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A review by house_of_hannah
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If I ever have to read the word "bourbon" again it will be too soon ! I swear 2/3 of this book is simply talking about how many drinks this woman has had. It gets tiring very quickly, and if alcoholism is a needed content warning for you, then I would not pick this one up.
This book is a lot. The first 2/3 are very generic, and full of stereotypes that are bizzarely self aware. It gets pretty boring, feels slow, and is honestly just a whole lot of nothing. Then for the last third everything shifts into an entirely different story, and even the pacing completely changes. It feels like this has three different endings with how it just keeps going and going at the end.
I think at least 50 pages could have easily been shaved off. It feels so drawn out, and I even grew to hate the main character. As usual, if you pay attention to what people say in the beginning you can see where this is going early on.
I do feel like the final third of this book almost invalidates the previous part. We see things through the main character, Casey's, eyes so there is information we should have known from the get go, but is purposely withheld from us to make the twists more impactful. You cannot tell me that there was no point where she was thinking about these things. It just feels like lying by omission, and is weird with the point of view we are given.
Even though there are things I majorly disliked in this book, I still think it comes out as an average read. It's quick and easy to get through, kept me intrigued enough to want to know the ending, and gives us a proper, albeit not very believable, ending. The last third is what bumps it up to 3 for me though, as the first 2/3 is sadly just a 2.
This book is a lot. The first 2/3 are very generic, and full of stereotypes that are bizzarely self aware. It gets pretty boring, feels slow, and is honestly just a whole lot of nothing. Then for the last third everything shifts into an entirely different story, and even the pacing completely changes. It feels like this has three different endings with how it just keeps going and going at the end.
I think at least 50 pages could have easily been shaved off. It feels so drawn out, and I even grew to hate the main character. As usual, if you pay attention to what people say in the beginning you can see where this is going early on.
I do feel like the final third of this book almost invalidates the previous part. We see things through the main character, Casey's, eyes so there is information we should have known from the get go, but is purposely withheld from us to make the twists more impactful. You cannot tell me that there was no point where she was thinking about these things. It just feels like lying by omission, and is weird with the point of view we are given.
Even though there are things I majorly disliked in this book, I still think it comes out as an average read. It's quick and easy to get through, kept me intrigued enough to want to know the ending, and gives us a proper, albeit not very believable, ending. The last third is what bumps it up to 3 for me though, as the first 2/3 is sadly just a 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Murder, Violence, Alcohol, and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Suicide
Minor: Infidelity and Vomit