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jaderose97's review
5.0
From reading the blurb and looking at the cover, I never thought that this book was about. In general I guessed that it had something to do with stalking, but it was much more than that. I loved the way that it counted down to what the main character was waiting for, which built up suspense throughout the novel. Also, the way that it was from Ria's perspective because it gave such a heart wrenching and realistic account of something that happens to many women in the real world.
I loved the character of Ria, her personality and everything about her made me love her straight away. I liked how the author switched between both sister and that in the end, everything came together.
Overall, it was a touching book that kept me hooked the entire time.
I loved the character of Ria, her personality and everything about her made me love her straight away. I liked how the author switched between both sister and that in the end, everything came together.
Overall, it was a touching book that kept me hooked the entire time.
charlottelucyloves's review
2.0
I was kindly sent this from Readers First.
This story is a powerful one, following Ria, who works as the head of SafeMe a place that helps women to escape from abusive relationships. However I just dint think the story was executed well. Parts felt unpolished, there were lots of spelling mistakes and none of the 'twists' were actually a twist for me as I saw it all coming. Ive rated it 3 stars though because from about half way in I was invested enough not to DNF it, but I thought the powerful story line was not done justice by the author.
The story follows two storylines and It is really difficult to say what I want to say without giving any spoilers, but I just think that the book could have been so much more powerful and impactful but the author didn't quite pull it off.
This story is a powerful one, following Ria, who works as the head of SafeMe a place that helps women to escape from abusive relationships. However I just dint think the story was executed well. Parts felt unpolished, there were lots of spelling mistakes and none of the 'twists' were actually a twist for me as I saw it all coming. Ive rated it 3 stars though because from about half way in I was invested enough not to DNF it, but I thought the powerful story line was not done justice by the author.
The story follows two storylines and It is really difficult to say what I want to say without giving any spoilers, but I just think that the book could have been so much more powerful and impactful but the author didn't quite pull it off.
hungryghosts's review
4.0
Ria's passion in life is running a refuge for abused women. Like a lot women, she juggles career, marriage, family, and other responsibilities while also struggling financially. She's a tough one, known as Superwoman. She protects the endangered women at the refuge, as well as dealing with their abusive partners who will go to any lengths to get them back under their control. Added to all that, Ria's husband is working out of the country, the refuge is in danger of being closed due to funding, and she's being stalked.
The tension runs high in this story. All the characters are well developed, likable or not. Both the victims and the abusers are portrayed believably without resorting to stereotypes. The story is both heartbreaking and affirming, as victims either give up or grow stronger.
How to Play Dead can be hard to read if you've not experienced domestic abuse or being stalked. Unfortunately, a lot of us have experienced either one or both of these things, and for us this can be an upsetting book. So, be aware of the triggering aspect, if need be.
The subject is dealt with sensitively while still portraying the brutality, the misogyny, the narcissism, and the psychological damage being abused causes. The author has written with compassion and understanding.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The tension runs high in this story. All the characters are well developed, likable or not. Both the victims and the abusers are portrayed believably without resorting to stereotypes. The story is both heartbreaking and affirming, as victims either give up or grow stronger.
How to Play Dead can be hard to read if you've not experienced domestic abuse or being stalked. Unfortunately, a lot of us have experienced either one or both of these things, and for us this can be an upsetting book. So, be aware of the triggering aspect, if need be.
The subject is dealt with sensitively while still portraying the brutality, the misogyny, the narcissism, and the psychological damage being abused causes. The author has written with compassion and understanding.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
emmaparsnips's review
3.0
This book is told from two perspectives. First, Ria who helps domestic abuse victims and runs a women's shelter called SafeMe. Second, the diary entries of a domestic abuse victim, Tanya.
Overall, I liked the story and learning more about the work done for people living in abusive situations, it was really interesting. Unfortunately, I found the ending a little too quick and neatly tied up. I also grew frustrated that Ria wasn't seeking help, telling her husband about the strange messages, and going to the police with every new development.
Overall, I liked the story and learning more about the work done for people living in abusive situations, it was really interesting. Unfortunately, I found the ending a little too quick and neatly tied up. I also grew frustrated that Ria wasn't seeking help, telling her husband about the strange messages, and going to the police with every new development.
urbansapphire's review
3.0
Whenever a book tackles a difficult and delicate subject it’s always a gamble as to how it will come across to the readers. Jacqueline Ward has managed to broach of domestic violence delicately and sensitively, although some of the more graphic descriptions of events may be a trigger for anyone who has had experience of an abusive relationship.
Ria is the main character, a wife, mother and manager of a women’s refuge whose partner Danny has gone to work on an international contract which will earn him more money in 30 days than he would usually make in many months. They want to put the money aside and buy a house, something Danny has wanted for a very long time.
Not long after Danny leaves, Ria is nervous and unused to being alone with their two children. At the centre, she receives a mobile phone, upon which frightening messages begin to appear. From here, things escalate quickly, Ria’s is being stalked, and is even physically threatened – but why? Is this something from her past that is catching up with her, or is it someone angry that their abused wife has found somewhere safe to escape to?
There are a couple of side threads here, a harrowing account of an abused partner, an ongoing battle to save the centre from corrupt politicians who are in league with a high-profile local criminal who is no stranger to wife-beating himself, and Ria and Danny’s respective families, and what they bring to the story.
While I enjoyed this book overall, there were a couple of things that niggled me. I guessed one of the major twists just after it was introduced at around 20% through the book. That thread was really predictable to me, and although I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to fit in, I knew what was happening. The dialogue between Ria and the abused women at the refuge is very well written, and it’s frustrating and upsetting in equal measure when you begin to understand why some of them keep going back, or why they can’t really leave, and how the system fails them again and again. There were certain things that Ria did in relation to the sinister messages that she was receiving that left me thinking…why - why would someone experienced in this field allow this type of behaviour to continue? Why, knowing that you mustn’t give control to an abuser, didn’t she just throw the random phone away the second she got a frightening message on it? It seemed really odd to me that she continuously read and replied to the messages and I think it felt a bit too obviously like a plot device. Also, the last day of the contract decision really annoyed me – it seemed like a massive waste of time to go through what they did to make that kind of choice – but I don’t want to spoil it, if you get to the end, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
All that said, it is a challenging and thought-provoking book, and although I felt it dragged sometimes, I did need to read to the end to find out what happened. It’s not perfect, but there is plenty to recommend it and the author does deal with an incredibly delicate subject with sensitivity and insight.
Ria is the main character, a wife, mother and manager of a women’s refuge whose partner Danny has gone to work on an international contract which will earn him more money in 30 days than he would usually make in many months. They want to put the money aside and buy a house, something Danny has wanted for a very long time.
Not long after Danny leaves, Ria is nervous and unused to being alone with their two children. At the centre, she receives a mobile phone, upon which frightening messages begin to appear. From here, things escalate quickly, Ria’s is being stalked, and is even physically threatened – but why? Is this something from her past that is catching up with her, or is it someone angry that their abused wife has found somewhere safe to escape to?
There are a couple of side threads here, a harrowing account of an abused partner, an ongoing battle to save the centre from corrupt politicians who are in league with a high-profile local criminal who is no stranger to wife-beating himself, and Ria and Danny’s respective families, and what they bring to the story.
While I enjoyed this book overall, there were a couple of things that niggled me. I guessed one of the major twists just after it was introduced at around 20% through the book. That thread was really predictable to me, and although I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to fit in, I knew what was happening. The dialogue between Ria and the abused women at the refuge is very well written, and it’s frustrating and upsetting in equal measure when you begin to understand why some of them keep going back, or why they can’t really leave, and how the system fails them again and again. There were certain things that Ria did in relation to the sinister messages that she was receiving that left me thinking…why - why would someone experienced in this field allow this type of behaviour to continue? Why, knowing that you mustn’t give control to an abuser, didn’t she just throw the random phone away the second she got a frightening message on it? It seemed really odd to me that she continuously read and replied to the messages and I think it felt a bit too obviously like a plot device. Also, the last day of the contract decision really annoyed me – it seemed like a massive waste of time to go through what they did to make that kind of choice – but I don’t want to spoil it, if you get to the end, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
All that said, it is a challenging and thought-provoking book, and although I felt it dragged sometimes, I did need to read to the end to find out what happened. It’s not perfect, but there is plenty to recommend it and the author does deal with an incredibly delicate subject with sensitivity and insight.
king_lyd's review
1.0
DNF at 65%. I really tried to like this book but I found the central character just too stupid. She knew what was happening, knew what she had to do but still refused to do it. As a woman who worked in that career and was aware of the signs of stalking and threatening behaviour and yet she didn't act in accordance with her knowledge.
Character too stupid to live.
