Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - When No One Is Watching

Summary
I found this book intriguing. The concept was very interesting and I loved the complexity of the conspiracy but I feel like there was not enough depth to the plot. There was no real surprise aspect and without that, I really struggled with feeling gripped. Sydney was confusing as a character and some of the side characters motivations (looking at you ‘best friend/sister’) really didn’t make sense. Theo was also interesting and I enjoyed reading about how Sydney and Theo rationalised their differences whilst also remaining wary of each other. Though, this did make their romance seem unfounded. It was a fine read, I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it as much as I could have.

Characters
Starting with Sydney, I remember feeling that her paranoia was unjustified. Not that she was paranoid entirely but the extent of it confused me. Also, why didn’t she tell anyone about the Uber incident??? I understand why she didn’t tell the police but no one in her community that she felt safe with? I also feel like she didn’t really have any development. Other than falling in love with Theo, which she said herself was typical, I don’t really feel like there was any resolution to her character. If I’m being totally honest, I don’t really remember much…
Theo is very much in the same boat. A naïve white man who is blind as a bat. The amount that he disliked his girlfriend (whose name I can’t remember but think it might be Kim?) for him to spend SO LONG believing that she wasn’t racist? It was just unbelievable. I could relate to some aspects of his development, particularly where he tries to show support for BLM in very white people ways and I loved how Sydney dealt with that. Again, he wasn’t really memorable in other aspects. Though, my favourite bit is how he dealt with the man who seemed to attack him. That felt super realistic and when the conspiracy was revealed and he realised what he had done, it made me consider my own biases – which is always good when reading about an experience that is not one I know.

Plot
As I mentioned, the plot seemed predictable. Some of the characters motivations were questionable and it was unclear where it was going at times. I feel like the ending got simultaneously wrapped up conveniently and left so many strings disconnected. I did appreciate the ties with current topics such as gentrification and reading about it from a different perspective to my own really expanded my world view and helped me to see things from other viewpoints. There were definitely times when I related to characters or events that I wished I hadn’t and that knowledge is something that I hope to take away with me.

Overall
This book was fine. Standard plot, average characters, fine. I appreciated the expansion of current topics and the unique take on situations, however I do not feel that the experience of reading this was worth any more than 3 stars.

Content Warnings

tillysg1's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I feel that one character had a fair amount of growth and development while another didn't. Overall, the story was good, the twists were interesting. The character of the neighborhood and the personal look at race issues is what really caught me here. Great look at neighborhood culture and what that loss can look/feel like.

Content Warnings

hilarylouise's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

zoiejanelle's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark funny informative mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

(listened to audio book from library)

i am not a thriller girlie but i happened to see Stephen King’s tweet recommending this book and i said, “romantic thriller? okay, let’s do this.”

and OH MY GOD was it worth it.

this book is REAR WINDOW meets GET OUT, Hitchcock meets Peele. it carries all of the best parts of the classic thriller genre, but was driven by a timely subject: gentrification.

i was immediately obsessed with both narrators and how unreliable they both were, even when they tried to be truthful. Sydney and her many secrets and insecurities was lovable from the get, and Theo—poor Theo—was simultaneously hilarious and romantic in all his goofy, well-meaning but off-putting gestures. somehow the combination of the two, one extremely distrusting and suspicious woman and one extremely maleable and dishonest man, was perfect. i was rooting for them the entire time.

the plot twists were very well timed. twist after twist, i audibly gasped. at one point i had to pause to soak in the information i’d just read.

overall, a true thrill that made me glad i genre-hopped. thanks Stephen King for the rec.

Content Warnings

anniexx13's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

The ending felt rushed and a bit ridiculous, especially because the plot up to this point was fairly gradual and realistic. It made the action at the end less authentic and hard to follow.

Content Warnings

maregred's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

anima_vestaa's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Fantastic. It starts sarcastic and lighthearted but then pulls you into a huge conspiracy analysing the very depths of racial discrimination through thriller fiction. The characters, the expression through form, the slangish writing, it’s all chaotic but deeply thought through and brilliant. Lots of gore tho, you’ll have to have a strong stomach.

Content Warnings

scbarr's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I liked the premise of this book, but the thrills were few and far between until the last 100 or so pages then it was a very quick wrap up. Everything felt pretty realistic too, but the “villain” at the end was a caricature of themselves and completely took me out of the immersion of the story.

Content Warnings

More...