Reviews

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

lstegman723's review against another edition

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fast-paced

3.25

brooklyneden's review against another edition

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Poorly written, didn’t pull me in. Bad reviews cemented it

yolieca's review against another edition

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0.5

Readable, sure 
But I hated this
I hate mental illness as  plot twist and I thought this was pretty irresponsible 

kristinfoster's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense

4.5

katrinajenkins's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

nikki52010's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5

tanyadupi's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sammirosewater's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

nicky06marie's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition

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2.0

1 and a half star. I think this is a sign for me to give up on domestic thrillers. It's hard to find a good one, and when I do it has not been worth going through ten lifeless and mediocre ones.

This started out with a promising concept, but Fisher took the easy way out with that cheap twist. On top of that, it was exhausting to be in the narrator's head. Thursday is judgemental of other women who are more successful than her. Meanwhile her own life revolves around her husband, Seth, bitterly sharing him with two other women. Thursday was fully aware of this when entering their relationship, ignored her gut feeling and now she is salty and jealous. Who could've seen that coming?

Now, it is possible to write unlikable women without making them annoying. Take Gillian Flynn for example. The problem here is that Fisher either doesn't try to give her character layers, or she lacks the skill to pull it off. Thursday's story lacks the grit, dark motivations and snake-like traits that are needed in a domestic thriller.

For example, Thursday's motivation for being with Seth is unclear, as is her willingness to share him. Here is the potential for a good backstory, maybe one that focuses on something other than her husband and comparing herself to other women. Either you can make Thursday completely vile and untrustworthy, or you make her a character worthy of sympathy. The route taken is somewhere in between; no one roots for Thursday but it grows exhausting to be in her self-pitying and paranoid mind.

Whiny, overdramatic and cheapened by a twist that's been done a million times before.