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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
A thrilling read! There are many characters in this little town with its winding dark river that seems to be the source of all bad luck and evil.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found this as gripping as The Girl on the Train, and enjoyed the mystery and the theme. The theme ("troublesome women") is especially strong, and it's surprising how all of the characters grapple with it, including some who you wouldn't expect. I did guess the ending, but still found it satisfying.
2.5... Completely over-hyped! I think Hawkins had a great plot and sub plots with lots of really interesting issues and dynamics but it just fell short. She didn't really capitalise on a lot of moments where the storyline could have really been amazing but she didn't reign it in.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
It started out strong, but then I just got bored. A few interesting minor twists along the way, but the "major" twist was anticlimactic.
I have to confess I wasn't the biggest of fans of The Girl On The Train. I loved the plotting and the slow suspense that built up but I thought there were a lot of things that I just didn't relate to, mostly because of the characters who were unlikable.
I see the same here but with vastly different results. Every character may come across as likable initially but slowly Hawkins masterfully builds them into actual human beings. Some of those are vulnerable, some filled with rage, some psychologically tortured, some simple psychopaths and some just normal people stuck in a place that doesn't want them. All the emotions seem real and palpable and that gives extreme value to the end reveal.
It is possible that the book is never about the suspense but about how a simple thing like a river has shaped a small town and its people; about how death and secrets that are long buried can destroy the lives of everyone around and yet, how, if people try hard enough, they can surpass even something like this.
If that's what the author was going for then I have to say it was exceedingly well done. No action or twist would have carried meaning if not for expert characterization.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly and look forward to Hawkin's future work. If this trend is anything to go by then the next one should be an absolute stunner.
I see the same here but with vastly different results. Every character may come across as likable initially but slowly Hawkins masterfully builds them into actual human beings. Some of those are vulnerable, some filled with rage, some psychologically tortured, some simple psychopaths and some just normal people stuck in a place that doesn't want them. All the emotions seem real and palpable and that gives extreme value to the end reveal.
It is possible that the book is never about the suspense but about how a simple thing like a river has shaped a small town and its people; about how death and secrets that are long buried can destroy the lives of everyone around and yet, how, if people try hard enough, they can surpass even something like this.
If that's what the author was going for then I have to say it was exceedingly well done. No action or twist would have carried meaning if not for expert characterization.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly and look forward to Hawkin's future work. If this trend is anything to go by then the next one should be an absolute stunner.
I think Paula Hawkins had a great idea for a story, but it felt very disjointed for me. It didn't live up to 'Girl on the Train' for me.
I really loved Paula Hawkins’ Girl on the Train, and was excited to read this book. It didn’t disappoint. It was a captivating and thrilling read, helped by short chapters and many changing points of view. A good mystery with lots of layers, red herrings, and a surprising twist at the end. A good read for a vacation!
@my future self, the next time someone at book club picks a murder mystery set in a small town, don't do it, it's a trap! I finished this because I always have this irresistible compulsion to find out how the mystery plays out, but I'm hoping I won't get caught out that way again because books like this just aren't worth the time they take. These small-town-hides-chilling-secrets novels always feel horribly voyeuristic and the pleasure they take in revealing people's most personal, painful experiences smacks of Schadenfreude. And for that matter, the 'chilling secrets' always turn out to be some slight variation on infidelity and/or child abuse, which, while they're very serious subjects in reality, are actually not that interesting as plot points.