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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Opinião no Blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/2018/10/critica-literaria-lesley-pearse-o-dia.html
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The Woman in the Wood is a well written family saga/ historical fiction. I purposefully didn’t read up much about this novel before starting it and I haven’t read anything else by Lesley Pearse before, so I was starting it without any context or previous judgement. Therefore in the first third of the book I thought it was a rather pleasant and fairly light read - something both my mum and grandma would quite enjoy (though my grandma does love her gritty but not too gritty crime novels, too!). The opening chapter is quite hard hitting, with the twins’ mother Lily getting taken away to an asylum, but the story seemed to carry on quite genially and the writing and dialogue seemed quite soft, even when depicting discussions about Lily.
Well, don’t get too comfy, because the story starts getting pretty dark!
I soon realised the ‘pleasant’ style of writing, with plenty of euphemisms to describe serious things, was more due to the time it’s set in – the 1960’s, in the years after WWII. The writing seems to reflect the way that people, especially perhaps the middle-upper classes, would have spoken during that time.
The story moves along at a fairly slow pace, but as it continues the reader is there’s plenty of disturbing occurrences in there – they’re just masked slightly by the writing style. This false sense of reassurance made me quite surprised when things started getting serious… there are some characters who aren’t what they seem, but not to the point where everyone seems like a completely pyscho/weirdo/traitor, like in some thrillers. It was realistic enough but with plenty of drama.
The book is as much about the family itself, and their relationships as the ‘incidents’ that occur, and I think Lesley Pearse has crafted a satisfying piece of historical fiction which makes me want to read her other novels too.
*Many thanks to Michael Joseph (Penguin) for providing a copy of this novel, on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review. *
The Woman in the Wood is a well written family saga/ historical fiction. I purposefully didn’t read up much about this novel before starting it and I haven’t read anything else by Lesley Pearse before, so I was starting it without any context or previous judgement. Therefore in the first third of the book I thought it was a rather pleasant and fairly light read - something both my mum and grandma would quite enjoy (though my grandma does love her gritty but not too gritty crime novels, too!). The opening chapter is quite hard hitting, with the twins’ mother Lily getting taken away to an asylum, but the story seemed to carry on quite genially and the writing and dialogue seemed quite soft, even when depicting discussions about Lily.
Well, don’t get too comfy, because the story starts getting pretty dark!
I soon realised the ‘pleasant’ style of writing, with plenty of euphemisms to describe serious things, was more due to the time it’s set in – the 1960’s, in the years after WWII. The writing seems to reflect the way that people, especially perhaps the middle-upper classes, would have spoken during that time.
The story moves along at a fairly slow pace, but as it continues the reader is there’s plenty of disturbing occurrences in there – they’re just masked slightly by the writing style. This false sense of reassurance made me quite surprised when things started getting serious… there are some characters who aren’t what they seem, but not to the point where everyone seems like a completely pyscho/weirdo/traitor, like in some thrillers. It was realistic enough but with plenty of drama.
The book is as much about the family itself, and their relationships as the ‘incidents’ that occur, and I think Lesley Pearse has crafted a satisfying piece of historical fiction which makes me want to read her other novels too.
*Many thanks to Michael Joseph (Penguin) for providing a copy of this novel, on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review. *
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy in exchange of an honest review.
I have mixed feelings about this book. In a way, it's a good thing, I like books that make me think.
I have read 'Trust Me' by Lesley Pearse before and found it a great read so I assumed I would like this one.
I read the first chapter and felt a bit 'meh' about it, because to me it seemed there was an awful lot of telling and very little showing. I thought I should give it a chance though, since I had got a copy for review after all. I checked the Goodreads reviews which were all good, so I decided to continue. The beginning was a bit slow but then the pace quickly picked up and I began reading compulsively. It is a fat book, but I read it in two days.
I have three main issues with this book.
One, I think it is way too long. After the main storyline is resolved (Duncan's disappearance), it goes on and on with more stuff happening to the same people all the time.
Two, things get resolved quite conveniently, which never happens in real life.
Three, I feel this book should come with a trigger warning. I could have done without some of the gruesome details. That made me sick.
That being said, kuddos to Pearse for tackling such a difficult subject. It's not something I want to think about as it disgusts me to the core. It mustn't have been easy to spend so much time writing about it. And there needs to be more awareness of such things happening. I thought Pearse also did a really good job of getting into the villain's head and describing his feelings and thoughts. I don't often find a point of view from the bad side. It didn't make me like him one bit, it's not meant to make you like him. It's meant to disgust you, I think, and it works.
Should you read this book? Definitely give it a try. But be warned it deals with abuse.
I have mixed feelings about this book. In a way, it's a good thing, I like books that make me think.
I have read 'Trust Me' by Lesley Pearse before and found it a great read so I assumed I would like this one.
