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justinkhchen's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
An impulsive read with cheap thrills. While it certainly entertains, My Lovely Wife doesn't really deliver upon its 'Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith' promise. It's simply not as clever as it thinks.
I might have to reevaluate my perspective on modern thriller literature in general; as a lot of them seem to disregard basic logic and human behavior in favor of sensational drama, and the readership as a whole seem to be contempt with it (I don't see the issue being mentioned in reviews). There's always a time and place for taking creative license in order to generate an impactful narrative, but in My Lovely Wife, Downing disregarded some fundamental common sense in its setup, which resulted in absurdly convenient scenarios, and poor character development (the protagonist appeared more irrational than the author has intended).
**Light spoiler ahead**
- 'Tobias' pretends to be a mute to come in contact with potential candidates, within his own neighborhood and without any sort of physical disguise; unless we are pretending these bartenders/women are forever locked to a location, how can he guarantee he won't bump into people who previously recognize him as a mute? Sounds high risk, and the worst way to remain anonymous.
- 'Tobias' didn't even attempt to research the current whereabouts of the serial killer, before trying to frame the couple's act on him. (Even with the knowledge of him not being the 'best planner', and Millicent holding back the info for her own benefit), I can't foresee someone attempting an act of this scale not doing his due diligence on research.
- I can look pass a door/window lock not been updated in 10+ years, but you can't convince me a mansion won't be alarmed when the owner is away for an extended vacation.
- Hated how the character Holly is portrayed / utilized in the story; are we simply assuming she was completely at peace with being misdiagnosed/misunderstood all these years? And why would she proactively return to the proximity of Millicent, knowing exactly what her true character is? (I would've run far, far away).
- The book provided some explanation regarding how Millicent find the time to dispose Naomi, but how did she manage the 3 additional murders?
**Light spoiler ends**
The absurdity above definitely impacts my overall rating, as well as the lackluster resolution; which feels very 'thriller-cliché', betraying the intricacy the novel tries to construct up till then (So the mastermind Millicent simply became batshit crazy?! Would've wished she had kept her cool a little longer.) I do enjoy the family dynamic described in My Lovely Wife, particularly the inclusion of medias' influence on the kids' mental state. I thought the behavior they took on is a nice parallel to the parent.
All in all, with the amount of praise My Lovely Wife has received, I had high (perhaps misguided) expectation—the book met some, as in I was entertained, but missed the mark for me on some key factors.
An impulsive read with cheap thrills. While it certainly entertains, My Lovely Wife doesn't really deliver upon its 'Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith' promise. It's simply not as clever as it thinks.
I might have to reevaluate my perspective on modern thriller literature in general; as a lot of them seem to disregard basic logic and human behavior in favor of sensational drama, and the readership as a whole seem to be contempt with it (I don't see the issue being mentioned in reviews). There's always a time and place for taking creative license in order to generate an impactful narrative, but in My Lovely Wife, Downing disregarded some fundamental common sense in its setup, which resulted in absurdly convenient scenarios, and poor character development (the protagonist appeared more irrational than the author has intended).
**Light spoiler ahead**
- 'Tobias' pretends to be a mute to come in contact with potential candidates, within his own neighborhood and without any sort of physical disguise; unless we are pretending these bartenders/women are forever locked to a location, how can he guarantee he won't bump into people who previously recognize him as a mute? Sounds high risk, and the worst way to remain anonymous.
- 'Tobias' didn't even attempt to research the current whereabouts of the serial killer, before trying to frame the couple's act on him. (Even with the knowledge of him not being the 'best planner', and Millicent holding back the info for her own benefit), I can't foresee someone attempting an act of this scale not doing his due diligence on research.
- I can look pass a door/window lock not been updated in 10+ years, but you can't convince me a mansion won't be alarmed when the owner is away for an extended vacation.
- Hated how the character Holly is portrayed / utilized in the story; are we simply assuming she was completely at peace with being misdiagnosed/misunderstood all these years? And why would she proactively return to the proximity of Millicent, knowing exactly what her true character is? (I would've run far, far away).
- The book provided some explanation regarding how Millicent find the time to dispose Naomi, but how did she manage the 3 additional murders?
**Light spoiler ends**
The absurdity above definitely impacts my overall rating, as well as the lackluster resolution; which feels very 'thriller-cliché', betraying the intricacy the novel tries to construct up till then (So the mastermind Millicent simply became batshit crazy?! Would've wished she had kept her cool a little longer.) I do enjoy the family dynamic described in My Lovely Wife, particularly the inclusion of medias' influence on the kids' mental state. I thought the behavior they took on is a nice parallel to the parent.
