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kate66's review against another edition
1.0
This book bored me. It wasn't that the characters were even interesting enough to be unlikeable. I slogged through it and even though it's less than 300 pages it took me over 3 days to read. It barely held my attention for more than a paragraph at a time. Sorry but there it is. The front cover has Gripping, Thrilling and Superb on it. I did not agree.
nixieknox's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I like unreliable narrators that lie to themselves more than who lie to me.
chandlermgall's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
belainey's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.75
pam_fuze's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, what a great read. Pure sunspense the whole way, as we wait, impatiently but not wanting to rush a word, to find out what shinannigans took place at the party. Intriguing subplots developed through the lens of richly developed characters. Love reading an author who I immediately makes me want to read everything else they've written.
annika_de's review against another edition
5.0
There are so many ways this book could have gone wrong, and instead, it went stunningly right. We’re talking impeccable pacing and characters with real depth. The book starts off with the main character and narrator, Martin, in a police station, being questioned about an unspecified crime that occurred his friend Ben’s birthday party the night before. Martin and Ben have been friends most of their lives, but it's implied they are no longer on good terms. The reader is left to discover how their friendship began, what allowed it to endure, and why it began to fracture.
The book alternates between the interrogation and flashbacks to critical points in Martin’s life and his friendship with Ben. Books with this format often irritate me because many authors pay more attention to creating an interestingly constructed book than to delivering information to the reader. That was not the case with this book; each flashback is another puzzle piece towards understanding who these people are. I craved more information not because I wanted to solve the “mystery” but because I was dying to learn more about the characters. (Incidentally, there isn’t some mind-blowing twist at the end. In fact, I think the beauty of the book is that by the conclusion, the reader understands the characters so well that everything makes perfect sense.) One of my favorite things was the author’s inclusion of excerpts from Martin’s wife’s journal. Martin, in addition to being an unreliable narrator, is an unusual person, so it’s fun to contrast how he views himself with how he is viewed by the person closest to him.
Beyond the compelling plot, the writing is irresistibly sharp. There are so many simple, piercingly accurate comments on wealth, privilege, and the masks that people wear. A couple that I loved:
“As a teenager, he had been touchingly sincere. These days, he saw sincerity as a valuable asset and it wasn’t quite the same thing.”
“That’s the problem with charm. It means you get away with stuff. It means you never have to develop a real character because no one remembers to look for one.”
Martin is a fascinating narrator. In some ways, he is impossible to sympathize with, but there are other moments when he is entirely relatable. His voice reminded me a bit of Humbert Humbert from Lolita, another character who is difficult to like but made easy to understand by a skilled author.
I really couldn’t have enjoyed this book more – I once missed my stop on the metro because I didn’t want to put it down. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
The book alternates between the interrogation and flashbacks to critical points in Martin’s life and his friendship with Ben. Books with this format often irritate me because many authors pay more attention to creating an interestingly constructed book than to delivering information to the reader. That was not the case with this book; each flashback is another puzzle piece towards understanding who these people are. I craved more information not because I wanted to solve the “mystery” but because I was dying to learn more about the characters. (Incidentally, there isn’t some mind-blowing twist at the end. In fact, I think the beauty of the book is that by the conclusion, the reader understands the characters so well that everything makes perfect sense.) One of my favorite things was the author’s inclusion of excerpts from Martin’s wife’s journal. Martin, in addition to being an unreliable narrator, is an unusual person, so it’s fun to contrast how he views himself with how he is viewed by the person closest to him.
Beyond the compelling plot, the writing is irresistibly sharp. There are so many simple, piercingly accurate comments on wealth, privilege, and the masks that people wear. A couple that I loved:
“As a teenager, he had been touchingly sincere. These days, he saw sincerity as a valuable asset and it wasn’t quite the same thing.”
“That’s the problem with charm. It means you get away with stuff. It means you never have to develop a real character because no one remembers to look for one.”
Martin is a fascinating narrator. In some ways, he is impossible to sympathize with, but there are other moments when he is entirely relatable. His voice reminded me a bit of Humbert Humbert from Lolita, another character who is difficult to like but made easy to understand by a skilled author.
I really couldn’t have enjoyed this book more – I once missed my stop on the metro because I didn’t want to put it down. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
idicalini's review against another edition
3.0
A fairly average book, with some of the least likeable characters I've ever come across. I suppose that's kind of the point of the story, but it just made me angry...
Otherwise, the plot is fine. I liked the build-up to the revelation of what happened at the party, the way the story was set up in three different timelines, yet it was easy go keep track of it. The writing itself was also pretty nice, just descriptive enough for my tastes but not too flowery. If only all the characters weren't so horrible... (or human, if you're a pessimist, which I am usually not)
Otherwise, the plot is fine. I liked the build-up to the revelation of what happened at the party, the way the story was set up in three different timelines, yet it was easy go keep track of it. The writing itself was also pretty nice, just descriptive enough for my tastes but not too flowery. If only all the characters weren't so horrible... (or human, if you're a pessimist, which I am usually not)
ruth_power's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Gripping, especially the second half! But the ending was disappointing. Explores the unfairness of class, privilege and power. However, the obsession was on point!