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A review by meghan_readsbooks
Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
5.0
"Everything is in the before moment. That's where life is richest, in that moment of possibility and anti-say it, the audience screamed at the screen-pation. ... And then the ball finds its slot and the story ends even as it begins." (Dream Girls, Laura Lippman)
Thank you William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for providing access to Laura Lippman's new book Dream Girls for review. This was a great thriller and the ending, yes!! The almost tongue in cheek play on the idea in the quote above about anticipation, well done. I can feel who how Ms. Lippman was indeed waiting for the ball to find its slot with her plot and her resolution.
I am almost never fully satisfied by the end of a thriller and yet this one was just right, I really appreciated how Ms. Lippman took the reader on a complicated story, at times with shifting tone and focus, and generated some uncertainty in the reader about what kind of person Gerry Andersen really was and if how he viewed himself was really accurate (was he really a good man?), and then had such a delightful and insightful end that, for me, explained all of this. I appreciate the intentionality of the story and the creativity, and I think delight, Ms. Lippman showed in writing and sharing this story.
PLOT: Gerry Andersen, famous writer, is forced to consider his past relationships, his most famous character, and if he is losing his mind after an accident leaves him in the hands of a possibly manipulative nurse (themes of Misery are intentional and well respected, especially with a theme about books and movies and reality vs fiction woven into the plot.... it works!). Is he losing his mind, being gaslit, or is someone trying to hurt him and exact revenge for something he may or may not have done? Is he trying to create a past that misrepresents who he really is and was?
THOUGHTS: There is a lot to enjoy about this thriller, even horror, book. First, Ms. Lippman has a strong focus on intentionally creating confusion, I felt as unsure and even scared once or twice, about what was happening to Gerry... there is a create theme of anticipation and I just love how Ms. Lippman takes this seemingly small part of a memory, a former friendship, and then perhaps makes the whole plot about that theme.
Second, I love when writers weave in connections, purposefully, to other books and movies and shows a respect for her idea, plot, and the broader genres she is examining. In some ways Gerry is doing this work for her via his role as author, teacher, and of course protagonist and I appreciate those moments of connection to real world books, movies, and culture.
Third, I respect a slow burn that is also somehow a fast read. The book is atmospheric, at times does play with tone and style and I think intentionally makes you question if Gerry's own ideas about himself are really fair to others in his life... He seems unaware of the harm he has perhaps created, thinking himself a good man or just someone who can and does move on with his life... and yet, it seems it is this thinking and his past that are keeping him from now moving on after his accident. This is thought provoking as is the idea that a theme was how Gerry didn't want to write his memoirs and yet... this book becomes in a way his memoir. That was well done as well.
Fourth, as noted above, I loved the end. It made me smile and then sit back and say how interesting and I like how the end tackles some of what might be a criticism of the book (shifting tone, confusion or seeming inconsistencies with how Gerry is portrayed, moving alliances or sympathies) and makes it all work. It was rewarding to the reader and also respectful of the reader who might have been wondering about some of these aspects of the writing and the plot.
I think this is a great book for mystery lovers and worthy of thought provoking discussions in book clubs. I hope people appreciate the writing and plot development, how Ms. Lippman is playing with themes a bit, and that the plot is worth the time.
Thank you William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for providing access to Laura Lippman's new book Dream Girls for review. This was a great thriller and the ending, yes!! The almost tongue in cheek play on the idea in the quote above about anticipation, well done. I can feel who how Ms. Lippman was indeed waiting for the ball to find its slot with her plot and her resolution.
I am almost never fully satisfied by the end of a thriller and yet this one was just right, I really appreciated how Ms. Lippman took the reader on a complicated story, at times with shifting tone and focus, and generated some uncertainty in the reader about what kind of person Gerry Andersen really was and if how he viewed himself was really accurate (was he really a good man?), and then had such a delightful and insightful end that, for me, explained all of this. I appreciate the intentionality of the story and the creativity, and I think delight, Ms. Lippman showed in writing and sharing this story.
PLOT: Gerry Andersen, famous writer, is forced to consider his past relationships, his most famous character, and if he is losing his mind after an accident leaves him in the hands of a possibly manipulative nurse (themes of Misery are intentional and well respected, especially with a theme about books and movies and reality vs fiction woven into the plot.... it works!). Is he losing his mind, being gaslit, or is someone trying to hurt him and exact revenge for something he may or may not have done? Is he trying to create a past that misrepresents who he really is and was?
THOUGHTS: There is a lot to enjoy about this thriller, even horror, book. First, Ms. Lippman has a strong focus on intentionally creating confusion, I felt as unsure and even scared once or twice, about what was happening to Gerry... there is a create theme of anticipation and I just love how Ms. Lippman takes this seemingly small part of a memory, a former friendship, and then perhaps makes the whole plot about that theme.
Second, I love when writers weave in connections, purposefully, to other books and movies and shows a respect for her idea, plot, and the broader genres she is examining. In some ways Gerry is doing this work for her via his role as author, teacher, and of course protagonist and I appreciate those moments of connection to real world books, movies, and culture.
Third, I respect a slow burn that is also somehow a fast read. The book is atmospheric, at times does play with tone and style and I think intentionally makes you question if Gerry's own ideas about himself are really fair to others in his life... He seems unaware of the harm he has perhaps created, thinking himself a good man or just someone who can and does move on with his life... and yet, it seems it is this thinking and his past that are keeping him from now moving on after his accident. This is thought provoking as is the idea that a theme was how Gerry didn't want to write his memoirs and yet... this book becomes in a way his memoir. That was well done as well.
Fourth, as noted above, I loved the end. It made me smile and then sit back and say how interesting and I like how the end tackles some of what might be a criticism of the book (shifting tone, confusion or seeming inconsistencies with how Gerry is portrayed, moving alliances or sympathies) and makes it all work. It was rewarding to the reader and also respectful of the reader who might have been wondering about some of these aspects of the writing and the plot.
I think this is a great book for mystery lovers and worthy of thought provoking discussions in book clubs. I hope people appreciate the writing and plot development, how Ms. Lippman is playing with themes a bit, and that the plot is worth the time.