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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
It may be because I was listening to this one, but it just wasn't really grabbing me. I certainy didn't find it to be a page turner as described.
I can't tell if I would have liked this more if I had read it in a shorter timeframe. What should have been suspenseful and gripping, turned contrived. I could only seem to enjoy moving forward with this book whenever I was a captive audience to it.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder
This book was a mindf***. It reminded me a lot of Dario Argento films. The inclusion of pictures and web screen captures was a fun little addition but if you like a clean, linear narrative, you may want to find another book. This is a twisty story and I am sure that on a reread you would find more. It was a well written but strange book.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's captivating! The reason it's not a 5 star rating is the anti-climactic ending.
Overall, I enjoyed this book.
The parts with a lot of action in them read pretty quickly and were done very well. That was what kept me invested and pushed me forward to the end. I enjoyed the dialogue between characters a great deal and I wish there was more of it because of how entertaining and well written it was. The Cordova "mythos" that Pessl created was also very intriguing and is hands down the strongest and most compelling component of the book. I wish more of the book had been comprised of it.
The slower parts of the book really dragged for me. While there should obviously be time for character/world building, the character development felt pretty two-dimensional. It felt like sometimes the characters acted in ways that seemed, well, out-of-character for them whenever it suited plot and created very shallow conflicts that lengthened the book unnecessarily and it was, quite frankly, very uninteresting. There were just a lot of instances where I wanted the author to get on with it and get to the point.
Also, this book is too long for it's own good. Not enough happens that warrants the 600+ pages and a large portion of it could have been condensed down to allow for better pacing. A lot of the issues I had with the book would have been, at the very least, partially resolved had it been more concise.
I think my main complaint (and this is all on me, I suppose) is that I went in with the expectations that this book would satisfy my itch for a whodunit. It didn't scratch that itch, but I enjoyed my experience nevertheless.
The parts with a lot of action in them read pretty quickly and were done very well. That was what kept me invested and pushed me forward to the end. I enjoyed the dialogue between characters a great deal and I wish there was more of it because of how entertaining and well written it was. The Cordova "mythos" that Pessl created was also very intriguing and is hands down the strongest and most compelling component of the book. I wish more of the book had been comprised of it.
The slower parts of the book really dragged for me. While there should obviously be time for character/world building, the character development felt pretty two-dimensional. It felt like sometimes the characters acted in ways that seemed, well, out-of-character for them whenever it suited plot and created very shallow conflicts that lengthened the book unnecessarily and it was, quite frankly, very uninteresting. There were just a lot of instances where I wanted the author to get on with it and get to the point.
Also, this book is too long for it's own good. Not enough happens that warrants the 600+ pages and a large portion of it could have been condensed down to allow for better pacing. A lot of the issues I had with the book would have been, at the very least, partially resolved had it been more concise.
I think my main complaint (and this is all on me, I suppose) is that I went in with the expectations that this book would satisfy my itch for a whodunit. It didn't scratch that itch, but I enjoyed my experience nevertheless.
5 star w reservation..... I thought it was amazing....until the last 70 pages.
But for its one or two faults, it's overall a fun and intricate read.
But for its one or two faults, it's overall a fun and intricate read.
Could not put this book down. Is it a masterpiece?, nah, but is it engaging enough to make you leave your television off for a night or two... Most definitely. Its a 3 1/2 star read...
DNF. Recommended for fans of Sherlock by NPR, but didn't hook me.
Begint mysterieus en ook de vormgeving van het boek (website-paginas, chatgesprekken) voegt hieraan toe.
Al snel wordt het echter een half-komisch trio wat zich van avontuur naar avontuur begeeft.
Toen kon het mij niet meer boeien. Dus bij pagina 200 gestopt en het laatste hoofdstuk nog gelezen. Dat paste eigenlijk naadloos. Het boek kan echt de helft korter.
Al snel wordt het echter een half-komisch trio wat zich van avontuur naar avontuur begeeft.
Toen kon het mij niet meer boeien. Dus bij pagina 200 gestopt en het laatste hoofdstuk nog gelezen. Dat paste eigenlijk naadloos. Het boek kan echt de helft korter.