Review by chloeeereads - Verity

chloeeereads 's review for:

Verity by Colleen Hoover

4.0

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I have seen so many people talk about this book, but I was still NOT prepared and I finished it in one sitting because I could not put it down once I started. Verity is a painfully mind-bending psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right down to the last sentence. While definitely not for the faint of heart, CoHo does a great job of building suspense and intrigue whilst still including questionable and downright awful stuff so that your fears and concerns are totally justified.

I think the plot is what stood out the most for me throughout this book. It was a great concept and the execution was pretty well done. However, I can’t say I felt too much connection to any of the characters. The romance felt a little one-dimensional and rushed at some points, and I also can’t say that I felt too strongly about Lowen and Jeremy ending up together. The lack of character development was also disappointing. Also in terms of plot, I did feel that there were a couple of things that didn’t make much sense or didn’t seem to have a place in the wider story (thinking of Lowen’s mum dying, her tendency to sleepwalk, the whole way that Lowen and Jeremy meet).

I think the thing that I liked most about this book was that it kept you guessing. You know nothing for certain, and the ending certainly doesn’t provide any clarity. I think that even though the ending keeps you guessing, it’s pretty clear which version of the truth you have been led to believe. I almost wish CoHo spent a bit more time trying to paint Jeremy as an unreliable and questionable character so that the ending truly did leave you torn over who to believe and trust.

It’s twisted and deranged and I had to physically close it at certain points to recover. Definite trigger warnings for abortion, miscarriage, self harm/suicide, murder, child abuse. I honestly believe I will continue to think about these characters and what would have happened after the final pages for years to come.

Content Warnings