All in all, with the amount of praise My Lovely Wife has received, I had high (perhaps misguided) expectation—the book met some, as in I was entertained, but missed the mark for me on some key factors.
shelbymarie516's review against another edition
4.0
woah, what?! Twisty and wicked but very good. But that last line, WHAT!?!?!?!?!
jdavis147's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lfarron's review against another edition
5.0
This book feels like Gone Girl's twisted cousin. There are so many twists and it keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. The structure of the book is laid out in a way where you're jumping back and forth in time and everything comes together in a truly chilling way.
The main twist of the book is predictable however the journey was so thrilling I didn't even mind it.
The main twist of the book is predictable however the journey was so thrilling I didn't even mind it.
lanalewis0's review against another edition
4.0
i should’ve seen the ending coming bro. he never learns
jeanwatts's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really enjoyed this thriller! It had interesting characters, a cool concept, and things I didn’t see coming.
First, I listened to the audio book and felt like it was an amazing experience. The narrator was cold and detached and that really matched the tone of the story. I enjoyed the actor and the different voices he created for characters.
Second, I loved the characters. Downing wrote really vivid and present characters. I loved being inside the head of the unnamed narrator. I also loved Millicent and how she came off in every scene (through the eyes of our narrator). I felt like the characters were symbolic in their names as well as actions and really held their own.
Third, I loved the plot! The murders, the mayhem, the idea of a married couple killing together. Plus there were parts I didn’t see coming until only a chapter or so before they were revealed! That gave the sense of a strong thriller to me.
Fourth, I was highly entertained. I was always excited to pick it up, especially halfway through. It isn’t super action packed but it does keep the pace moving.
There were two things I didn’t love. First, the wife being cold and calculating like Millicent is so predictable. And takes away some of the shock. It’s like…mmmm. I hate to say overdone but…I wasn’t shocked by Millicent’s character. Some aspects to the story shocked me - and details made me gasp - but her as a person was highly predictable. Second, the ending was wayyyy too convenient for me. Like. Bruh. That was just too tied up with the tiniest cliffhanger. I felt like the story sorta ended flat. I still liked the novel enough to not hate the ending! But I felt like it could have been better.
Overall - a fun thriller. It was twisty but not too out there that it’s hard to understand. It’s fun entertainment but not exactly like everything else in the genre. It is unique without being hard to digest. It was fun! If you are looking for a cool thriller with easy to read characters, a cool concept of married couples killing to feel closer together, and a few small gasp moments, then this is for you! If you are looking for a new staple in the genre or something totally new and unique, maybe skip.
First, I listened to the audio book and felt like it was an amazing experience. The narrator was cold and detached and that really matched the tone of the story. I enjoyed the actor and the different voices he created for characters.
Second, I loved the characters. Downing wrote really vivid and present characters. I loved being inside the head of the unnamed narrator. I also loved Millicent and how she came off in every scene (through the eyes of our narrator). I felt like the characters were symbolic in their names as well as actions and really held their own.
Third, I loved the plot! The murders, the mayhem, the idea of a married couple killing together. Plus there were parts I didn’t see coming until only a chapter or so before they were revealed! That gave the sense of a strong thriller to me.
Fourth, I was highly entertained. I was always excited to pick it up, especially halfway through. It isn’t super action packed but it does keep the pace moving.
There were two things I didn’t love. First, the wife being cold and calculating like Millicent is so predictable. And takes away some of the shock. It’s like…mmmm. I hate to say overdone but…I wasn’t shocked by Millicent’s character. Some aspects to the story shocked me - and details made me gasp - but her as a person was highly predictable. Second, the ending was wayyyy too convenient for me. Like. Bruh. That was just too tied up with the tiniest cliffhanger. I felt like the story sorta ended flat. I still liked the novel enough to not hate the ending! But I felt like it could have been better.
Overall - a fun thriller. It was twisty but not too out there that it’s hard to understand. It’s fun entertainment but not exactly like everything else in the genre. It is unique without being hard to digest. It was fun! If you are looking for a cool thriller with easy to read characters, a cool concept of married couples killing to feel closer together, and a few small gasp moments, then this is for you! If you are looking for a new staple in the genre or something totally new and unique, maybe skip.
shama04's review against another edition
3.0
The main character doesn’t have a name. That was my biggest hurdle about this book. Important information was just thrown in nonchalant which didn’t make the big reveal that big. The ending was confusing. I liked it but wasn’t my favorite.
tpenny's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
whatbookishannahreading's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this thriller! It was a quick read for me. It sucked me in from the beginning with the premise. This couple has been married for some time and discover a new… activity to enjoy together. It was giving me some Gone Girl vibes by the end. Will there be more or are we left wondering what’s next?
“‘I wanted to surprise you,’ she says. ‘For our anniversary.’
I stare at her. My lovely wife.
‘It's demented,’ I say.
She raises an eyebrow at me. Before she can speak, I put my finger against her lips.
‘And it's brilliant,’ I say.”
jodikay's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0