A review by frances_frances
The Guest by Emma Cline

emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was stressful and often irritating but I was also completely invested. The look at power dynamics and agency was interesting and was left appropriately unsettled and ambiguous. Alex is toxic and I wouldn't want anything to do with her in real life. But she's also a rather tragic character who clearly never experienced genuine love, romantically or platonically. She never really had a chance. In this way, she felt realistically infuriating and sympathetic. Also Emma Cline's prose is just really good.