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A review by johneepixels7
Survive the Night by Riley Sager
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As someone who doesn't read a lot of thriller (Though, does horror count?!), I really enjoyed this book. To say that the story starts to put the pedal to the metal once you reach halfway is an accurate catchphrase - I even said, "This is getting GOOOOD!" aloud to my partner sitting next to me.
Riley Sager does a great job of transitioning from flashbacks to the present state, weaving them into the story in a natural manner. As a movie buff, I particularly enjoyed all the references to movies and 90s pop culture. The 90s setting is also important because smart phones aren’t a thing in this time, which means no “Find My Phone”, no easy way to call 9-1-1, and well, you get the idea.
The trope of the potential unreliable POV of the MC is alluded to early, which I unexpectedly welcomed — I think this trope is better upfront and known than to serve as a twist later on.
Even though it’s told in third person from Charlie’s perspective, you still feel her tension, her neurotic thoughts and fear. The revelations had me gasping aloud many a times. And sure, there are moments when her emotions can be over-the-top and back-and-forth, but I truly felt that this only enhanced the fact that it's who Charlie is as a person.
Other than the main plot, the author introduces some backstories and occasionally POV chapters from other characters, which I think helps mix up the otherwise straightforward storyline and also adds a needed depth to the reason why the characters react and do what they do, which I appreciate.
I loved how the book kept me guessing, and at the edge of my (car) seat (I can say that since I read this while at a cottage and couldn't put it down when we would take trips to pick up food!). I would definitely recommend it to other thriller readers, people who like horror tropes, and anyone who enjoys a good trip back to the 90s.
The ending was alright. I won't reveal much because of spoilers but I felt like I wanted a little more and it fell just a touch short. It wasn't terrible but it was enough to bring my otherwise 5 star rating down to a 4. Still, it was an awesome and fun read!
TW: Gaslighting, Murder, Parental Death, Medicine/Drug Usage, Suicide
Riley Sager does a great job of transitioning from flashbacks to the present state, weaving them into the story in a natural manner. As a movie buff, I particularly enjoyed all the references to movies and 90s pop culture. The 90s setting is also important because smart phones aren’t a thing in this time, which means no “Find My Phone”, no easy way to call 9-1-1, and well, you get the idea.
The trope of the potential unreliable POV of the MC is alluded to early, which I unexpectedly welcomed — I think this trope is better upfront and known than to serve as a twist later on.
Even though it’s told in third person from Charlie’s perspective, you still feel her tension, her neurotic thoughts and fear. The revelations had me gasping aloud many a times. And sure, there are moments when her emotions can be over-the-top and back-and-forth, but I truly felt that this only enhanced the fact that it's who Charlie is as a person.
Other than the main plot, the author introduces some backstories and occasionally POV chapters from other characters, which I think helps mix up the otherwise straightforward storyline and also adds a needed depth to the reason why the characters react and do what they do, which I appreciate.
I loved how the book kept me guessing, and at the edge of my (car) seat (I can say that since I read this while at a cottage and couldn't put it down when we would take trips to pick up food!). I would definitely recommend it to other thriller readers, people who like horror tropes, and anyone who enjoys a good trip back to the 90s.
The ending was alright. I won't reveal much because of spoilers but I felt like I wanted a little more and it fell just a touch short. It wasn't terrible but it was enough to bring my otherwise 5 star rating down to a 4. Still, it was an awesome and fun read!
TW: Gaslighting, Murder, Parental Death, Medicine/Drug Usage, Suicide
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug use