Scan barcode
A review by writervid
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
3.0
2.75/5
I really wanted to like this as much as Big Little Lies. I really did. And some of Moriarty's strengths are evident; for the most part, her characters are well developed, they have arcs, and she, as always, fills her niche of "things happen to normal people." I was fascinated by Erika and Clementine and how their relationship with each other had been changed by their relationships with their mothers, which I think was done very well.
The issue with this book is that there is a huge buildup with very little payoff. There is so much emphasis on what happened at the barbecue and then what happened at the barbecue isn't as huge as you'd expect--and it's not enough for the characters to keep harping on it in such an explicit way throughout the book. It was also the main reason I kept reading. Towards the end, I found myself ambivalent. There are at least 15 chapters in this book that could be cut without much consequence. The story in present day felt like more of a leadup to the story in the past.
Disappointed, but not every book by every author can be incredible. Depending on whether I feel inclined to read Nine Perfect Strangers, we'll see.
I really wanted to like this as much as Big Little Lies. I really did. And some of Moriarty's strengths are evident; for the most part, her characters are well developed, they have arcs, and she, as always, fills her niche of "things happen to normal people." I was fascinated by Erika and Clementine and how their relationship with each other had been changed by their relationships with their mothers, which I think was done very well.
The issue with this book is that there is a huge buildup with very little payoff. There is so much emphasis on what happened at the barbecue and then what happened at the barbecue isn't as huge as you'd expect--and it's not enough for the characters to keep harping on it in such an explicit way throughout the book. It was also the main reason I kept reading. Towards the end, I found myself ambivalent. There are at least 15 chapters in this book that could be cut without much consequence. The story in present day felt like more of a leadup to the story in the past.
Disappointed, but not every book by every author can be incredible. Depending on whether I feel inclined to read Nine Perfect Strangers, we'll see.