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A review by niaforrester
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes
4.0
In honor of the intrepid writers who hope to crank out a novel in 30 days for National Novel Writing Month, I thought it fitting that I review the work of an author whose career began in 2006 with NaNoWriMo. In fairness, I should say I didn't know this when I began reading 'Into the Darkest Corner'. My motives were purely selfish. I want to write suspense dramas at some point, and this book seemed like as good a place as any to start.
The plot sounded interesting enough--young woman meets intriguing stranger, who seems like the man of her dreams, but he becomes instead the stuff of nightmares. As a fellow writer recently pointed out, the plot of 'Into the Darkest Corner' bears some similarities to the popular movie, 'Sleeping with the Enemy'. But once you read it, no, not really.
'Into the Darkest Corner' is a psychological thriller. Told in alternating chapters of past and present, we see Catherine coping with the aftermath of her relationship with Lee, a man who when she first met him seemed to be an incredible stroke of luck. You see, Catherine was a bit of a party-girl, and all her relationships are of the casual, one-night variety. She goes out drinking with friends and she picks men up, who she takes back to her apartment for a night or a few hours. She has no awareness that something better or deeper might be out there for her.
Then she meets Lee. He's working as a bouncer at a local nightclub and is impossibly handsome, incredibly charming and a passionate lover. In almost record time, Lee's most heartfelt passion becomes Catherine herself. And before Catherine can even begin to process all this, Lee has woven himself into her life, has a key to her apartment, has ingratiated himself with her friends and is dictating what Catherine can wear, who she can see, and when. And to make matters worse, he is a man of many secrets, all of which--once revealed--make Catherine's reluctance to end the relationship not only understandable, but in some weird way, sensible.
Catherine survives Lee. But only barely. And now he is coming out of prison and she must face him, and more to the point, face the person she has become as a result of their relationship.
Catherine's struggle to cope with her past, the stark nature of her present, and her desire for a future, perhaps with her sympathetic neighbor, the handsome Stuart are the real core of this book. I liked the psychological thriller elements but especially liked that I so thoroughly identified with Catherine (who is so unlike me that my identifying with her defied explanation) that I was scared when she was, frustrated when she was, and most of all began to feel her sense of empowerment as it grew.
I want to say more, but won't, because I want you to read it. Especially you Na NoWriMo-ers. If this is what's possible in 30 days of dedicated and disciplined writing, then I can't wait to see what you produce. Write on!
N.
The plot sounded interesting enough--young woman meets intriguing stranger, who seems like the man of her dreams, but he becomes instead the stuff of nightmares. As a fellow writer recently pointed out, the plot of 'Into the Darkest Corner' bears some similarities to the popular movie, 'Sleeping with the Enemy'. But once you read it, no, not really.
'Into the Darkest Corner' is a psychological thriller. Told in alternating chapters of past and present, we see Catherine coping with the aftermath of her relationship with Lee, a man who when she first met him seemed to be an incredible stroke of luck. You see, Catherine was a bit of a party-girl, and all her relationships are of the casual, one-night variety. She goes out drinking with friends and she picks men up, who she takes back to her apartment for a night or a few hours. She has no awareness that something better or deeper might be out there for her.
Then she meets Lee. He's working as a bouncer at a local nightclub and is impossibly handsome, incredibly charming and a passionate lover. In almost record time, Lee's most heartfelt passion becomes Catherine herself. And before Catherine can even begin to process all this, Lee has woven himself into her life, has a key to her apartment, has ingratiated himself with her friends and is dictating what Catherine can wear, who she can see, and when. And to make matters worse, he is a man of many secrets, all of which--once revealed--make Catherine's reluctance to end the relationship not only understandable, but in some weird way, sensible.
Catherine survives Lee. But only barely. And now he is coming out of prison and she must face him, and more to the point, face the person she has become as a result of their relationship.
Catherine's struggle to cope with her past, the stark nature of her present, and her desire for a future, perhaps with her sympathetic neighbor, the handsome Stuart are the real core of this book. I liked the psychological thriller elements but especially liked that I so thoroughly identified with Catherine (who is so unlike me that my identifying with her defied explanation) that I was scared when she was, frustrated when she was, and most of all began to feel her sense of empowerment as it grew.
I want to say more, but won't, because I want you to read it. Especially you Na NoWriMo-ers. If this is what's possible in 30 days of dedicated and disciplined writing, then I can't wait to see what you produce. Write on!
N.