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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
Was an ok read, doesn't live up to the hype in my opinion.
This book is told in short chapters from the three different perspectives mentioned above and hops back in forth between present day and the past. I love books that are set up that way, it makes it really easy to read and it helps keep the book suspenseful.
Mystery/Thriller is probably my favorite genre of book, so it was definitely an easy book for me to get into! The book starts by clueing you into what the husband may or may not have done, so throughout the entire book, you’re trying to figure out whether or not the husband committed the crime, while of course, adding other twists and turns along the way.
I think the only thing I didn’t really enjoy was some of the characteristics of the wife of the husband. She was very much controlled by him, and I felt like she just was his little puppet at times. I guess that was kind of necessary for the book, but it left me wanting to just scream at her sometimes!
Mystery/Thriller is probably my favorite genre of book, so it was definitely an easy book for me to get into! The book starts by clueing you into what the husband may or may not have done, so throughout the entire book, you’re trying to figure out whether or not the husband committed the crime, while of course, adding other twists and turns along the way.
I think the only thing I didn’t really enjoy was some of the characteristics of the wife of the husband. She was very much controlled by him, and I felt like she just was his little puppet at times. I guess that was kind of necessary for the book, but it left me wanting to just scream at her sometimes!
This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & More
I’m not going to lie. I had a hard time reading this book. And, no, not because it was a bad book. But because it is a book that will have parents hugging their children extra hard, and questioning everything.
I really enjoyed the way the story is told, and the characters. You felt like you were in the heads, and could feel what they felt. There are also multiple perspectives in different time lines. It puts you in pivotal moments and some that you would rather escape.
Jean is a very complex character. You know she’s hiding something, but you don’t know what. And I hated the way her husband belittled her. He treated her like a child.
Like I said before, this book isn’t for the faint of heart. It had me up at night after reading, and hoping I would never go through what some of these characters have gone through. It’s amazing how much a story can take over your thoughts, and make you feel a million different emotions at once.
Review
I’m not going to lie. I had a hard time reading this book. And, no, not because it was a bad book. But because it is a book that will have parents hugging their children extra hard, and questioning everything.
I really enjoyed the way the story is told, and the characters. You felt like you were in the heads, and could feel what they felt. There are also multiple perspectives in different time lines. It puts you in pivotal moments and some that you would rather escape.
Jean is a very complex character. You know she’s hiding something, but you don’t know what. And I hated the way her husband belittled her. He treated her like a child.
Like I said before, this book isn’t for the faint of heart. It had me up at night after reading, and hoping I would never go through what some of these characters have gone through. It’s amazing how much a story can take over your thoughts, and make you feel a million different emotions at once.
Jean Taylor is a perfect London housewife, a little untidy. Her husband, Glen, is controlling. He married her young and convinced her of his importance in the world. Most of it was a lie, but Jean doesn't seem particularly upset by that. In fact she's not particularly upset about much of anything, including the fact that Glen was just run over by a bus. What does upset her is the ever-present horde of reporters wanting to get her story.
It seems that Glen just may have kidnapped beautiful little Bella, who was out playing in her yard one minute and, the next minute, was gone.
Despite Bella's mother's tearful pleas on the media, and the dedicated detecting of Bob Sparks, no trace of Bella is ever found.
Glen is the prime suspect. His truck was seen in the area the day Bella was snatched. And there are other clues, as well. But nothing can be proved.
The Widow had an excellent start that immediately grabbed me. It was consistent in its format, if not always fluid in the reading of it, and had an element of creepiness to it that warranted its label “psychological” thriller when used. Some may not like “creepy” or the way that it was offered here, but I LOVE it because it’s so much harder to pull off than “scary” or “gross.” “Creepy” toys with the mind in its subtlety.
I picked this one up not sure of what expectations to have, this being a debut and all, and that’s a delicious thing in itself: being able to go into something clean of prejudice or bias. The Widow had resonance. It offered those shards of thought, of dialogue, of wit that ring so true that they’re undeniable and, to some, possibly even a little off-putting. This was a great debut from Barton, and her experience in journalism came through. She offered insight into the world of breaking news media with a naturalness that can only come from a creature in their own element. 4 wonderful Widow Stars from me
It seems that Glen just may have kidnapped beautiful little Bella, who was out playing in her yard one minute and, the next minute, was gone.
Despite Bella's mother's tearful pleas on the media, and the dedicated detecting of Bob Sparks, no trace of Bella is ever found.
Glen is the prime suspect. His truck was seen in the area the day Bella was snatched. And there are other clues, as well. But nothing can be proved.
The Widow had an excellent start that immediately grabbed me. It was consistent in its format, if not always fluid in the reading of it, and had an element of creepiness to it that warranted its label “psychological” thriller when used. Some may not like “creepy” or the way that it was offered here, but I LOVE it because it’s so much harder to pull off than “scary” or “gross.” “Creepy” toys with the mind in its subtlety.
