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thecriticalreader's review against another edition
dark
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? It's complicated
0.5
Why I Read It:
I picked up Her by Harriet Lane when I did a “blind pick” at my local library, which is exactly what it sounds like: I close my eyes and read the first book my hand touches.
Review:
I strongly disliked this book because it is painfully boring, despite having a really interesting premise. Approximately 40% of the text consists of overly specific descriptions of random, unimportant activities and objects. These descriptions rarely help paint a picture of the setting because they are so disjointed and unimportant. For instance, instead of describing a house, the author will spend a few lines describing in detail the inside of one of the pantries inside the house—a description that has absolutely no bearing on the story whatsoever.
I could have put up with the constant, useless descriptions if I found the characters and storyline interesting. Unfortunately, Harriet Lane never bothers to add depth to any of her characters. They feel like cardboard cutouts, and their relationships with each other are stale and completely underdeveloped. Since I could not connect to any of the characters on any level, my interest in the psychological thriller aspect of the novel plummeted. Additionally, it bothered me how Harriet Lane paints being a stay-at-home mother as the most humiliating, degrading thing a person could be. She implies that a woman’s life might as well end once they become a stay-at-home mom.
A Similar Book:
Vladimir by Julia May Jones (a 4.5 star read for me). Similarities between these books include:
· A point-of-view from an obsessive stalker
· Central focus on motherhood, aging, and domestic life
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity and Alcohol