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A review by ale_irigoyen
The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
First of all, you should know this book narrates a love story between a teenage girl and a grown man (almost a 20 year difference).
I was not comfortable with it, but I decided to push and look past that. I was never able to let it go though. It's a constant in this book and it always comes up. However, the book caught my attention after a few chapters, and then lost it... miserably. I kept on reading because I was told the last chapters were worth it.... were they?
Okay let's do this... Marcus Goldman, our unlikeable MC and one-hit wonder author finds out that his most admired teacher is a pedophile and is possibly a murderer. He drops everything to go comfort his friend, and luckily finds inspiration to break his 2 year hiatus. He starts to discover his teacher's innocent relationship with said teenager and tries to convince himself that it was love. Not only does he convince himself it was love between both individuals but he starts to uncover some dark secrets the town isn't willing to reveal.
First, the fact that the MC is determined to defend his teacher's love story is repudiable. There's no way you can justify that relationship, no way. Also, there's no way a writer could become the police's main investigator; not that he's called that, but it definately felt that way. And the last chapters? Sure, they were interesting and twisty and maybe worth it. But the book was too long and I think it could've been cut shorter. The reveals were interesting and I never saw them coming; but I still believe that, had the police done their job back in 1975, they could've found the true killer.
I was not comfortable with it, but I decided to push and look past that. I was never able to let it go though. It's a constant in this book and it always comes up. However, the book caught my attention after a few chapters, and then lost it... miserably. I kept on reading because I was told the last chapters were worth it.... were they?
Okay let's do this... Marcus Goldman, our unlikeable MC and one-hit wonder author finds out that his most admired teacher is a pedophile and is possibly a murderer. He drops everything to go comfort his friend, and luckily finds inspiration to break his 2 year hiatus. He starts to discover his teacher's innocent relationship with said teenager and tries to convince himself that it was love. Not only does he convince himself it was love between both individuals but he starts to uncover some dark secrets the town isn't willing to reveal.
First, the fact that the MC is determined to defend his teacher's love story is repudiable. There's no way you can justify that relationship, no way. Also, there's no way a writer could become the police's main investigator; not that he's called that, but it definately felt that way. And the last chapters? Sure, they were interesting and twisty and maybe worth it. But the book was too long and I think it could've been cut shorter. The reveals were interesting and I never saw them coming; but I still believe that, had the police done their job back in 1975, they could've found the true killer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship