A review by aoliv__25
Never Lie by Freida McFadden

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The internet persuaded me to read this one, and I did so in 5 hours. Starting with the dislike, the actual writing style isn't particularly great; it's very simple, which makes it quick to get through but the actual text not particularly vibrant. This seems to be a common theme with thrillers; I wish they'd take time to develop their prose a bit more. But I am particularly picky. In terms of plot, for the first half I was sceptical, and mainly kept reading because I found the book frustrating.
I think the unreliable narrator became far too obvious far too quickly due to the absurdity of the situation.
Additionally, all the characters grated. I don't mind unlikeable, but it did also increase my reading speed as I just didn't really want to be hearing about them any more. Luckily, the plot evolved nicely and made it a worthy read in the end. I guessed several of the twists and made connections for a few more, but as someone who usually sees them all coming, having a few I didn't was a nice change. One of the better thriller's I've read recently. Not perfect, but entertaining.
It was also rather hilarious trying to take the "two can keep a secret..." Line seriously each time whilst hearing the PLL theme tune!
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