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abbysbooked's review against another edition
2.0
This book is the story of traumatic events.
Every bad thing that could happen to someone managed to be incorporated into this book - in some instances it was sadly comical because you had to just say “oh, of course, why not”.
Every bad thing that could happen to someone managed to be incorporated into this book - in some instances it was sadly comical because you had to just say “oh, of course, why not”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Mental illness, and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, and Alcoholism
Minor: Miscarriage, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Incest
mbes16's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The book has an intriguing premise and is well written. However, I didn't connect with it as well as I'd hope
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Miscarriage
Minor: Animal cruelty
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Switching POVs between Irene, Miriam, Carla, Theo, and Laura! Also sometimes short chapters of an excerpt from Theo’s crime book, so I kind of liked the “book within a book” aspect. His book sort of reflects the main plot, in that we get switches between past and present and can’t rely on any one narrative over another.
A quick, easy read although predictable (I guessed two major plot twists within 50-60 pages). Some minor twists I didn’t see coming so that was nice at least to have some surprises!
I liked the slowly revealing of everyone’s secrets but didn’t particularly like any characters other than Irene. I did like the relationship between Irene and Laura also!
Good ending, it was wrapped up fairly neatly but with some open ended possibilities. I thought the pacing was also well done. I definitely enjoyed Girl on the Train more than this and I’m curious to read more from Hawkins! Apparently based on many other reviews, you either love GotT and hate this one or you love this one and hate GotT 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child death, Grief, Violence, Death, Alcoholism, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Abandonment, Fatphobia, Ableism, and Infertility
Minor: Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Car accident
meliemelo's review
dark
tense
slow-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
2.75
Crime novels aren't known for their boundless optimism, but this one seemed especially bleak. While crafting very nuanced characters, Paula Hawkins did not care for making them likeable with the exception of Irene and, to a point, Laura. The "One who got away" chapters were an interesting enough idea but ended up being a bit repetitive and didn't bring much to the book in the end (and the end of that particular thread had me roll my eyes). Finally, I felt the book lacked tension and purpose beyond the "whodunnit", and even that didn't keep my interest up much.
It's not a bad crime novel, and there were definitely some very good ideas in there, but it definitely doesn't compare to the author's previous works.
It's not a bad crime novel, and there were definitely some very good ideas in there, but it definitely doesn't compare to the author's previous works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, Car accident, Death, Dementia, Violence, Alcoholism, Incest, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Body shaming, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cursing, Infidelity, Rape, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
nadias_littlelibrary's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Sexual harassment, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexism
Minor: Animal death
jamballdonut's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
So far of the 3 books I've read by Paula Hawkins, I've only enjoyed 1 of them, and it was not this book. I mean, it was an okay book, but jumping between the characters got confusing and I just didn't find myself liking any of them (Not that liking a character is a prerequisite to enjoy a book, but it obviously helps).
I don't have much to say other than when the killer was eventually revealed, although I didn't suspect it would be them, I just didn't care.
Both Carla and Miriam were just.. not enjoyable in the slightest. Carla was boring and bland, and seemed massively underdeveloped, while Miriam just seemed like the nosy neighbour who can't keep her nose out of anyone's business(Also, constantly mentioning how horrifically ugly she was, while only really focusing on her having an unattractive face, bad teeth, and being fat made me feel very.. not great about all of that. Was there actually something wrong with her? Or was she just not conventionally attractive? She was short and fat, so that makes her some hideous beast? Mmm, no thank you.) In comparison, although Laura grated on me, especially in the beginning, she became the main character that I truly enjoyed, mostly because she seemed authentic in a way that none of the other main characters did. Carla's husband, ex-husband, current boy toy, whatever you want to describe him as was equally as bland, boring, and vapid. Nobody cares about your "Main Character Syndrome", sir.
I think if she'd kept the same cast of characters, but had it from the focus of only one or two characters, it would have been much more enjoyable. But, the switching between the main 4-5 characters, and focusing so much on previous deaths just got distracting and made the story feel bogged down to the point that the actual recent murder didn't even seem like the main plot point.
