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paulabrandon's review
3.0
Compulsively readable but completely predictable.
Amanda Blackland has enrolled her daughter in Darley Heights Public School after being run out of her previous private school because of an incident involving another mother, snooty high society woman, Victoria Day. Amanda is nervous about attending the first fundraising event of the year, a trivia night, as she doesn't really know anyone other than her best friend, fellow mother Alice Daniels. Still, she attends with her husband, Ted.
Also on the table is Alice's husband, Pete. Then there is Lara and Luke Hampson. Then there is Zoe and Miles Makin. Amanda drinks a lot to calm her nerves. She drinks even more when she learns that Victoria Day has also enrolled her kids at Darley Heights, and is also at the trivia night. The table is shocked to learn that Lara and Luke are open swingers. Drunk and wanting to show Victoria she's popular and has friends, Amanda eggs on the table to reveal who would like to sleep with whose spouse.
This leads to consequences when some on the table actually do commit infidelity, and someone (guess who) has caught it all on camera, and threatens to expose them all, because she still wants revenge on someone (guess who.)
I gave this 3 stars because I read it in one go. It was easy to read, and I enjoyed it while I read it, even though I could comfortably predict everything that would happen, and even though I found it hard to believe that a bit of drunkenness could lead so many people to be unfaithful in such a short time, after lengthy, faithful marriages. I hope I never end up at a trivia night like this! Although, being single, the rules state I couldn't take part!
The characters are all uniformly awful. AWFUL. There is no one to root for. Amanda is put at the forefront as some sort of protagonist, but her actions are awful and she often doesn't come across much better than Victoria, who is presented as the evil biddy of the narrative. No, you don't have to have likable characters to make a good book, but I think at least one always helps! The chapters from Alice, apparently taken from recordings with her shrink, and chapters from Zoe, apparently emails sent to her sister, are a poor narrative device choice. They aren't much different from Amanda's standard first person narrative. Should have just been standard first person point of view for all of them.
The "twists" are all obvious and uninspiring. As others have said, it feels as if the author read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and thought to herself, "I could do that!" Well, yes, she can, but it would have helped if it weren't all so predictable and been there, done that. The epilogue in particular was a groaner. Like nobody could have seen that coming from a mile off?
But, like I said, I read it one go...something kept me hooked!
Amanda Blackland has enrolled her daughter in Darley Heights Public School after being run out of her previous private school because of an incident involving another mother, snooty high society woman, Victoria Day. Amanda is nervous about attending the first fundraising event of the year, a trivia night, as she doesn't really know anyone other than her best friend, fellow mother Alice Daniels. Still, she attends with her husband, Ted.
Also on the table is Alice's husband, Pete. Then there is Lara and Luke Hampson. Then there is Zoe and Miles Makin. Amanda drinks a lot to calm her nerves. She drinks even more when she learns that Victoria Day has also enrolled her kids at Darley Heights, and is also at the trivia night. The table is shocked to learn that Lara and Luke are open swingers. Drunk and wanting to show Victoria she's popular and has friends, Amanda eggs on the table to reveal who would like to sleep with whose spouse.
This leads to consequences when some on the table actually do commit infidelity, and someone (guess who) has caught it all on camera, and threatens to expose them all, because she still wants revenge on someone (guess who.)
I gave this 3 stars because I read it in one go. It was easy to read, and I enjoyed it while I read it, even though I could comfortably predict everything that would happen, and even though I found it hard to believe that a bit of drunkenness could lead so many people to be unfaithful in such a short time, after lengthy, faithful marriages. I hope I never end up at a trivia night like this! Although, being single, the rules state I couldn't take part!
The characters are all uniformly awful. AWFUL. There is no one to root for. Amanda is put at the forefront as some sort of protagonist, but her actions are awful and she often doesn't come across much better than Victoria, who is presented as the evil biddy of the narrative. No, you don't have to have likable characters to make a good book, but I think at least one always helps! The chapters from Alice, apparently taken from recordings with her shrink, and chapters from Zoe, apparently emails sent to her sister, are a poor narrative device choice. They aren't much different from Amanda's standard first person narrative. Should have just been standard first person point of view for all of them.
The "twists" are all obvious and uninspiring. As others have said, it feels as if the author read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and thought to herself, "I could do that!" Well, yes, she can, but it would have helped if it weren't all so predictable and been there, done that. The epilogue in particular was a groaner. Like nobody could have seen that coming from a mile off?
But, like I said, I read it one go...something kept me hooked!
mellyreadsbooks's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
henrymarlene's review
3.0
I’m in two minds about ‘The Trivia Night”. On one hand, it seemed like a very loose rehash of Little Big Lies, with stereotypical blond Caucasian school mums in a snooty coastal suburb who either have the most practical part time flexibility or are dressed for a Lorna Jane commercial. I don’t understand the attraction of the yummy-mummy, and the fact that every woman was vying to be an alpha. The recklessness of all of the characters was almost instantaneous in that fateful evening – how all of their stars and chakras aligned for all of them to jump right in just so was perplexing. And I’ve never seen so many parents available for a School assembly. The end was written to be the last shock to the system however I think it was a little flat. The reveal about Zoe’s sister was more of an emotional moment for me.
