A review by jamballdonut
A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

So far of the 3 books I've read by Paula Hawkins, I've only enjoyed 1 of them, and it was not this book.  I mean, it was an okay book, but jumping between the characters got confusing and I just didn't find myself liking any of them (Not that liking a character is a prerequisite to enjoy a book, but it obviously helps).

I don't have much to say other than when the killer was eventually revealed, although I didn't suspect it would be them, I just didn't care.

Both Carla and Miriam were just.. not enjoyable in the slightest.  Carla was boring and bland, and seemed massively underdeveloped, while Miriam just seemed like the nosy neighbour who can't keep her nose out of anyone's business
(Also, constantly mentioning how horrifically ugly she was, while only really focusing on her having an unattractive face, bad teeth, and being fat made me feel very.. not great about all of that.  Was there actually something wrong with her? Or was she just not conventionally attractive? She was short and fat, so that makes her some hideous beast? Mmm, no thank you.)
In comparison, although Laura grated on me, especially in the beginning, she became the main character that I truly enjoyed, mostly because she seemed authentic in a way that none of the other main characters did.  Carla's husband, ex-husband, current boy toy, whatever you want to describe him as was equally as bland, boring, and vapid.  Nobody cares about your "Main Character Syndrome", sir.

I think if she'd kept the same cast of characters, but had it from the focus of only one or two characters, it would have been much more enjoyable.  But, the switching between the main 4-5 characters, and focusing so much on previous deaths just got distracting and made the story feel bogged down to the point that the actual recent murder didn't even seem like the main plot point.

Altogether, after thoroughly enjoying Girl on the Train and thoroughly disliking this and Into the Water, I really can't see myself picking up another book by Paula Hawkins.  I want to love her, I really do, but she just makes it so hard to do so.
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