Character too stupid to live.
bookoholic's review
5.0
How to Play Dead is an incredibly important book that I think everyone should read.
It's a thought-provoking story that will stay with you after you finish reading.
It's a difficult topic, you'll have chills when you read it. And if you've experienced stalking or abuse it might be even tougher to go through the pages.
Even though the stories and characters in the book are fictional, they give you a level of discomfort while reading, because you know that these things happen on daily basis in real life!
The main character Ria works at the women refuge SafeMe that supports people who are abused at home. They also help perpetrators to understand what they do and help them change their behaviour. Ria's husband is away for a month on assignment that will bring them enough money to buy a house, and that's exactly when someone starts to stalk her. From flowers and texts, to direct contact with potential tragic consequences.
Thanks to Ria we learn how different it is to seek help if something happens to you and when you're only helping others without being directly involved.
The story is divided between Ria, her life, work at SafeMe and people she interacts with, her past and a diary entries from a girl named Tanya. I really loved how the author merged Tanya's journal to the story, because I was very curious from the start how this character will come together with the rest of the plot.
I liked the characters development and how we learn about the Ria's and her best friend's past. How we meet other women and their partners in various situations. And the clear presentation of pathological behaviours and that they don't exist only in poor families, but also in the rich ones, when guys can be brutal and get away with serious crimes. The characters in the story are complex and each of them teaches you something.
And just to be clear - you do not deserve to be abused.
You do not deserve to be scared and treated brutally by others.
You have right to be free and happy.
If you are in a situation when you're being abused - please do seek help. Please go to the police and find an organisation that will help you. You're not alone!
-------------
Thank you Readers First and Corvus for a copy.
It's a thought-provoking story that will stay with you after you finish reading.
It's a difficult topic, you'll have chills when you read it. And if you've experienced stalking or abuse it might be even tougher to go through the pages.
Even though the stories and characters in the book are fictional, they give you a level of discomfort while reading, because you know that these things happen on daily basis in real life!
The main character Ria works at the women refuge SafeMe that supports people who are abused at home. They also help perpetrators to understand what they do and help them change their behaviour. Ria's husband is away for a month on assignment that will bring them enough money to buy a house, and that's exactly when someone starts to stalk her. From flowers and texts, to direct contact with potential tragic consequences.
Thanks to Ria we learn how different it is to seek help if something happens to you and when you're only helping others without being directly involved.
The story is divided between Ria, her life, work at SafeMe and people she interacts with, her past and a diary entries from a girl named Tanya. I really loved how the author merged Tanya's journal to the story, because I was very curious from the start how this character will come together with the rest of the plot.
I liked the characters development and how we learn about the Ria's and her best friend's past. How we meet other women and their partners in various situations. And the clear presentation of pathological behaviours and that they don't exist only in poor families, but also in the rich ones, when guys can be brutal and get away with serious crimes. The characters in the story are complex and each of them teaches you something.
And just to be clear - you do not deserve to be abused.
You do not deserve to be scared and treated brutally by others.
You have right to be free and happy.
If you are in a situation when you're being abused - please do seek help. Please go to the police and find an organisation that will help you. You're not alone!
-------------
Thank you Readers First and Corvus for a copy.
thebookendreviews's review
4.0
This will be a difficult read for some and I will say now that this book is most certainly not for everyone. Trigger warnings for domestic abuse and rape.
Personally, I don't find myself struggling with books like this but I can see why others will find this an uncomfortable read. But I do think more awareness is needed for these terrible situations.
The story is told from the perspective of Ria who runs SafeMe, a domestic abuse charity and safe house. Ria's story is interspersed with diary entries from Tanya. For majority of the book it will be unclear how these two stories connect, but eventually all becomes clear.
The diary entries are quite chilling and are probably one of the more effective parts of the book, showing how victims can be manipulated and controlled behind closed doors.
The theme of this book leads to majority of the characters being rather unlikable. The victim characters shine and it was wonderful to see that some were able to leave the abuse behind whilst others were not so lucky. This book was clearly researched and, I think, handled the storyline well.
Once again, not the most comfortable read for some but I think it does highlight and provide more understanding of the situation some find themselves in.
Personally, I don't find myself struggling with books like this but I can see why others will find this an uncomfortable read. But I do think more awareness is needed for these terrible situations.
The story is told from the perspective of Ria who runs SafeMe, a domestic abuse charity and safe house. Ria's story is interspersed with diary entries from Tanya. For majority of the book it will be unclear how these two stories connect, but eventually all becomes clear.