On the other hand, it was a tightly paced book that had a good rhythm of action, and blended in multiple points of view from counselling session notes to emails to a silent character. It provided very big personalities who were all ones to be judged by both reader and other characters. There were relationships that were entering shaky ground and it is not all smiles and botox. There are some deeper issues that are explored here, such as alcoholism and domestic violence, went though they are lightly sprayed on and dealt with quite quickly in the last quarter of the book. And that last quarter was also not what I had expected and was a little bit more malicious and sociopathic.
On the other hand, it was a tightly paced book that had a good rhythm of action, and blended in multiple points of view from counselling session notes to emails to a silent character. It provided very big personalities who were all ones to be judged by both reader and other characters. There were relationships that were entering shaky ground and it is not all smiles and botox. There are some deeper issues that are explored here, such as alcoholism and domestic violence, went though they are lightly sprayed on and dealt with quite quickly in the last quarter of the book. And that last quarter was also not what I had expected and was a little bit more malicious and sociopathic.
rachhenderson's review
4.0
This book is set around the trivia night - the key social event in the fundraising calendar of a primary school in Sydney. Told from the perspective of three women, who attend the trivia night with their husbands, it's no surprise that there's the suggestion of swinging once everyone has had a few drinks (this is revealed in the blurb).
A trivia night was the key fundraising event for my children's school, prior to covid, and parents from other schools have said to me "We've heard there's swinging at your trivia night", so this book felt like it could have been inspired by our school (though we are in Melbourne, not Sydney). It really was a very similar situation!! Except that I think the swinging rumours about our school were unfounded.
This was very easy to keep turning the pages. Definitely one for fans of [a:Liane Moriarty|322069|Liane Moriarty|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1459827224p2/322069.jpg] and the like.
A trivia night was the key fundraising event for my children's school, prior to covid, and parents from other schools have said to me "We've heard there's swinging at your trivia night", so this book felt like it could have been inspired by our school (though we are in Melbourne, not Sydney). It really was a very similar situation!! Except that I think the swinging rumours about our school were unfounded.
This was very easy to keep turning the pages. Definitely one for fans of [a:Liane Moriarty|322069|Liane Moriarty|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1459827224p2/322069.jpg] and the like.
alliediak's review
3.0
A fundraiser Trivia Night at a primary school leads a group of parents to make questionable decisions (part 1) and then the mothers try to prevent fall out (part 2). Fast paced and the swingers aspect was unique to me, I generally enjoyed it. The first half and second half felt only loosely related, and the twist was pretty predictable. But I enjoyed reading it overall!
fasmina's review
5.0
This is one of those books that makes you lose sleep, ignore the physical world and urge you to finish it.
Can one night change everything?
The Trivia Night is about four couples with their own baggages and troubles who take the same table on the night of the school trivia. What starts as fun and a simple discussion, ends up in making the couples fall into an irreversible problem.
Told in the POV of few of the main characters, the book dwells deep into each character and their past, their issues and their fears. The narration is unique, alternating between past and present and presented in different ways (you need to read it to see!) the book is a fast-paced one with cliffhangers in almost half of the pages. The book is at times funny, at times raw and perfect depiction of different social classes in the society.
The ending was a bit expected but that maybe because I read too much Murder mysteries and thrillers but the conclusion that the author derived from the whole plot needs a salute.
This is the perfect treat for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth and will hook you onto it from the start.
Can one night change everything?
The Trivia Night is about four couples with their own baggages and troubles who take the same table on the night of the school trivia. What starts as fun and a simple discussion, ends up in making the couples fall into an irreversible problem.
Told in the POV of few of the main characters, the book dwells deep into each character and their past, their issues and their fears. The narration is unique, alternating between past and present and presented in different ways (you need to read it to see!) the book is a fast-paced one with cliffhangers in almost half of the pages. The book is at times funny, at times raw and perfect depiction of different social classes in the society.
The ending was a bit expected but that maybe because I read too much Murder mysteries and thrillers but the conclusion that the author derived from the whole plot needs a salute.
This is the perfect treat for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth and will hook you onto it from the start.
beccorbett89's review
3.0
Thanks to the author, Better Reading and the publishers for my ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book reminded me a LOT of Big Little Lies. Maybe a little too much. I found myself comparing the two novels regularly as I read this one and, well, Big Little Lies is pretty hard to match.
Despite that, I thought this was a pretty solid book. The concept was one that held a lot of potential. I was always keen to pick up the book to find out what would happen next, but found that I was losing attention with the story quite quickly. No spoilers, but I did find the ending a bit disappointing. I felt as though it was building towards a big twist but personally, the ending felt predictable to me.
This book reminded me a LOT of Big Little Lies. Maybe a little too much. I found myself comparing the two novels regularly as I read this one and, well, Big Little Lies is pretty hard to match.
Despite that, I thought this was a pretty solid book. The concept was one that held a lot of potential. I was always keen to pick up the book to find out what would happen next, but found that I was losing attention with the story quite quickly. No spoilers, but I did find the ending a bit disappointing. I felt as though it was building towards a big twist but personally, the ending felt predictable to me.
illreadmyownway's review
4.0
This book is split into three parts. The first part is quite a slow pace as we build up to the main event, and the other two parts are a much quicker pace.
I found this an enjoyable read, it had ‘Big Little Lies’ vibes. Loved the fictional town, and the characters had depth to them.
Recommend.
I found this an enjoyable read, it had ‘Big Little Lies’ vibes. Loved the fictional town, and the characters had depth to them.
Recommend.
joaniec's review
2.0
Big little lies by Liane Moriaty - rip off???
Not impressed at all by any of this book.
Not impressed at all by any of this book.