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A review by sien_verl
De perfecte leugen by Jo Spain
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
This was a quick read, for sure, but most of this book is false advertising. I've seen people talk about it in other reviews: this book is misleading and not in a fun, exciting way. Not in the way that makes your heart pound because it's so clever and you can't believe you didn't see it coming. No, I found it quite a disappointment.
To be really honest, I was intruiged at the beginning. This book was fast, it was something I hadn't read before and when the story of Ally is introduced, you cannot help wondering how the two story lines are connected. Until the point where it just started dragging and it became clear in which direction the story was heading. A lot of the plot has been done in other books (with better execution, for that matter), so the "twists" were not thrilling or surprising at all. And really, I cannot be the only one who suspected (scratch that: who knew) that guy did it. I mean... it was like the author didn't even try to make the character less suspicious. Someone who shows up out of the blue and is "a friend of your dead husband", who follows you around and has a similar backstory as yourself... Not sketchy at all!
What irritated me most though, was that this book isn't what it says it is. Erin is not on trial for the murder of her husband who killed himself, which was the real interesting premise that drew me to this book. So when you find out that she is indeed on trial for the murder of a husband, just a different one, it leaves you (or at least, me) with an unsatisfied and very betrayed feeling. It wasn't all bad though, I loved the chapters in court and I loved Karla (even though I feel her character could have benefitted from a little more dept).
Anyway: two stars because it was indeed a quick read, too bad for the disappointing and unoriginal plot.
To be really honest, I was intruiged at the beginning. This book was fast, it was something I hadn't read before and when the story of Ally is introduced, you cannot help wondering how the two story lines are connected. Until the point where it just started dragging and it became clear in which direction the story was heading. A lot of the plot has been done in other books (with better execution, for that matter), so the "twists" were not thrilling or surprising at all. And really, I cannot be the only one who suspected (scratch that: who knew) that guy did it. I mean... it was like the author didn't even try to make the character less suspicious. Someone who shows up out of the blue and is "a friend of your dead husband", who follows you around and has a similar backstory as yourself... Not sketchy at all!
What irritated me most though, was that this book isn't what it says it is. Erin is not on trial for the murder of her husband who killed himself, which was the real interesting premise that drew me to this book. So when you find out that she is indeed on trial for the murder of a husband, just a different one, it leaves you (or at least, me) with an unsatisfied and very betrayed feeling. It wasn't all bad though, I loved the chapters in court and I loved Karla (even though I feel her character could have benefitted from a little more dept).
Anyway: two stars because it was indeed a quick read, too bad for the disappointing and unoriginal plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide