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graciellai's review against another edition
4.0
4.85
"i just want you to be my guest" says the guy who abducts me n locks me in a basement
"i just want you to be my guest" says the guy who abducts me n locks me in a basement
loken_lives's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book as been meaning to read it for such a long time but damn did I hate Miranda. Not sure if she was meant to be so awful so you start to feel bad for the kidnapper. If it was me I'd just turn myself in like take me prison just to get away from that awful woman.
Definitely won't be rereading this one. For such a famous book it really was tame.
Definitely won't be rereading this one. For such a famous book it really was tame.
cattytrona's review against another edition
3.0
skilful and interesting, particularly engaged by how good the voices of the narrators were. but left a little cold, it didnt get under my skin. it’s possible that was a timing issue on my part
kalmeida's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
evelinavilhelmsson's review against another edition
dark
tense
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
3.5
matchatee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Disturbing book, especially the second half readers get to see miranda's pov as she is awaiting her death as suggested in frederick's half . Inspired many serial killers in the years after
marusinp's review against another edition
5.0
Disturbing and even though I finished it just 2 days ago and it's still stuck in my head, it'll be hard to forget. Creepy without one blood drop or cheap action.
Author described Frederick's character so well, that I couldn't stop thinking during the whole book: did he made the main character so believable just because of his narrative talent? I mean, there are really good narrators, but some of them, including this one, are on the edge. They manage to create a character so real, that I always wonder, where the fiction ends and where they start to express their own secret motives and desires, no matter how sick or socially unacceptable those are. However, the author can still remain safe in the shadow of his own creations.
Author described Frederick's character so well, that I couldn't stop thinking during the whole book: did he made the main character so believable just because of his narrative talent? I mean, there are really good narrators, but some of them, including this one, are on the edge. They manage to create a character so real, that I always wonder, where the fiction ends and where they start to express their own secret motives and desires, no matter how sick or socially unacceptable those are. However, the author can still remain safe in the shadow of his own creations.
mollybrabham's review against another edition
5.0
this is the type of book i feel like i really shouldn’t have enjoyed. such a morbid and twisted plot shouldn’t possibly warrant five stars.
but i loved the way it was written - the way each part told a different side of the story, the way the ending didn’t let the story finish. in a way, the story is only just getting started; this book showed the context and drive behind whatever frederick is going to do next.
side note: reading other review of this book is quite entertaining. i can admit that elements of miranda’s diary made her quite unappealing, particularly her growing infatuation with G.P. and her snobbish opinions surrounding the arts and literature. but there are clearly so many men who have read this book and had that be their main takeaway - she clearly must’ve deserved everything that happened to her because turns out she was annoying and dared to have opinions. what a world we live in, for a woman having a personality to be such a huge problem. food for thought i guess.
but i loved the way it was written - the way each part told a different side of the story, the way the ending didn’t let the story finish. in a way, the story is only just getting started; this book showed the context and drive behind whatever frederick is going to do next.
side note: reading other review of this book is quite entertaining. i can admit that elements of miranda’s diary made her quite unappealing, particularly her growing infatuation with G.P. and her snobbish opinions surrounding the arts and literature. but there are clearly so many men who have read this book and had that be their main takeaway - she clearly must’ve deserved everything that happened to her because turns out she was annoying and dared to have opinions. what a world we live in, for a woman having a personality to be such a huge problem. food for thought i guess.
offworldcolony's review against another edition
3.0
My failure and the failure of the book club I read this for was that nobody could comment on the apparent British class metaphors in this book that goodreads reviewers seem to note. Read as a book about someone kidnapping someone else, I found that I hated them both. Maybe that was the point? But I didn't have the debate afterwards to re contextualise my thoughts.
annasar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5