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coffeekitaab's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.0
This book is a true contender for those interested in reading feminist literature which focuses on the complex relationship between genders and particularly how men treat/think about women.
Told from multiple POVs, we open the story with Cole Simmons, one of our "good guys". Following his failed marriage of seven years to Mel, Cole is shattered, unable to establish how things have become so terrible that he and his wife have become estranged, and defeated, Cole moves out of the family home in London to the countryside for a fresh start. There Cole meets Lenora, an indie artist, and they become fast friends. When two young activists go missing in the area whilst doing a charity walk to raise awareness of violence against women, Cole and Lenora find themselves at the centre of a police investigation. Suddenly, it seems there is more to the story than meets the eye...
After a slow start, trying to get my head in the right frame of mind, I found the first half particularly gripping. From Cole's perspective, there are so many aspects to his psyche where he justifies behaviour/actions which would make the hairs on your back stand on end and is a real eye-opener. You want to sympathise with his circumstances; he comes across a victim to his ill-treatment after all the genuine care and concern he has for Mel but there is a darker undertone. It almost felt the more we delved into his mind and the further into the book we got, the deeper the feeling of dread and it was a definite moment where you felt we were going to reach a crescendo.
And the crescendo came in the form of Mel's side of the story. Incredibly relatable and for many readers, I can imagine they will feel as if they're looking in the mirror, even if it is with a single aspect. The development/he said-she said aspect was very well written and was fast paced, I believe Mel's relationship with Cole is told from individual moments that happen in each year of the relationship, and it truly is a jaw-dropping realisation when it dawns on you just how messed up things really are.
Feminist literature is my go-to. The blurb is usually enough to rope me in, and this was the case with One Of The Good Guys. I laud the premise of the book and exploring the mind of a man who genuinely believes he is prioritising women's wellbeing with each thought/act and how this can be brought out in a thriller/mystery setting. Sadly for me, there was too much going on, the second half in particular, threw me off. I understand and appreciate the author's reasoning for taking the story in the direction it went but I didn't enjoy it unfortunately. I would highly recommend the audiobook as the latter third of the book is littered heavily with social media/podcast/news broadcasts of the case and the different narrators made that part enjoyable, which would not come across in a print version.
I know this one will sit like marmite with readers and regardless of my thoughts on the ending, I was still eager to know what happened throughout so if you are similarly curious, this is definitely one for you. Please do check trigger warnings before reading this as there are many sensitive topics discussed in great detail.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest unedited review!
Told from multiple POVs, we open the story with Cole Simmons, one of our "good guys". Following his failed marriage of seven years to Mel, Cole is shattered, unable to establish how things have become so terrible that he and his wife have become estranged, and defeated, Cole moves out of the family home in London to the countryside for a fresh start. There Cole meets Lenora, an indie artist, and they become fast friends. When two young activists go missing in the area whilst doing a charity walk to raise awareness of violence against women, Cole and Lenora find themselves at the centre of a police investigation. Suddenly, it seems there is more to the story than meets the eye...
After a slow start, trying to get my head in the right frame of mind, I found the first half particularly gripping. From Cole's perspective, there are so many aspects to his psyche where he justifies behaviour/actions which would make the hairs on your back stand on end and is a real eye-opener. You want to sympathise with his circumstances; he comes across a victim to his ill-treatment after all the genuine care and concern he has for Mel but there is a darker undertone. It almost felt the more we delved into his mind and the further into the book we got, the deeper the feeling of dread and it was a definite moment where you felt we were going to reach a crescendo.
And the crescendo came in the form of Mel's side of the story. Incredibly relatable and for many readers, I can imagine they will feel as if they're looking in the mirror, even if it is with a single aspect. The development/he said-she said aspect was very well written and was fast paced, I believe Mel's relationship with Cole is told from individual moments that happen in each year of the relationship, and it truly is a jaw-dropping realisation when it dawns on you just how messed up things really are.
Feminist literature is my go-to. The blurb is usually enough to rope me in, and this was the case with One Of The Good Guys. I laud the premise of the book and exploring the mind of a man who genuinely believes he is prioritising women's wellbeing with each thought/act and how this can be brought out in a thriller/mystery setting. Sadly for me, there was too much going on, the second half in particular, threw me off. I understand and appreciate the author's reasoning for taking the story in the direction it went but I didn't enjoy it unfortunately. I would highly recommend the audiobook as the latter third of the book is littered heavily with social media/podcast/news broadcasts of the case and the different narrators made that part enjoyable, which would not come across in a print version.
I know this one will sit like marmite with readers and regardless of my thoughts on the ending, I was still eager to know what happened throughout so if you are similarly curious, this is definitely one for you. Please do check trigger warnings before reading this as there are many sensitive topics discussed in great detail.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest unedited review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Infertility, Sexual assault, Blood, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
naereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Death, Infertility, and Sexual assault
arireadsitall's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
great if you’re all about taking down “the man”. The man’s perspective aka part one draggssss and now that I’m thinking about it maybe that was intentional. I loved the addition of the mixed media and the different opinions and forms of trolling that came from it. All in all is solid read and one that definitely made me think!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Infertility, and Pregnancy
o_w_e_n's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Medical content, Animal death, Rape, Infertility, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Stalking
batforanna's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Grief, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a wild read that was so tense I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know how everything would unfold.