I read the first chapter and felt a bit 'meh' about it, because to me it seemed there was an awful lot of telling and very little showing. I thought I should give it a chance though, since I had got a copy for review after all. I checked the Goodreads reviews which were all good, so I decided to continue. The beginning was a bit slow but then the pace quickly picked up and I began reading compulsively. It is a fat book, but I read it in two days.
I have three main issues with this book.
One, I think it is way too long. After the main storyline is resolved (Duncan's disappearance), it goes on and on with more stuff happening to the same people all the time.
Two, things get resolved quite conveniently, which never happens in real life.
Three, I feel this book should come with a trigger warning. I could have done without some of the gruesome details. That made me sick.
That being said, kuddos to Pearse for tackling such a difficult subject. It's not something I want to think about as it disgusts me to the core. It mustn't have been easy to spend so much time writing about it. And there needs to be more awareness of such things happening. I thought Pearse also did a really good job of getting into the villain's head and describing his feelings and thoughts. I don't often find a point of view from the bad side. It didn't make me like him one bit, it's not meant to make you like him. It's meant to disgust you, I think, and it works.
Should you read this book? Definitely give it a try. But be warned it deals with abuse.
Fifteen-year-old twins Maisy and Duncan Mitcham have always had each other. Until the fateful day in the wood . . .
One night in 1960, the twins awake to find their father pulling their screaming mother from the house. She is to be committed to an asylum. It is, so their father insists, for her own good.
It's not long before they, too, are removed from their London home and sent to Nightingales - a large house deep in the New Forest countryside - to be watched over by their cold-hearted grandmother, Mrs Mitcham. Though they feel abandoned and unloved, at least here they have something they never had before - freedom.
The twins are left to their own devices, to explore, find new friends and first romances. That is until the day that Duncan doesn't come back for dinner. Nor does he return the next day. Or the one after that.
When the bodies of other young boys are discovered in the surrounding area the police appear to give up hope of finding Duncan alive. With Mrs Mitcham showing little interest in her grandson's disappearance, it is up to Maisy to discover the truth. And she knows just where to start. The woman who lives alone in the wood about whom so many rumours abound. A woman named Grace devils
So when Maisy and Duncan are shipped off to the unloving grandmothers they are feeling an abandoned but have got the most of the freedom they didn't have before.
Not knowing whats happened to their mother or the reason why they was shipped off to their grandmothers they make the best of the situation they can.
Janice is their grandmothers housemaid and she is the one who shows them the love and attention they don't get off their grandmother and father. Janice gives them both a bike so they can go out and explore. That's when they come across the woman in the wood Grace deville.
They cycle back home to ask Janice about Grace and Duncan is hooked into finding out more about Grace so when Maisy decides she doesn't want to go with him one day he goes on his own. They form an unusual friendship that only they now about.
So when Duncan goes missing and his grandmother shows no interest in finding him she demands her father is told but he reacts the same as her grandmother does. So its down to Maisy to find him but when its been a long time and no one has seen or heard anything they think the worst and have to try to get on with there life. Maisy decides to find a job in brighten she has gone against her fathers and grandmothers wises of not going to university and getting her qualifications. Until her job is nearing end she decides to go back and try once more to find Duncan and with the help of Grace they are shocked what they find out I won't spoil it for anyone but I will put it this way I loved this book but then again i love all of Lesley's books and if i can give it more than 5 stars then i would do. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to everyone even none book people.
I like the style in how Lesley writes her books always draws you in from the very first page its just a shame I finish them so quickly this book only took me a few days to read and normally takes me a week or two to read books
I’m a huge fan of this author and have read all her books . So was so looking forward to this one. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as the others. Whilst it was a good res it just didn’t have the same effect as her other books have done . It was based in around the 1960’s but I felt it seemed to be more like the 1930’a with the descriptions and language used . A 3.5 star read for me .
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Really enjoyed this book, I finished it in 4 days, I just couldn't put it down!
It Is different to many of Pearse's other books, whereas her others tend to centre around a young girls life with the book following her story through to adulthood. This one was based on Maisie's life but only follows her for a year or so telling the story of her brothers disappearance, it could almost be described as a murder mystery!
Great story a very compelling read! 4.5***
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is I don't think it's quite as good as some of Pearse's others such as Belle and gypsy but still one of my favourites by her!
Really enjoyed this book, I finished it in 4 days, I just couldn't put it down!
It Is different to many of Pearse's other books, whereas her others tend to centre around a young girls life with the book following her story through to adulthood. This one was based on Maisie's life but only follows her for a year or so telling the story of her brothers disappearance, it could almost be described as a murder mystery!
Great story a very compelling read! 4.5***
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is I don't think it's quite as good as some of Pearse's others such as Belle and gypsy but still one of my favourites by her!