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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
The Netflix version is such a guilty pleasure of mine but oh my god… the book is so creepy and disturbing and blatantly misogynistic I couldn’t make myself finish. Men suck so bad !
Watched the show on netflix before I read the book. Although I knew where the story would end, the book provided a much deeper insight into the creepy and obsessive mind of Joe Goldberg. A multitude of differences from the show were a welcome relief while at the same time were obviously quite alarming - but in the best way. The way that the reader is forced into seeing the world through Joe’s eyes is disarming and at times entirely unsettling - but the way that the book is written drags you in and forces you to continue, to find out what happens next. All in all I would highly recommend this book if you don’t mind being completely paranoid by the end.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
300 pages of joe bitching and going on and on and on about how much he wants to fuck beck. I could only get halfway through this bullshit tbh
This was so dark and creepy, I loved it. Told in second person makes it even creepier. I was immediately drawn into the story and Joe’s obsession for a girl he meets at the bookstore he works for. After stalking her for a while, he manages to get her to fall in love with him.
No one in this book is likable so in the end you kind of find yourself almost rooting for Joe, which makes this so much more weird and twisted. Definitely a fascinating read and I look forward to reading the next book, and watching the show as well.
No one in this book is likable so in the end you kind of find yourself almost rooting for Joe, which makes this so much more weird and twisted. Definitely a fascinating read and I look forward to reading the next book, and watching the show as well.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wasted potential — that’s all I can say about this book.
I considered the TV series my “guilty pleasure” — so bad it was actually good. But the book? It’s hard to call it a “pleasure” at all — more like “guilty suffering.”
The language in which this story is written is blatantly vulgar. Dear author, you’re writing about a stalker, a psychopath, a murderer — the reader is well aware they’re reading a mature novel, but using swear words instead of commas doesn’t add any depth or seriousness to the story.
The book is difficult to read, and any moment that might have been interesting is immediately ruined by how it’s written. Of course, one could justify it as “stylistic” — after all, we’re inside the main character’s head — but I cringed every time the supposedly well-read protagonist couldn’t describe anything without swearing.
On the plus side, the concept itself is undeniably intriguing. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that’s the only positive. If it weren’t for the TV series, I probably would have never picked up this book — and I wouldn’t have missed much
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment
dark
funny
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