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dalyandot's review
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
An entertaining story with enough plot twists to make it thought provoking and unpredictable. Explores what we might be tempted to do and how we decide what we should do with life. But with (mostly)upbeat ending
cinnaminta's review
4.0
It has been a while since I read a book that I couldn't put down. I read the second half in 2 hours, staying up way too late to finish this. I loved it.
Two women, unknown to each other meet on a crowded train. They come from completely different backgrounds, but they are united in heartbreak. Their husbands are terrible men. A seemingly perfect plan, to get rid of the horrible husbands is agreed. They will simply murder them for each other. What can possibly go wrong?
I loved this book. It has been a while since i havent been able to put a book down, but i was swept up in this story. I felt for Hannah, and also Stan, an unlikely friend. I will be looking for more stories by this author, as apparently, all her tales are interconnected, with characters popping up in all of them.
Two women, unknown to each other meet on a crowded train. They come from completely different backgrounds, but they are united in heartbreak. Their husbands are terrible men. A seemingly perfect plan, to get rid of the horrible husbands is agreed. They will simply murder them for each other. What can possibly go wrong?
I loved this book. It has been a while since i havent been able to put a book down, but i was swept up in this story. I felt for Hannah, and also Stan, an unlikely friend. I will be looking for more stories by this author, as apparently, all her tales are interconnected, with characters popping up in all of them.
bcwndrs's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
laurae27's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
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? No
3.5
margaret21's review
4.0
I raced through this book of almost 400 pages in less than a day: it's immensely readable. Working class Hannah escapes her background through her university education. At Durham University she meets her dream boyfriend, climbs onto the career ladder ... and falls pregnant. Dream boyfriend marries her, but it all turn ugly and abusive, and lone parent Hannah is forced to quite her job and turn to cleaning. On a train journey - she's off to see her dying mother one last time - she meets Jinni, who inveigles her into a plot. Each will kill the other's husband ....
Attempting to keep her part of the bargain, Hannah meets Jinni's husband, and soon it's clear that there are two sides to the story of Jinni's marriage ...
This isn't just a good story (occasionally stretching credulity) but a state of the nation novel examining contemporary issues - division through class, region and the Brexit vote; domestic violence, the gig economy. A novel for the socially engaged Guardian reader, but a page-turner too.
Attempting to keep her part of the bargain, Hannah meets Jinni's husband, and soon it's clear that there are two sides to the story of Jinni's marriage ...
This isn't just a good story (occasionally stretching credulity) but a state of the nation novel examining contemporary issues - division through class, region and the Brexit vote; domestic violence, the gig economy. A novel for the socially engaged Guardian reader, but a page-turner too.
salmonator's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
reading_fox's review against another edition
3.0
This book has been difficult to review because I have really contrasting feelings on it. And I think that's because the book itself is maybe trying to be too much. So I'm going to review it in sections.
The stories of Hannah and Stan: this is what kept me turning the pages. It was gripping and interesting, especially the way their lives were mirrored opposites and the lessons they had to learn from each other. With Cornwall as a backdrop this was a great story.
The omnipresent nattrator: there was a very distinctive third voice which I presume was the author. Through this we had lots of info dumping, lots of telling but no showing and lots of political pontificating. Just sort of random lectures on the benefits system, brexit, and poverty. It was all stuff I agree with but it wasn't delicately laced within the plot but rather one minute a character would be talking about their Iraqi grandmother and the next they are giving a lecture about the middle East. It was unnatural. Almost like it was the authors notes and character backstories that should have been edited out.
****SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT****
The ending;
"Yes. No more landlords. No more generation rent". It pissed me off
The stories of Hannah and Stan: this is what kept me turning the pages. It was gripping and interesting, especially the way their lives were mirrored opposites and the lessons they had to learn from each other. With Cornwall as a backdrop this was a great story.
The omnipresent nattrator: there was a very distinctive third voice which I presume was the author. Through this we had lots of info dumping, lots of telling but no showing and lots of political pontificating. Just sort of random lectures on the benefits system, brexit, and poverty. It was all stuff I agree with but it wasn't delicately laced within the plot but rather one minute a character would be talking about their Iraqi grandmother and the next they are giving a lecture about the middle East. It was unnatural. Almost like it was the authors notes and character backstories that should have been edited out.
****SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT****
The ending;
"Yes. No more landlords. No more generation rent". It pissed me off
jessica_t1's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
njw13's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0