Reminded me a bit of Yellowface with the focus on unlikeable narrators doing things that make you want to pull your hair out. The multiple POVs kept the story fresh and interesting, made all the more lively with multiple narrators.
The ending was a bit chaotic listening on audios since it covers a mixed media approach to storytelling, but the additional musical stings and text/email sounds did help portray the formats.
This would make a great book club read as there are so many points rich for discussion. Overall, an interesting commentary on gender-based violence that challenged me to really stop and reflect.
Reminded me a bit of Yellowface with the focus on unlikeable narrators doing things that make you want to pull your hair out. The multiple POVs kept the story fresh and interesting, made all the more lively with multiple narrators.
The ending was a bit chaotic listening on audios since it covers a mixed media approach to storytelling, but the additional musical stings and text/email sounds did help portray the formats.
This would make a great book club read as there are so many points rich for discussion. Overall, an interesting commentary on gender-based violence that challenged me to really stop and reflect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Animal death, Sexual assault, Gore, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Medical content, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Medical trauma
pial's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Pedophilia
theamyleblanc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>
*deep breath*
I knew this book was going to be a difficult ride and I wanted to hop on. It starts with a premise so many people are familiar with: "one of the good guys". I'm sure we've all met someone who sees themself that way. It's a hard topic to tackle because some of what self-declared "good guys" do is genuinely good and nice and kind. But too often, it is done with the expectation of getting something in return.
And we see that exact dichotomy beautifully illustrated in Cole. There is no denying that a lot of the things he did for Mel were kind. It was easy to see him as "better" than the men Mel typically met. But his kindness comes with strings, not from a place of love for the other person. He does what he does because he is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he knows best. And that's not kindness, that's control.
Without going into too many spoilers, the main characters in this story (Cole, Mel, and Lennie) are extreme versions of people we all know. The lengths these characters each go to in this story have been exaggerated in order to make you think. None of them are perfect, none of them make all the "right" choices.
What I appreciated so much about Hall's work here is that the plot is entirely plausible. I completely believe this could be an event in our lifetime and I would fully expect it to end exactly as it did here. Hall does a fantastic job miring us in the muck that is social media, in the caustic, callous judgement that news platforms spit out with very little information.
It is so hard to change a system that was built to keep you as less than someone else. Especially if you try to change it from within. You'll be met with resistance every step of the way because those with power rarely want to share it. The events of the last third of the book will stay with me for a long time.
Some people may get bogged down in the mystery, in choosing sides and defending a character's innocence or their actions. And if that's you, then you probably won't like this book very much. But if you can accept that extreme actions exist here to make a point, if you can remain objective and look at the issues presented in this story -- violence towards women, gender roles, consent and feminism to name a few -- this is a bold and thought-provoking social commentary.
Please make sure you're in a good headspace before you start but absolutely read it.
*deep breath*
I knew this book was going to be a difficult ride and I wanted to hop on. It starts with a premise so many people are familiar with: "one of the good guys". I'm sure we've all met someone who sees themself that way. It's a hard topic to tackle because some of what self-declared "good guys" do is genuinely good and nice and kind. But too often, it is done with the expectation of getting something in return.
And we see that exact dichotomy beautifully illustrated in Cole. There is no denying that a lot of the things he did for Mel were kind. It was easy to see him as "better" than the men Mel typically met. But his kindness comes with strings, not from a place of love for the other person. He does what he does because he is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he knows best. And that's not kindness, that's control.
Without going into too many spoilers, the main characters in this story (Cole, Mel, and Lennie) are extreme versions of people we all know. The lengths these characters each go to in this story have been exaggerated in order to make you think. None of them are perfect, none of them make all the "right" choices.
What I appreciated so much about Hall's work here is that the plot is entirely plausible. I completely believe this could be an event in our lifetime and I would fully expect it to end exactly as it did here. Hall does a fantastic job miring us in the muck that is social media, in the caustic, callous judgement that news platforms spit out with very little information.
It is so hard to change a system that was built to keep you as less than someone else. Especially if you try to change it from within. You'll be met with resistance every step of the way because those with power rarely want to share it. The events of the last third of the book will stay with me for a long time.
Some people may get bogged down in the mystery, in choosing sides and defending a character's innocence or their actions. And if that's you, then you probably won't like this book very much. But if you can accept that extreme actions exist here to make a point, if you can remain objective and look at the issues presented in this story -- violence towards women, gender roles, consent and feminism to name a few -- this is a bold and thought-provoking social commentary.
Please make sure you're in a good headspace before you start but absolutely read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Blood, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage
zoeblair's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was such an uncomfortable book to read at times. Especially the first bit from the MMC’s perspective. The whole thing was very thought provoking and a fantastic commentary. Definitely a good read if you’re wanting something a bit deeper than normal thrillers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Infertility, Animal death, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Minor: Stalking, Miscarriage, Body shaming, and Police brutality
nataliehelenab's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Sexism, Infertility, Sexual assault, and Stalking
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Medical trauma, Infertility, Mental illness, Violence, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Animal death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Stalking