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3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a fairly enjoyable book, written in a very intriguing style — the story is told backwards and as such, the chapters also go backwards until the final chapter. The characters weren’t very likable but the plot was fascinating.
I’ve read a lot of complaints that this was basically a retelling of The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. However, as I’ve not read that book (yet anyway — #goals!), the sense of this being an unlabeled retelling wasn’t there and as such did not stifle my enjoyment.
I’ve read a lot of complaints that this was basically a retelling of The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. However, as I’ve not read that book (yet anyway — #goals!), the sense of this being an unlabeled retelling wasn’t there and as such did not stifle my enjoyment.
I kind of found it hard to get into, and I feel like the backwards storytelling made it hard to really connect with the main character, but after a while I just couldn’t stop reading it purely because I was so curious as to what the deal with this girl was, and ended up finishing it in one day.
EDIT: However, I do agree with another reviewer in that I don’t think this should be YA. The characters are all college-aged and spend the book impulsively going from country to country, drinking alcohol, generally doing things that no teenager would be doing on their own. The target audience can’t relate to anything in the book. I think this should be a “adult novel but teens read it sometimes” rather than the other way around.
EDIT: However, I do agree with another reviewer in that I don’t think this should be YA. The characters are all college-aged and spend the book impulsively going from country to country, drinking alcohol, generally doing things that no teenager would be doing on their own. The target audience can’t relate to anything in the book. I think this should be a “adult novel but teens read it sometimes” rather than the other way around.
e lockhart i’m really scared of you.
—e lockhart im Really scared of you and this book that was just like pulled out of nowhere. WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK I HAVE NOT KNOWN PEACE SINCE I STARTED IT
—e lockhart im Really scared of you and this book that was just like pulled out of nowhere. WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK I HAVE NOT KNOWN PEACE SINCE I STARTED IT
I absolutely loved this wild ride! Every time I swore I had it figured out, turned out I was so wrong.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
More like 3.5 stars, but I'll round up to 4. I love how e. Lockhart uses suspense in her novels. It's not over the top and it's not underwhelming--it's just right. I like We Were Liars better, though.
Imogen lives at the Playa Grande Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She spends her days working out in the hotel gym and telling other guests how she was forced out of Stanford.
But Imogen is not really Imogen. She is Jule. And she is on the run from something. Or someone. Which means, where is the real Imogen?
Rewind: Jule and Imogen are the closest of friends. Obsessed with each other, even. Imogen is an orphan, an heiress; she and Jule spend a summer together in a house on Martha's Vineyard, sharing secrets they would never reveal to another soul.
But that was months ago. Where is Immie now? And why is Jule using her name?
What is interesting about Genuine Fraud is the use of reverse chronological order. The book started with the ending then ended at the beginning which was so different from my previous reads. It is certainly a creative structure, and I did enjoy watching the story unfold piece by piece. The complexities of the characters were so interesting. Although, I did not connect with Jule, she is the type of character we all thought we knew until we did not. Also, the choppy chapters, if you have read it you will know what I mean, the chapters are split with different times, setting, and situations. The ending was not also bad, it tied everything up nicely, but I would like to know what happened after everything went down. This book was however, well written, and it definitely has a lot of potential, but it just was not for me.
If you enjoy books written with reverse chronology, you may really enjoy this one. I still am very excited to read We Were Liars, since many said that one was better.
But Imogen is not really Imogen. She is Jule. And she is on the run from something. Or someone. Which means, where is the real Imogen?
Rewind: Jule and Imogen are the closest of friends. Obsessed with each other, even. Imogen is an orphan, an heiress; she and Jule spend a summer together in a house on Martha's Vineyard, sharing secrets they would never reveal to another soul.
But that was months ago. Where is Immie now? And why is Jule using her name?
What is interesting about Genuine Fraud is the use of reverse chronological order. The book started with the ending then ended at the beginning which was so different from my previous reads. It is certainly a creative structure, and I did enjoy watching the story unfold piece by piece. The complexities of the characters were so interesting. Although, I did not connect with Jule, she is the type of character we all thought we knew until we did not. Also, the choppy chapters, if you have read it you will know what I mean, the chapters are split with different times, setting, and situations. The ending was not also bad, it tied everything up nicely, but I would like to know what happened after everything went down. This book was however, well written, and it definitely has a lot of potential, but it just was not for me.
If you enjoy books written with reverse chronology, you may really enjoy this one. I still am very excited to read We Were Liars, since many said that one was better.