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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well... I started this book in my summer vacations in 2015. I read 2/3s of it and was really enjoying it (I think). However, when I came back, I never felt the urge to pick it back up again. I think, for some reason, I lost interest. Maybe I was only reading it on my vacation because I had nothing else to read, so I didn't even consider if I was enjoying it or not. I just know that when I came back I never touched it again. I may finish this someday, but for now, I just don't feel like finishing this.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
I wanted to love this book, but I don't.
Hearing that Pessl had written this year's Gone Girl made this book a reading priority for me. While it took forever for my library hold to come up, this situation proved useful in avoiding late fees. I've been "reading" this book since January and I have been able to successfully renew the library due date at least three times. Perhaps others have figured out that this thriller is more like 8MM meets Eyes Wide Shut, or a big mess of characters who I don't particularly care about or like chasing after leads that create temporary circles of intrigue that ultimately go no where. I cringe thinking about how perfectly anti-climatic so many plot points were.
Other reviewers have compared Night Film to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Yes, Scott McGrath is similar to Blomkvist in that both are journalists who have seriously screwed up their careers and are looking for THE story to put them back on top of their game. But I didn't particularly like McGrath. For one thing, I didn't think his life was in danger. He certainly was not as isolated as Blomkvist, and as a result, the only scene where I truly felt like McGrath's life might be on the line was his foray through The Peak. Several scenes focused on McGrath's relationship with his ex-wife, which portrayed him more as a doofus than a ladies man. He seemed to be stumbling through most of this book and I wanted to trip him a few times. Comparing Nora to Lisbeth is insulting to Lisbeth. While both young women are damaged and lost, Nora is a weak person who could never survive the torture inflicted on Lisbeth. Nora is also annoying. Why did she need a magical parakeet? Ah, perhaps the parakeet is her talisman much as the dragon was Lisbeth's. I'd rather read about the dragon.
I did like how Pessl integrated a variety of documents into her book. They added an air of authenticity to McGrath's research process. And there were a few dark alleyways that were interesting for a while, like the black magic plot line. Unfortunately, none of these interesting side trips ever develop into what I would consider a thriller. This reading experience was "meh" at best.
Hearing that Pessl had written this year's Gone Girl made this book a reading priority for me. While it took forever for my library hold to come up, this situation proved useful in avoiding late fees. I've been "reading" this book since January and I have been able to successfully renew the library due date at least three times. Perhaps others have figured out that this thriller is more like 8MM meets Eyes Wide Shut, or a big mess of characters who I don't particularly care about or like chasing after leads that create temporary circles of intrigue that ultimately go no where. I cringe thinking about how perfectly anti-climatic so many plot points were.
Other reviewers have compared Night Film to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Yes, Scott McGrath is similar to Blomkvist in that both are journalists who have seriously screwed up their careers and are looking for THE story to put them back on top of their game. But I didn't particularly like McGrath. For one thing, I didn't think his life was in danger. He certainly was not as isolated as Blomkvist, and as a result, the only scene where I truly felt like McGrath's life might be on the line was his foray through The Peak. Several scenes focused on McGrath's relationship with his ex-wife, which portrayed him more as a doofus than a ladies man. He seemed to be stumbling through most of this book and I wanted to trip him a few times. Comparing Nora to Lisbeth is insulting to Lisbeth. While both young women are damaged and lost, Nora is a weak person who could never survive the torture inflicted on Lisbeth. Nora is also annoying. Why did she need a magical parakeet? Ah, perhaps the parakeet is her talisman much as the dragon was Lisbeth's. I'd rather read about the dragon.
I did like how Pessl integrated a variety of documents into her book. They added an air of authenticity to McGrath's research process. And there were a few dark alleyways that were interesting for a while, like the black magic plot line. Unfortunately, none of these interesting side trips ever develop into what I would consider a thriller. This reading experience was "meh" at best.
i was trying to push through because i was into it at first, but the more i read the less i cared. i didn't like the characters and i wasn't invested in the plot and after spoiling myself to the end i can honestly say i have no desire to read 300 more pages
also, i love a good italics for emphsis, but sometimes it felt like she was doing it every other word and it was exhausting
also, i love a good italics for emphsis, but sometimes it felt like she was doing it every other word and it was exhausting