tannervolz 's review for:

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

2.0

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This isn’t awful, exactly, but it really frustrated me. I can only handle so many chapters of tedious acquiescence from characters governed, mostly understandably, by self-pity, nervousness, giddiness, and apologia. I mean, it’s a book about one victim after another (and one absurdly, desperately infatuated loser) of a surprisingly incompetent serial imprisoner and murderer of women. I sort of like some of its style choices; Michallon alternates points of view across her psycho’s myriad victims, giving us an idea of the stages of life of women in his life. But, they are all so samey, and the story so preposterous and high concept, that her formal invention achieves nothing. I enjoyed its final hour or so, but it’s otherwise repetitive and dramatically lifeless.