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myriadreads's review against another edition
3.0
I'll admit that this one was hard to put down, but the main character was just absolutely unlikable, and big sections of the rambling narrative and diary entries could have been cut. It was just ok.
teresaalice's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books that you keep reading, despite being afraid that it’s going to disappoint you very badly, only to end up being right.
joshhall13's review against another edition
5.0
Ouch my feelings.
Out of 500-some books tracked on Goodreads, this is only the 3rd to make me cry actual tears.
Song of Achilles, A Little Life, and now this one.
The character parallels were subtle, but obvious enough to pick up on and ponder. The chapters written in the child's voice sounded like an actual 8 year old wrote them.
Oddly, there were a few grammar issues. Was this book written in Norse and translated to English? That might explain it. They didn't detract from the story, though.
Out of 500-some books tracked on Goodreads, this is only the 3rd to make me cry actual tears.
Song of Achilles, A Little Life, and now this one.
The character parallels were subtle, but obvious enough to pick up on and ponder. The chapters written in the child's voice sounded like an actual 8 year old wrote them.
Oddly, there were a few grammar issues. Was this book written in Norse and translated to English? That might explain it. They didn't detract from the story, though.
panicatthebookstore's review against another edition
3.0
This was a really difficult book to rate. I found myself invested and reading on just to find out what was going on but it was all very confusing. The story jumps from Cecilia, a married mother of two, to Tobias, an 8 year old boy. There was nothing to say that the POV had changed. It was only a little way into each chapter could you figure it out. Also, throughout the book, we jumped yo diary entries from a woman named Anni, who was recently found dead. These parts were at least clearly marked. Some of the book was really slow and boring, there were a few little twists that kind of just seemed a bit farfetched. Cecilia told so many lies it was hard to keep up, she acted in a way that a normal person wouldn't, and it all just became very frustrating.
Did I like this one? I really don't know. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love it. Like I said, it's a difficult book to rate.
Did I like this one? I really don't know. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love it. Like I said, it's a difficult book to rate.
melissaalgood's review against another edition
3.0
It’s not that it’s a ‘bad’ book because it’s well written, the story keeps you reading, and the atmosphere is excellent.
It’s just that there’s no real character development and there’s one too many ‘ coincidences’. The setting is the strongest character which I did enjoy.
It’s just that there’s no real character development and there’s one too many ‘ coincidences’. The setting is the strongest character which I did enjoy.
steffcook's review
challenging
dark
fast-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
2.5
joshbosley08's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
mellabella's review against another edition
4.0
I just finished The Boy at the Door. I'm in my feelings.
Anni and Cecilia (even though Cecilia started out horribly unlikable) were nuanced characters.
Anni loses her mom at a young age. She spirals down a path of drugs. Getting clean and then meeting a man who would drag her further down to the very bottom of that horrible hole. She suffers horrible abuse.
Cecilia has it "all". But she claws everyday to keep the facade of perfection up. For the other moms, etc. She has the big house, two pretty daughters and handsome husband who is well to do. Even though inside she is a mess.
The two meet as one has the others secret son.
Told from three povs (Cecilia's, Tobias's and Anni's journal entries), there are a few red herrings Little by little the full story comes out. I felt sympathetic for Cecilia's husband all throughout.
My feelings were mostly though, for Anni. A terrible end for someone that society deems unworthy of sympathy anyway.
I felt a certain kind of way about the ending. There is no tidy bow ending for a story line like this. But, the epilogue was disappointing.
Anni and Cecilia (even though Cecilia started out horribly unlikable) were nuanced characters.
Anni loses her mom at a young age. She spirals down a path of drugs. Getting clean and then meeting a man who would drag her further down to the very bottom of that horrible hole. She suffers horrible abuse.
Cecilia has it "all". But she claws everyday to keep the facade of perfection up. For the other moms, etc. She has the big house, two pretty daughters and handsome husband who is well to do. Even though inside she is a mess.
The two meet as one has the others secret son.
Told from three povs (Cecilia's, Tobias's and Anni's journal entries), there are a few red herrings Little by little the full story comes out. I felt sympathetic for Cecilia's husband all throughout.
My feelings were mostly though, for Anni. A terrible end for someone that society deems unworthy of sympathy anyway.
I felt a certain kind of way about the ending. There is no tidy bow ending for a story line like this. But, the epilogue was disappointing.
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I'm desperately trying to finish all of my reading challenges for the year this weekend so that I can move on to other reading I need to complete before the year ends. If it hadn't been for this, I would not have finished THE BOY AT THE DOOR. Why? The main character is wholly unlikable! Seriously, I couldn't stand her. Cecilia is a cold, self-absorbed, snobby, irrational witch. She's horrible to her husband, her friends, her household help, public servants, etc. It's hard to connect and care about a character like that; if anything, I was rooting for her NOT to be able to keep Tobias. Annika is more sympathetic because she's at least remorseful about the mistakes she makes. Her story is more sad than anything else.
The reason I'm giving this book two stars is because, even though I didn't like the characters, I did want to know what was going to happen to vulnerable Tobias. I ended up reading this book in a day because (1) I just wanted to finish it and cross off more reading challenge prompts and (2) because I cared about the little boy. That part of the plot was compelling to me. Otherwise, the novel is overwhelmingly dark and depressing. It also has an odd, abrupt ending that isn't very satisfying. For these reasons and more, I'm just not a fan of this book. At all.
The reason I'm giving this book two stars is because, even though I didn't like the characters, I did want to know what was going to happen to vulnerable Tobias. I ended up reading this book in a day because (1) I just wanted to finish it and cross off more reading challenge prompts and (2) because I cared about the little boy. That part of the plot was compelling to me. Otherwise, the novel is overwhelmingly dark and depressing. It also has an odd, abrupt ending that isn't very satisfying. For these reasons and more, I'm just not a fan of this book. At all.