing to give her other books a try.
I'd recommend this book if you're looking for a quick read.
Megan Abbott writes such twisted and disturbed characters. While I didn't like this one as much as You Will Know Me, I enjoyed it enough to still go pick up some other books by her.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced