Scan barcode
blacksphinx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I feel like I didn't like this for reasons that are different than some of the other negative reviews.
I loved the format, writing, and pacing of this story. When I was told it's entirely epistolary, starting with a table of contents that doesn't match the actual contents of the book, and that the story ends halfway though a sentence... It intrigued me. I loved Evie's stream-of-consciousness style. It wasn't how people actually write letters but it IS how people talk if you give them the space and don't reply, so I really enjoyed it. I liked discovering the "terrible secret" that was outed at the wedding reception. The way the confession letter is torn in half, with that break in the middle? How things that seemed inconsequential became both important and sinister in retrospect? Loved it.
It was some of the other plot points not involving our main couple that have left me cold. This book kind of wants to be about too many big ideas, too many social ills, and it doesn't get enough time to sit with some of them. It was convoluted and coincidental to the extreme. (I am also completely baffled by the amount of people I've seen say the story is funny?) It kind of felt to me that, just like our main narrator, the author didn't know how the story ended either and hoped there was enough present that us readers would want to chew it over and come to our own conclusions. I couldn't care enough to do so. I kind of think I would have liked the story more without the last 70 pages, even though that's where most of the plot not directly involving our couple is laid out.
I loved the format, writing, and pacing of this story. When I was told it's entirely epistolary, starting with a table of contents that doesn't match the actual contents of the book, and that the story ends halfway though a sentence... It intrigued me. I loved Evie's stream-of-consciousness style. It wasn't how people actually write letters but it IS how people talk if you give them the space and don't reply, so I really enjoyed it. I liked discovering the "terrible secret" that was outed at the wedding reception. The way the confession letter is torn in half, with that break in the middle? How things that seemed inconsequential became both important and sinister in retrospect? Loved it.
It was some of the other plot points not involving our main couple that have left me cold. This book kind of wants to be about too many big ideas, too many social ills, and it doesn't get enough time to sit with some of them. It was convoluted and coincidental to the extreme. (I am also completely baffled by the amount of people I've seen say the story is funny?) It kind of felt to me that, just like our main narrator, the author didn't know how the story ended either and hoped there was enough present that us readers would want to chew it over and come to our own conclusions. I couldn't care enough to do so. I kind of think I would have liked the story more without the last 70 pages, even though that's where most of the plot not directly involving our couple is laid out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Rape, Vomit, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Stalking, Excrement, and Terminal illness
Sex trafficking, grooming, sexual exploitation of minorsrachchop's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
2.0
Had high hopes for this and was disappointed. Pilled as a ‘surprising and suspenseful modern gothic story’, all I can say is I was indeed surprised by how let down I was by a genre I usually enjoy. The slow reveal here is that true horror is misogyny, racism and socioeconomic circumstances (!), a plot that was not done subtly enough nor with enough aplomb.
This felt like several different stories smashed into one to the detriment of each story. The island hotel setting and the miserable and meandering Englishwoman reminded me of Deborah Levy’s Hot Milk, another book that missed the mark for me, although in this case I think Levy’s characters do have a touch more nuance to them.
The strongest aspect of this book for me was learning of Richard and Evelyn’s past and the pacing of the reveals here did have me truly interested. Think Promising Young Woman but without the revenge. Having Evelyn as the protagonist in a story about sexual and class violence feels logical and I did feel a twist of horror at the reveal. The rest of the fear and thrills I should have felt were held at bay by simple frustration and annoyance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual assault
More...