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A review by kearstinreading
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I started and finished this book in a matter of hours, which almost never happens for me at this point in my reading journey.
The Woman in the Library is a twisted story-within-a-story, a fact I was unaware of prior to starting the book. In truth, I'm glad I went into this book blindly - I have a tendency to stray from books that employ this writing device, finding the parallel stories distracting and convoluted. Thankfully, Gentill writes in such a captivating manner that I never once wished either storyline were omitted.
Let's start with the main premise of the book: Whit, Freddie, Marigold, and Cain are four strangers who meet by happenstance. Four post-graduate students sharing a table at the Boston Public Library, the group are instantly bonded by the sound of a woman's scream from down the hall. The uncertainty surrounding the scream - and the later discovery of a fellow student's body mere rooms away - instantly bonds the four, sparking a friendship amongst those who might have never met otherwise.
Over the course of the novel, Freddie (the main character, although the other three are just as key to the plot), is taken on a breakneck journey brimming with death, love, betrayals, and uncertainty. Who killed Caroline, the woman in the library? Is Cain truly nothing more than the Handsome Man Freddie labeled him as, or will his dark & twisted history put her and her newfound friends in imminent danger? How does her friendly neighbor, Leo, fit into this narrative?
Now - for the story-within-the-story. From the very beginning, readers are made acutely aware that Freddie and her friends are nothing more than a work of fiction. Hannah, a famous novelist in Australia, is working on her latest novel. As she completes each chapter of her current manuscript, she shares the latest pages with a long-distance friend, Leo. Readers quickly learn that Leo is an avid fan of Hannah's, one who lives in Boston and prides himself on being able to "assist" with Hannah's latest work of art. Perhaps a touch overeager, Leo frequently sends Hannah pictures and descriptions of places around Boston in hopes of enhancing her story.
At first, Leo's suggestions are endearing. In fact, I found myself wondering how their dynamic came to be - how a fan, a reader of Hannah's work, established such frequent and trusted contact with a beloved writer. Isn't that every readers dream?! However, with each correspondence (located at the conclusion of each chapter, reflecting upon the chapter's events), more and more of Leo's true colors began to shine. Is he really just an avid fan, or is there more to Leo's interest in Hannah's work?
All in all, The Woman in the Library was a great way to kick off my 2023 reads. I highly recommend to anyone looking for an easy-to-read mystery that keeps readers guessing until the final chapter.
The Woman in the Library is a twisted story-within-a-story, a fact I was unaware of prior to starting the book. In truth, I'm glad I went into this book blindly - I have a tendency to stray from books that employ this writing device, finding the parallel stories distracting and convoluted. Thankfully, Gentill writes in such a captivating manner that I never once wished either storyline were omitted.
Let's start with the main premise of the book: Whit, Freddie, Marigold, and Cain are four strangers who meet by happenstance. Four post-graduate students sharing a table at the Boston Public Library, the group are instantly bonded by the sound of a woman's scream from down the hall. The uncertainty surrounding the scream - and the later discovery of a fellow student's body mere rooms away - instantly bonds the four, sparking a friendship amongst those who might have never met otherwise.
Over the course of the novel, Freddie (the main character, although the other three are just as key to the plot), is taken on a breakneck journey brimming with death, love, betrayals, and uncertainty. Who killed Caroline, the woman in the library? Is Cain truly nothing more than the Handsome Man Freddie labeled him as, or will his dark & twisted history put her and her newfound friends in imminent danger? How does her friendly neighbor, Leo, fit into this narrative?
Now - for the story-within-the-story. From the very beginning, readers are made acutely aware that Freddie and her friends are nothing more than a work of fiction. Hannah, a famous novelist in Australia, is working on her latest novel. As she completes each chapter of her current manuscript, she shares the latest pages with a long-distance friend, Leo. Readers quickly learn that Leo is an avid fan of Hannah's, one who lives in Boston and prides himself on being able to "assist" with Hannah's latest work of art. Perhaps a touch overeager, Leo frequently sends Hannah pictures and descriptions of places around Boston in hopes of enhancing her story.
At first, Leo's suggestions are endearing. In fact, I found myself wondering how their dynamic came to be - how a fan, a reader of Hannah's work, established such frequent and trusted contact with a beloved writer. Isn't that every readers dream?! However, with each correspondence (located at the conclusion of each chapter, reflecting upon the chapter's events), more and more of Leo's true colors began to shine. Is he really just an avid fan, or is there more to Leo's interest in Hannah's work?
All in all, The Woman in the Library was a great way to kick off my 2023 reads. I highly recommend to anyone looking for an easy-to-read mystery that keeps readers guessing until the final chapter.