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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. I am familiar with Claire McGowan’s books having read a few from her Paula Maguire series. This is a stand-alone novel and she has proved that she can do both perfectly well.
When the six ex Oxford University friends had a reunion years after their graduation none of them had any idea that things would go so tragically wrong. The way each of them handled it revealed how their friendship wasn’t as strong or genuine as they thought.
Most of it is modern day and concerns Ali, wife of the charged man and ‘best friend’ of the victim. She was a character who baffled and annoyed me the more I read. Her obsession with image, her snobbery and especially her noticing that her daughter Cassie had chipped nail varnish on her toes when she had a lot more to think about.
But there are flashbacks to 1993, when they finished university and differing accounts of what happened on the night of the dinner. In each of these more dubious aspects of each character is revealed.
Cassie, her brother Benji and Jake, Karen’s son, were the only characters I really liked. They were the only ones who could see how tragic the events of the night and the few days after were and they were not thinking about the consequences for themselves.
This is a great novel that made me question everything I was reading. I missed a lot, I suspected the wrong people and I seethed occasionally at the elitist attitudes. It is probably one of the most character driven novels that I have read recently.
When the six ex Oxford University friends had a reunion years after their graduation none of them had any idea that things would go so tragically wrong. The way each of them handled it revealed how their friendship wasn’t as strong or genuine as they thought.
Most of it is modern day and concerns Ali, wife of the charged man and ‘best friend’ of the victim. She was a character who baffled and annoyed me the more I read. Her obsession with image, her snobbery and especially her noticing that her daughter Cassie had chipped nail varnish on her toes when she had a lot more to think about.
But there are flashbacks to 1993, when they finished university and differing accounts of what happened on the night of the dinner. In each of these more dubious aspects of each character is revealed.
Cassie, her brother Benji and Jake, Karen’s son, were the only characters I really liked. They were the only ones who could see how tragic the events of the night and the few days after were and they were not thinking about the consequences for themselves.
This is a great novel that made me question everything I was reading. I missed a lot, I suspected the wrong people and I seethed occasionally at the elitist attitudes. It is probably one of the most character driven novels that I have read recently.
It wasn’t bad. I’ve read much worse lately. Given this is an Amazon published book, and I’m fairly certain I got it for free through Prime, it was an entertaining read. However, I wish her writing in the last 30 minutes of the book was present in the first several hours of the book. Suddenly I felt like she had some really great lines and pacing that just weren’t there for the majority of the story.
An interesting premise that is well written and explored. It's a book of lies upon lies upon lies that steadily unravel until the bitter finish. Of friendships dissolving in the wake of an unfathomable accusation, of betrayals and hurts that go back over twenty years. It's a surprisingly easy read considering the subject matter though.
4.5 stars
I really liked this book! I was sucked in almost immediately and kept getting mad when I had to put it down. The author did a great job at throwing me for a loop. I kept thinking I knew what had actually happened and I kept being wrong.
Great book!
I really liked this book! I was sucked in almost immediately and kept getting mad when I had to put it down. The author did a great job at throwing me for a loop. I kept thinking I knew what had actually happened and I kept being wrong.
Great book!
Une surprise !
Un livre très facile à lire et très intéressant qui met en lumière les difficultés endurées par les personnes victimes d'agressions sexuelles et de viols.
J'ai eu un peu de mal avec Alison, la protagoniste car parfois j'avais envie de la secouer et de lui faire ouvrir les yeux, elle est tellement naïve qu'elle ne voit pas ce qui se trouve devant son nez. Mais en même temps je me suis attachée à elle car elle reste très forte malgré le fait que sa vie s'effondre que cela soit au niveau professionnel, familial ou encore amical.
Ce récit est une belle surprise car je trouve que l'intrigue est bien mené bien qu'elle soit un peu longue et je ne m'attendais vraiment pas à ce qu'il se passe à la fin j'ai vraiment été surprise et c'est ce qui m'a permis d'apprécier encore plus le texte.
Je recommande mais attention si vous êtes sensible au sujet tel que le viol, je ne suis pas sûre que cette lecture soit adéquate, car certains détails et paroles peuvent être durs à encaisser.
Un livre très facile à lire et très intéressant qui met en lumière les difficultés endurées par les personnes victimes d'agressions sexuelles et de viols.
J'ai eu un peu de mal avec Alison, la protagoniste car parfois j'avais envie de la secouer et de lui faire ouvrir les yeux, elle est tellement naïve qu'elle ne voit pas ce qui se trouve devant son nez. Mais en même temps je me suis attachée à elle car elle reste très forte malgré le fait que sa vie s'effondre que cela soit au niveau professionnel, familial ou encore amical.
Ce récit est une belle surprise car je trouve que l'intrigue est bien mené bien qu'elle soit un peu longue et je ne m'attendais vraiment pas à ce qu'il se passe à la fin j'ai vraiment été surprise et c'est ce qui m'a permis d'apprécier encore plus le texte.
Je recommande mais attention si vous êtes sensible au sujet tel que le viol, je ne suis pas sûre que cette lecture soit adéquate, car certains détails et paroles peuvent être durs à encaisser.
Ali and Mike, Jodi and Callum, Karen, and Bill: six longtime friends from college who are getting together twenty-five years later for a party. But when Karen is raped and points the finger at Mike, Ali is forced to confront doubts and sins she'd managed to bury since the violent death of a schoolmate on graduation weekend. This is a powerfully written novel that will have you questioning what you believe and how you might turn on those beliefs when faced with a threat to all you hold dear. A real page-turner.
2.5*
After reading this book, I totally understand the hate in the reviews.
The protagonist is a self proclaimed feminist who somehow loses her feminism and starts believing in the slut shaming logic as soon as the situation arises. If the intention of the author was to make her a bitch, then the author definitely succeeded in that.
Weak, predictable storyline with couple of meek surprises.
Really bad representation/portrayal of rape victims and rape culture.
After reading this book, I totally understand the hate in the reviews.
The protagonist is a self proclaimed feminist who somehow loses her feminism and starts believing in the slut shaming logic as soon as the situation arises. If the intention of the author was to make her a bitch, then the author definitely succeeded in that.
Weak, predictable storyline with couple of meek surprises.
Really bad representation/portrayal of rape victims and rape culture.
2.5 stars - Very unlikeable characters and dumb twist. Honestly would not recommend.
Lol I knew I was going to hate this and yet I read it anyway. Somehow simultaneously preachy and lacking any kind of point at all, while being about the worst "friend" group of all time.