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glowe2's review against another edition
mysterious
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
3.0
I enjoyed the book and the author was able to keep you interested in the book even though you know from the beginning who committed the crime. I did struggle to comprehend how anyone could exist in a modern society without even a rudimentary ability to read but I'm sure people find ways to adapt.
I thought the last chapter (all of two pages!) which explained what had happened to some other characters in the story was very poignant. The line of how Melinda's boyfriend had graduated, was now dating another woman and had nearly forgotten her really hit me on how life goes on. You forget the tragedies and keep trying to find happiness.
I thought the last chapter (all of two pages!) which explained what had happened to some other characters in the story was very poignant. The line of how Melinda's boyfriend had graduated, was now dating another woman and had nearly forgotten her really hit me on how life goes on. You forget the tragedies and keep trying to find happiness.
_p0ssum_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
1.25
bundy23's review against another edition
4.0
Much like the only other Rendell novel I've read I found this to be an incredibly realistic fictional account of a murderer. Nothing particularly exciting happens (other than a rather violent mass murder) and that's how it should be. I'm not sure how so many people consider this a thriller or "suspenseful" but it is absolutely worth your time. 4.4 stars.
hpuphd's review against another edition
4.0
I love the novels of Ruth Rendell, but somehow I managed to miss this earlier (1974) story that begins: “Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write.” The book builds up to that event and its aftermath. The exploration of character is one of the consistent strengths as well as the contrast between the normality of the family and the aberrant woman they employed. The close calls of someone nearly discovering Eunice’s illiteracy add to the powerful suspense of the second half of the book.
gabedubberke's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lolajoan's review against another edition
I'm not going to finish this. It's not Rendell's usual characters, and its premise is that if someone is unfortunate enough to slip through the cracks and be illiterate in 1970's Britain, it'll make them so demented they'll murder the people who are kind to them. Blechhh.
txbooklover's review against another edition
4.0
A good thriller, although it was a long read (almost 800 pages). The book reminded me a little of the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series with a lot of complex characters and settings. The subject matter was a little disturbing and had a couple more graphic parts (pedophiles, dismemberment, etc.). However, the graphic parts were necessary to the storyline. 4/5 stars.