Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
It’s good but it needs a sequel
I love the premise of this book, of intertwining love and the sci-fi inspired by HP Lovecraft. However the ending feels really unfinished even though I do enjoy how Jon and Chloe found each other and is still together in a way.
We need a sequel!!
I love the premise of this book, of intertwining love and the sci-fi inspired by HP Lovecraft. However the ending feels really unfinished even though I do enjoy how Jon and Chloe found each other and is still together in a way.
We need a sequel!!
This book felt so long even though it’s less than 400 pages. I contemplated just giving up so many times and I can’t say I feel any different for having finished it.
This is my first book by this author and I will say that their writing is very easy to read. It made me want to read “You” even though I had no prior interest in it.
This is about a boy who gets kidnapped and transformed into someone whose powers are a bit like Rogue. It’s about the girl who loves him (who seems to do nothing but love him) and the detective who is haunted.
Personally, the detective was my favourite part. His chapters seemed the most fresh. Him and the Lovecraft convention really made this for me.
The weakest part of this book, the inescapable part, the half hearted romance, was probably what made this book such a chore to read. The dialogue between them just felt so formulaic in what was otherwise a pretty non-standard book.
It is never a good thing if you’re constantly waiting for a book to be over, anticipating the last page more than you’re the excitement of the next sentence.
I must stop reading whole books just because I see an out of context quote online.
This is my first book by this author and I will say that their writing is very easy to read. It made me want to read “You” even though I had no prior interest in it.
This is about a boy who gets kidnapped and transformed into someone whose powers are a bit like Rogue. It’s about the girl who loves him (who seems to do nothing but love him) and the detective who is haunted.
Personally, the detective was my favourite part. His chapters seemed the most fresh. Him and the Lovecraft convention really made this for me.
The weakest part of this book, the inescapable part, the half hearted romance, was probably what made this book such a chore to read. The dialogue between them just felt so formulaic in what was otherwise a pretty non-standard book.
It is never a good thing if you’re constantly waiting for a book to be over, anticipating the last page more than you’re the excitement of the next sentence.
I must stop reading whole books just because I see an out of context quote online.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not a fan, very plot driven but didn’t feel that attached to the characters.
1.5
This was such a strange book to read. I absolutely blitzed through the first 50 or so pages but it turned into such a slog thereafter.
My main problem was that both Jon and Chloe read like absolutely simpletons. At the beginning of the book, I honestly thought they were, like, six. Jon was such a wet wipe that I struggled to have any sympathy for him at all as a character and Chloe was so unfathomably one-dimensional and boring that she didn't engage me as a character either. Their obsession with each other was pretty unrealistic (bordering on creepy) and I wasn't convinced of this so-called "connection" that they had on iota. I found the repetition around The Dunwich Horror stuff very tedious and don't get me started on the "I am Providence" melodrama.
The bits between Jon reappearing and the ending were, frankly, boring and drawn out. I wasn't invested in the story at all. I really only finished it out of sheer pigheadedness rather than interest. It's staggering that this was written by the same person as You and Hidden Bodies.
This was such a strange book to read. I absolutely blitzed through the first 50 or so pages but it turned into such a slog thereafter.
My main problem was that both Jon and Chloe read like absolutely simpletons. At the beginning of the book, I honestly thought they were, like, six. Jon was such a wet wipe that I struggled to have any sympathy for him at all as a character and Chloe was so unfathomably one-dimensional and boring that she didn't engage me as a character either. Their obsession with each other was pretty unrealistic (bordering on creepy) and I wasn't convinced of this so-called "connection" that they had on iota. I found the repetition around The Dunwich Horror stuff very tedious and don't get me started on the "I am Providence" melodrama.
The bits between Jon reappearing and the ending were, frankly, boring and drawn out. I wasn't invested in the story at all. I really only finished it out of sheer pigheadedness rather than interest. It's staggering that this was written by the same person as You and Hidden Bodies.
I'm going to say this upfront - do not go into Providence expecting a thriller, and you will get much more enjoyment out of the book. I was warned by reviewers before me, and I am glad that I had the proper expectations going in. This is also completely different than You & Hidden Bodies, so don't be disappointed when it's not Joe Part 3. It's a great story on its own.
I'm not really sure what genre to classify this book as - it's a mystery, a supernatural story, a romance, a tragedy, a coming of age story, a (partial) procedural, a serial killer story...it has a little bit of everything.
This book does have a lot of Lovecraft references, particularly to The Dunwich Horror. I'm currently listening to the audiobook of The Dunwich Horror since I had never read it. Reading this beforehand may help you appreciate Providence a little bit more, but you can still grasp it just fine without reading it. I don't have much of a background in Lovecraft & I still enjoyed this story.
Providence starts out very strong, and I think Kepnes did an excellent job with the coming of age portions. The book starts to slow down around the middle, and is a bit repetitive at times, but never to the point where I was actually bored. I still liked the characters & hearing about what was going on in their lives.
Another strong point of this book is the writing of heartbreak. As I got more invested in the characters, I really began to feel for them & wanted things to work out for them. The closest thing I can compare this to is 11/22/63 - in both books, the writing is excellent, the romance is more than tolerable, and there's more of a story surrounding everything than just love.
My biggest complaint is that I feel like I was still left with a few questions, and I wish more time could have been spent on certain storylines. There is still enough to wrap up the ending well, so I am happy with the book has a whole. I am so excited that I was able to read more from Caroline Kepnes, and I can't wait to see what she does next!
I'm not really sure what genre to classify this book as - it's a mystery, a supernatural story, a romance, a tragedy, a coming of age story, a (partial) procedural, a serial killer story...it has a little bit of everything.
This book does have a lot of Lovecraft references, particularly to The Dunwich Horror. I'm currently listening to the audiobook of The Dunwich Horror since I had never read it. Reading this beforehand may help you appreciate Providence a little bit more, but you can still grasp it just fine without reading it. I don't have much of a background in Lovecraft & I still enjoyed this story.
Providence starts out very strong, and I think Kepnes did an excellent job with the coming of age portions. The book starts to slow down around the middle, and is a bit repetitive at times, but never to the point where I was actually bored. I still liked the characters & hearing about what was going on in their lives.
Another strong point of this book is the writing of heartbreak. As I got more invested in the characters, I really began to feel for them & wanted things to work out for them. The closest thing I can compare this to is 11/22/63 - in both books, the writing is excellent, the romance is more than tolerable, and there's more of a story surrounding everything than just love.
My biggest complaint is that I feel like I was still left with a few questions, and I wish more time could have been spent on certain storylines. There is still enough to wrap up the ending well, so I am happy with the book has a whole. I am so excited that I was able to read more from Caroline Kepnes, and I can't wait to see what she does next!
A lot of this book read like YA. Also, Paranormal is not for me. If i had known it was paranormal i never would have read it. It was so cliched in the main characters constant denial and disbelief and so repetitive in his search for answers. The narrative switches between three perspectives and one of the perspectives was supremely boring and not directly involved in the plot so it seemed unnecessary. The book does not feel resolved at the end. It felt more like some sort of 13 hour allegory. Ugh. Two stars bc good writing, and the first quarter of the book had promise.
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
Caroline Kepnes' writing style is thoroughly entertaining and captivating. The voices she gave to the three protagonists each unique.
It did feel like it dragged and kept leading to nothing, at points, but I think that was the point - to keep you on your toes, to see and wonder what's going to happen next, especially with Jon and Eggs chapters. And Chloe! I appreciate her flaws, thought I kept feeling so... not bad for her, per se? I mean, a little bad for her. I wanted her to find happiness and got mad on her behalf for everything that happened since Jon disappeared & came back. Ugh.
It did feel like it dragged and kept leading to nothing, at points, but I think that was the point - to keep you on your toes, to see and wonder what's going to happen next, especially with Jon and Eggs chapters. And Chloe! I appreciate her flaws, thought I kept feeling so... not bad for her, per se? I mean, a little bad for her. I wanted her to find happiness and got mad on her behalf for everything that happened since Jon disappeared & came back. Ugh.
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Guys would literally rather become crime fighting vigilantes than go to therapy.
In some respects even this could be an interesting story theme, but as it is the book comes off melodramatic and repetitive.
In some respects even this could be an interesting story theme, but as it is the book comes off melodramatic and repetitive.
I hate to say it, but this is a DNF. I didn't read anything after the dog died. I can't deal with dog deaths, sorry.