The diary entries are quite chilling and are probably one of the more effective parts of the book, showing how victims can be manipulated and controlled behind closed doors.
The theme of this book leads to majority of the characters being rather unlikable. The victim characters shine and it was wonderful to see that some were able to leave the abuse behind whilst others were not so lucky. This book was clearly researched and, I think, handled the storyline well.
Once again, not the most comfortable read for some but I think it does highlight and provide more understanding of the situation some find themselves in.
charlotte_booksandbargains's review
2.0
I was kindly sent this from Readers First.
This story is a powerful one, following Ria, who works as the head of SafeMe a place that helps women to escape from abusive relationships. However I just dint think the story was executed well. Parts felt unpolished, there were lots of spelling mistakes and none of the 'twists' were actually a twist for me as I saw it all coming. Ive rated it 3 stars though because from about half way in I was invested enough not to DNF it, but I thought the powerful story line was not done justice by the author.
The story follows two storylines and It is really difficult to say what I want to say without giving any spoilers, but I just think that the book could have been so much more powerful and impactful but the author didn't quite pull it off.
This story is a powerful one, following Ria, who works as the head of SafeMe a place that helps women to escape from abusive relationships. However I just dint think the story was executed well. Parts felt unpolished, there were lots of spelling mistakes and none of the 'twists' were actually a twist for me as I saw it all coming. Ive rated it 3 stars though because from about half way in I was invested enough not to DNF it, but I thought the powerful story line was not done justice by the author.
The story follows two storylines and It is really difficult to say what I want to say without giving any spoilers, but I just think that the book could have been so much more powerful and impactful but the author didn't quite pull it off.
wordsofclover's review
3.0
I received this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ria Taylor has dedicated her life to helping women suffering from abusive relationships and runs a special women's shelter in desperate need of council funding. When Ria begins to receive strange messages, she ignores it at first, presuming it's the ex of one of her clients seeking petty revenge. But as the messages become more threatening and the stranger begins to infiltrate Ria's family life, she begins to grow concerned for her, and her children's, safety.
This book is a really good highlight at the work service workers do for people living in abusive homes and just how important safe places/ safe houses are for families fleeing such circumstances. You can definitely tell the author has put work into really getting to understand the lives of the victims, and what real victims have to go through - the trauma they face, how long it can take to overcome the trauma and begin real life again, and then how easy it is to give up hope and go back to an abuser/or be duped by the abuser into thinking they've changed.
I loved the services aspect of this book - as for the plot around Ria, it was fine but the book itself didn't overly excite me and I was totally gripped to the story. Tanya's diary entries were quite interesting, especially as it became obvious who she was.
I felt some of Ria's reactions to the text messages and her 'stalker' a bit frustrating, particularly for someone who has so much direct knowledge of such men and what they can. Why she didn't repeatedly go back to the police irked me. And why she didn't just throw the phone away was a really odd decision.
I felt the ending was a bit underwhelming. I was expecting a bit of a showdown - particularly when Dhonelle became involved. But the fact we didn't really see much was a bit disappointing.
Ria Taylor has dedicated her life to helping women suffering from abusive relationships and runs a special women's shelter in desperate need of council funding. When Ria begins to receive strange messages, she ignores it at first, presuming it's the ex of one of her clients seeking petty revenge. But as the messages become more threatening and the stranger begins to infiltrate Ria's family life, she begins to grow concerned for her, and her children's, safety.
This book is a really good highlight at the work service workers do for people living in abusive homes and just how important safe places/ safe houses are for families fleeing such circumstances. You can definitely tell the author has put work into really getting to understand the lives of the victims, and what real victims have to go through - the trauma they face, how long it can take to overcome the trauma and begin real life again, and then how easy it is to give up hope and go back to an abuser/or be duped by the abuser into thinking they've changed.
I loved the services aspect of this book - as for the plot around Ria, it was fine but the book itself didn't overly excite me and I was totally gripped to the story. Tanya's diary entries were quite interesting, especially as it became obvious who she was.
I felt some of Ria's reactions to the text messages and her 'stalker' a bit frustrating, particularly for someone who has so much direct knowledge of such men and what they can. Why she didn't repeatedly go back to the police irked me. And why she didn't just throw the phone away was a really odd decision.
I felt the ending was a bit underwhelming. I was expecting a bit of a showdown - particularly when Dhonelle became involved. But the fact we didn't really see much was a bit disappointing.