A review by jen_abrahall
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

What can I say this is the TBR to end all TBRs, I’ve had my copy of this book since it came out in 2017 and it’s been sat on my shelf for almost 5 years. All I can say is i’m glad I waited till I was older before I read this, whilst done so eloquently and sensitively the description of SA is not suitable for a YA audience. The narrative revolves around the river and the drowning pool which haunts the town and particularly the women. Initially I found the switch between the numerous characters difficult to keep up with but once I was happier with the context and the relationships between them it became a very effective narrative device, the importance of perspective in this novel cannot be underestimated. Hawkins writing style perfectly captures the differences between the characters, their tone, turns of phrase and lexicon in general. I only hesitate to give this book 4 stars because of the leg work required to get into the narrative because of the format of the multiple perspectives. I would never-the-less recommend Hawkins work and thoroughly enjoyed this dark, twisted thriller.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings