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A review by breanagab
Verity by Colleen Hoover
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.5
Overall, I still rate Verity considerably high (3.5) because I enjoyed the plot and see the potential, as in I couldn’t stop turning the page to find out what happened. However, the novel was written too much like a fan-fiction with flat characters, an undeveloped cheating trope, and incredibly violent scenes.
To start with the good part, I thought the plot was extremely creative and remained unpredictable throughout. Although unrealistic, the idea of Verity being incapacitated, yet having a dark past was interesting. I loved how Colleen used the manuscript to reveal her actions, separating parts of the present-day plot by inserting chapters of the autobiography. I also thought the suspense was well done, and perfect for a thriller. If written by another author and a different writing style, with still these key details, Verity could have been a 5-star read.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the characters and other aspects of the novel. Verity was incapacitated and developed little throughout the narrative, motivated solely by her apparent obsession for Jeremy until the last letter. Lowen was a writer with a semi-dark past who sleepwalked; she had no other interests. The sleepwalking subplot had little progression either, other than justifying the importance of locks. Jeremy was simply a cute love interest who adored his children, whose grief was barely apparent in the story and obviously cared little for his wife. It was not until the last letter that any of these characters COULD have had character development, depending on the reader’s interpretation of it. If you believe the letter, Jeremy becomes suspicious (which, in my opinion, he always was for being a cheater despite believing his wife’s disability) and Verity is redeemed. I find it hard to believe in the letter, however, as there was nothing leading up to it. The entire novel made you hate Verity, then it adds that ambiguity at the end? It felt rushed and out of place. Nevertheless, I do think the ambiguity was important to allow the reader to interpret the thriller in their own way, I really just believe Colleen could have done better at making some sense of it. If you believe the manuscript, Verity remains the villain of the story. In both endings, however, Lowen still becomes a version of Verity (in the idea which the manuscript portrayed her as). Eventually, Lowen is just as obsessed, which does not even come in later as it is literally introduced in the first pages. The little character development she had was that she became a killer, taking part in Verity’s murder with no remorse. Ultimately, the characters were just disappointing, and deserved more complexity.
Next, the cheating trope. I did not like it, and I did not expect to like it as I never have in the books I read. It was cruel to portray a man cheating on his incapacitated wife. Lowen simply agreed, too. All of the characters were just extremely unlikeable, and Colleen made it as if people absolutely cannot resist the idea of sex: Jeremy could not keep his hands off of Verity before their tragedies, and vice versa. Jeremy and Lowen were inseparable on their first night together. Just no. Lowen, especially, could have easily resisted and stopped him. I just hated the infidelity, and find those tropes annoying.
I also hated the incredibly vivid accounts of violence against children, which is another reason why I could not believe the letter at the end of the story. There are other ways to depict people, more specifically mothers, as evil without involving children and infants. It was just wrong and unenjoyable to read.
I already read It Ends With Us, and found the writing style unappealing, so it is my own fault for believing Verity would be any different. I do see how other people would like it, but personally, this is the last time I’m reading a novel by Colleen Hoover.
To start with the good part, I thought the plot was extremely creative and remained unpredictable throughout. Although unrealistic, the idea of Verity being incapacitated, yet having a dark past was interesting. I loved how Colleen used the manuscript to reveal her actions, separating parts of the present-day plot by inserting chapters of the autobiography. I also thought the suspense was well done, and perfect for a thriller. If written by another author and a different writing style, with still these key details, Verity could have been a 5-star read.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the characters and other aspects of the novel. Verity was incapacitated and developed little throughout the narrative, motivated solely by her apparent obsession for Jeremy until the last letter. Lowen was a writer with a semi-dark past who sleepwalked; she had no other interests. The sleepwalking subplot had little progression either, other than justifying the importance of locks. Jeremy was simply a cute love interest who adored his children, whose grief was barely apparent in the story and obviously cared little for his wife. It was not until the last letter that any of these characters COULD have had character development, depending on the reader’s interpretation of it. If you believe the letter, Jeremy becomes suspicious (which, in my opinion, he always was for being a cheater despite believing his wife’s disability) and Verity is redeemed. I find it hard to believe in the letter, however, as there was nothing leading up to it. The entire novel made you hate Verity, then it adds that ambiguity at the end? It felt rushed and out of place. Nevertheless, I do think the ambiguity was important to allow the reader to interpret the thriller in their own way, I really just believe Colleen could have done better at making some sense of it. If you believe the manuscript, Verity remains the villain of the story. In both endings, however, Lowen still becomes a version of Verity (in the idea which the manuscript portrayed her as). Eventually, Lowen is just as obsessed, which does not even come in later as it is literally introduced in the first pages. The little character development she had was that she became a killer, taking part in Verity’s murder with no remorse. Ultimately, the characters were just disappointing, and deserved more complexity.
Next, the cheating trope. I did not like it, and I did not expect to like it as I never have in the books I read. It was cruel to portray a man cheating on his incapacitated wife. Lowen simply agreed, too. All of the characters were just extremely unlikeable, and Colleen made it as if people absolutely cannot resist the idea of sex: Jeremy could not keep his hands off of Verity before their tragedies, and vice versa. Jeremy and Lowen were inseparable on their first night together. Just no. Lowen, especially, could have easily resisted and stopped him. I just hated the infidelity, and find those tropes annoying.
I also hated the incredibly vivid accounts of violence against children, which is another reason why I could not believe the letter at the end of the story. There are other ways to depict people, more specifically mothers, as evil without involving children and infants. It was just wrong and unenjoyable to read.
I already read It Ends With Us, and found the writing style unappealing, so it is my own fault for believing Verity would be any different. I do see how other people would like it, but personally, this is the last time I’m reading a novel by Colleen Hoover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Abortion
Moderate: Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape and Pregnancy