Altogether, after thoroughly enjoying Girl on the Train and thoroughly disliking this and Into the Water, I really can't see myself picking up another book by Paula Hawkins. I want to love her, I really do, but she just makes it so hard to do so.
I don't have much to say other than when the killer was eventually revealed, although I didn't suspect it would be them, I just didn't care.
Both Carla and Miriam were just.. not enjoyable in the slightest. Carla was boring and bland, and seemed massively underdeveloped, while Miriam just seemed like the nosy neighbour who can't keep her nose out of anyone's business
I think if she'd kept the same cast of characters, but had it from the focus of only one or two characters, it would have been much more enjoyable. But, the switching between the main 4-5 characters, and focusing so much on previous deaths just got distracting and made the story feel bogged down to the point that the actual recent murder didn't even seem like the main plot point.
Altogether, after thoroughly enjoying Girl on the Train and thoroughly disliking this and Into the Water, I really can't see myself picking up another book by Paula Hawkins. I want to love her, I really do, but she just makes it so hard to do so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Mental illness, Medical content, Child death, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Medical trauma
Minor: Abandonment and Incest
kriz01ws6's review
dark
mysterious
slow-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? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Violence, Murder, Child death, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal death, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Incest, and Injury/Injury detail
what_heather_loves's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"It was true that when Irene opened up some of the more ancient Penguins, their bright orange covers tattered and worn, the pages began to crumble beneath her fingertips. Succumbing already to slow fire, the acidification of the paper eating way at the pages, making them brittle and breakable, destroying them from within. It was terribly sad, when you thought about it, all those words, all those stories slowly disappearing."
In present day Islington and Hoxton, London, three damaged women's lives are inextricably and tragically linked. Young, poverty-stricken Laura has suffered physical and mental trauma, and struggles to fit in; middle-aged wealthy Carla, having lost her toddler son, Ben, to a tragic accident fifteen years ago, has never recovered; older, eccentric Miriam experienced a horrific tragedy as a teenager and longs to redress the balance of power; and elderly Irene is mourning the loss of beloved husband William and best friend and neighbour Angela (Carla's sister). Following the brutal murder of Daniel, Carla's nephew on a houseboat next door to Miriam, the night after Laura (who gets shopping in for Irene) stayed over, all four women are drawn in, in different ways. Any one of them could have killed Daniel, but who did, or was it someone else?
The plot is interspersed with sections from a fictional immensely popular crime novel (as book within a book)written by struggling author Theo, Carla's ex-husband, but allegedly plagiarised from Miriam's memoirs. Through the four women we understand the experiences of those with power and those who are powerless, seeing them trying to change the balance of power. They are real, relatable, female characters, with intertwined lives, all damaged and all linked by past wrongs and past deaths.
Expertly plotted (I would expect no less from this experienced author), with excellent characters, this is a very readable, dark novel about tragedies, trauma and power. Highly recommended.
In present day Islington and Hoxton, London, three damaged women's lives are inextricably and tragically linked. Young, poverty-stricken Laura has suffered physical and mental trauma, and struggles to fit in; middle-aged wealthy Carla, having lost her toddler son, Ben, to a tragic accident fifteen years ago, has never recovered; older, eccentric Miriam experienced a horrific tragedy as a teenager and longs to redress the balance of power; and elderly Irene is mourning the loss of beloved husband William and best friend and neighbour Angela (Carla's sister). Following the brutal murder of Daniel, Carla's nephew on a houseboat next door to Miriam, the night after Laura (who gets shopping in for Irene) stayed over, all four women are drawn in, in different ways. Any one of them could have killed Daniel, but who did, or was it someone else?
The plot is interspersed with sections from a fictional immensely popular crime novel (as book within a book)written by struggling author Theo, Carla's ex-husband, but allegedly plagiarised from Miriam's memoirs. Through the four women we understand the experiences of those with power and those who are powerless, seeing them trying to change the balance of power. They are real, relatable, female characters, with intertwined lives, all damaged and all linked by past wrongs and past deaths.
Expertly plotted (I would expect no less from this experienced author), with excellent characters, this is a very readable, dark novel about tragedies, trauma and power. Highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Grief
Minor: Suicide attempt
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