I picked this one up not sure of what expectations to have, this being a debut and all, and that’s a delicious thing in itself: being able to go into something clean of prejudice or bias. The Widow had resonance. It offered those shards of thought, of dialogue, of wit that ring so true that they’re undeniable and, to some, possibly even a little off-putting. This was a great debut from Barton, and her experience in journalism came through. She offered insight into the world of breaking news media with a naturalness that can only come from a creature in their own element. 4 wonderful Widow Stars from me
Thriller connoisseurs will appreciate the exquisitely slow build with enough tease to keep you turning pages. From beginning to the very last page, there are new revelations, the entire mystery never revealed until the very end. It’s a brain itch that you can’t quite scratch, nor can you confidently predict the ending. Narrated from different points of view lends the perspective that each character is a protagonist and a victim. The author cleverly slips several subtle hints that not all is what it seems and the more you read, the more you question the sanity in the stoicism; the psychosis so subtle that you don’t notice it until you’re overtaken. Each character is so thoroughly fleshed out that you empathize with each role. You develop love/hate relationships, not knowing who you can fully trust. Throughout the entire book, one question stands out; how far can you push a woman before she finally retaliates? This is truly an impressive breakout novel and I look forward to reading more from Fiona Barton.
I've read these books out of order, but this was definitely the weakest and my least favorite. This isn't a psychological thriller, so don't read it if you want that. This also isn't exactly a mystery, though key information is left till the very end. The subject matter makes my stomach turn, and the widow is supposed to be an ambiguous character but I hated her from the point she decided she'd keep a kidnap victim for herself. I do still love the main investigator and journalists though.
Everyone's looking for the next Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, which means there's a veritable ton of titles coming out compared to those two. And as a mood reader who very much does find herself looking for things "in the vein of" sometimes, I don't really mind as long as they're appropriate.
I take these particular comparisons to mean a book will be dark and twisty, psychologically complex, and will (hopefully) feature a somewhat (or incredibly) unreliable narrator. And I think Fiona Barton's The Widow hits exactly those marks.
Jean Taylor's husband has died in a tragic accident, mowed over by a bus in the prime of his life. And absolutely everyone is dying to get an interview with the new widow. But why?
It's all because of Bella, the girl Jean's husband was suspected of kidnapping just a few years ago.
It was 2006 and the two-and-a-half-year-old girl was playing in her front garden when she was snatched by a person unknown. Witnesses first claimed to have seen a long-haired man in the neighborhood. Then, a possible break in the case led to Glen Taylor. Jean stood by him through it all, as their life was ripped apart, as their every move became headline fodder, as her husband's name was dragged through the mud time and again... and now everyone wants to know her side of the story.
Barton's debut takes readers back and forth between Jean's present and the 2006 case. The interesting thing is that the reader never quite knows the full story. Jean is as quiet throughout as she has been with the police and reporters, only offering readers rare and small glimpses into her true thoughts and feelings. So the mystery is a mystery, unraveling as the story progresses rather than spilled straight from Jean's lips at the very start. And it doesn't take long at all for the reader to begin to wonder just how truthful Jean is being in her narrative.
The Widow is a smart read, one that's hard to step away from. Indeed it's a bit of a book hangover inducing debut that will likely send you racing for even more Gone Girl and Girl on The Train comps. I'd go one further and say that The Widow earns its own place in the comparable title list. Maybe we'll be seeing some "Perfect for fans of The Widow" comps soon?
I take these particular comparisons to mean a book will be dark and twisty, psychologically complex, and will (hopefully) feature a somewhat (or incredibly) unreliable narrator. And I think Fiona Barton's The Widow hits exactly those marks.
Jean Taylor's husband has died in a tragic accident, mowed over by a bus in the prime of his life. And absolutely everyone is dying to get an interview with the new widow. But why?
It's all because of Bella, the girl Jean's husband was suspected of kidnapping just a few years ago.
It was 2006 and the two-and-a-half-year-old girl was playing in her front garden when she was snatched by a person unknown. Witnesses first claimed to have seen a long-haired man in the neighborhood. Then, a possible break in the case led to Glen Taylor. Jean stood by him through it all, as their life was ripped apart, as their every move became headline fodder, as her husband's name was dragged through the mud time and again... and now everyone wants to know her side of the story.
Barton's debut takes readers back and forth between Jean's present and the 2006 case. The interesting thing is that the reader never quite knows the full story. Jean is as quiet throughout as she has been with the police and reporters, only offering readers rare and small glimpses into her true thoughts and feelings. So the mystery is a mystery, unraveling as the story progresses rather than spilled straight from Jean's lips at the very start. And it doesn't take long at all for the reader to begin to wonder just how truthful Jean is being in her narrative.
The Widow is a smart read, one that's hard to step away from. Indeed it's a bit of a book hangover inducing debut that will likely send you racing for even more Gone Girl and Girl on The Train comps. I'd go one further and say that The Widow earns its own place in the comparable title list. Maybe we'll be seeing some "Perfect for fans of The Widow" comps soon?
Izgalmas sztori volt, és kiválóan szórakoztam, izgultam eleget de nem különösebben terhelte meg a lelkemet (szerencsére). Esetleg akinek nem jött be a [b:Holtodiglan|18163440|Holtodiglan|Gillian Flynn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373035164s/18163440.jpg|13306276], vagy [b:A lány a vonaton|25478508|A lány a vonaton|Paula Hawkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1430738689s/25478508.jpg|41107568], az is adjon neki esélyt, mert egészen másra fut itt ki a történet. Szóval ne hagyjátok megtéveszteni magatokat a reklámszövegtől :)
Részletesen: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/2016/05/03/fiona-barton-az-ozvegy/
Részletesen: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/2016/05/03/fiona-barton-az-ozvegy/
A psychological thriller centered around the disappearance of a toddler whose body has not been found. The prime suspect is dead and his wife may or may not know more than she is telling.
The mystery was not especially surprising, but I was interested enough to finish the book.
The mystery was not especially surprising, but I was interested enough to finish the book.