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A review by judyc_elementz_mj
The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel
dark
tense
- 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
2.5
To begin, I'll say, it took to page 200 of a 338 page book to get a dead body ... just saying!
Everything leading up to that was a collection of various POV's that slipped from present to past and back again. It made for a very choppy and fragmented story, which did eventually come together. It just took forever to get there.
Once the dead body was found, things moved a bit quicker, but by then, I'd pretty much figured out who the killer was (the real one) and how things had transpired in their pasts. Can I also say that I hated all of them? There wasn't a single one with a likable (or even dislikable) quality. They were all just THERE. It killed the story for me because characters can carry a story for me.
Overall, it was a fairly lacklustre story about a bunch of old college friends who hated each other, a few loved themselves, and several had reasons for feeling sorry for themselves. Oh, and guilty for real reasons that should make them redeemable (it didn't). Yes, I'm serious.
And in the end, the author attempted a bit of warmth among the ones left and that fell with a big splat. I'm not sure I'd recommend this book, but it wasn't the worst I've read. I think I covered all of the things that I felt dragged the story down.
I would add that the best thing about the book was the setting of the hotel. It was a combination of really cool and super creepy at the same time.
Everything leading up to that was a collection of various POV's that slipped from present to past and back again. It made for a very choppy and fragmented story, which did eventually come together. It just took forever to get there.
Once the dead body was found, things moved a bit quicker, but by then, I'd pretty much figured out who the killer was (the real one) and how things had transpired in their pasts. Can I also say that I hated all of them? There wasn't a single one with a likable (or even dislikable) quality. They were all just THERE. It killed the story for me because characters can carry a story for me.
Overall, it was a fairly lacklustre story about a bunch of old college friends who hated each other, a few loved themselves, and several had reasons for feeling sorry for themselves. Oh, and guilty for real reasons that should make them redeemable (it didn't). Yes, I'm serious.
And in the end, the author attempted a bit of warmth among the ones left and that fell with a big splat. I'm not sure I'd recommend this book, but it wasn't the worst I've read. I think I covered all of the things that I felt dragged the story down.
I would add that the best thing about the book was the setting of the hotel. It was a combination of really cool and super creepy at the same time.