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A review by grace_astudentreading
Becoming Marlow Fin by Ellen Won Steil
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Advanced reader's copy review
I did not know what I was getting into with this book. I grabbed it from NetGalley as a read now based of the title, cover, and synopsis. I had never heard of the author or publisher, and it was only described as women’s fiction. I had absolutely no expectations going in. But it was amazing! The best way that I can describe this book is Evelyn Hugo but if it was written by Riley Sager. Which is incredibly high praise, given that Evelyn Hugo is one of my favorite books and Riley Sager is one of the my favorite authors. This was truly an amazing read. For starters, I loved the multiple points of view. I loved getting Isla’s point of view parallel to Marlow’s interview. I found myself adoring Isla and the Marlow we saw through her eyes. I am still conflicted on my opinion of Marlow as seen in her interview, but the contrast between the two certainly added a lot to the story. The multiple points of view was an incredibly well done way of writing the story. Also well done was the thread of tension and growing feeling of dread we got throughout the entire book. It pulled me through the book, and made me quite paranoid. Though it might not be paranoia because it was well warranted. As the book went on, more and more drama and secrets were revealed, and the plot got darker and darker. While I could predict some twists, it didn’t make the plot any less riveting or dramatic. And the ending was nothing short of brilliant, and so satisfying. Overall, this was a truly fantastic read and I cannot recommend it enough!
Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I did not know what I was getting into with this book. I grabbed it from NetGalley as a read now based of the title, cover, and synopsis. I had never heard of the author or publisher, and it was only described as women’s fiction. I had absolutely no expectations going in. But it was amazing! The best way that I can describe this book is Evelyn Hugo but if it was written by Riley Sager. Which is incredibly high praise, given that Evelyn Hugo is one of my favorite books and Riley Sager is one of the my favorite authors. This was truly an amazing read. For starters, I loved the multiple points of view. I loved getting Isla’s point of view parallel to Marlow’s interview. I found myself adoring Isla and the Marlow we saw through her eyes. I am still conflicted on my opinion of Marlow as seen in her interview, but the contrast between the two certainly added a lot to the story. The multiple points of view was an incredibly well done way of writing the story. Also well done was the thread of tension and growing feeling of dread we got throughout the entire book. It pulled me through the book, and made me quite paranoid. Though it might not be paranoia because it was well warranted. As the book went on, more and more drama and secrets were revealed, and the plot got darker and darker. While I could predict some twists, it didn’t make the plot any less riveting or dramatic. And the ending was nothing short of brilliant, and so satisfying. Overall, this was a truly fantastic read and I cannot recommend it enough!
Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review