natliiex's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mrsruthiewebb's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this one. The by-lines description it as disturbing and witty. I’m not sure I picked up on the comedy but it was definitely gripping. We follow an 18 year old backpacker, fleeing Australia and her self-imposed death sentence. She arrives in London and ends up squatting in a large house with a new group of friends when things take a dark turn.
Although the story started right away with little messing about, the real gritty part was half way through so it felt like I waded through the first part. We hear from three different characters and I’d have liked to have had this within the chapter heading to help focus me when reading.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and felt there was quite a vacuum around them. When reading I could picture how a TV adaptation could go, and perhaps that would help add depth to the characters, because I didn’t really get that from the book.
It was a really dramatic storyline with some interesting twists and stomach turning descriptions. It had an air of Gillian Flynn about it, reminding me a little of ‘The Grown Up’.
I’m still trying to figure out whether I liked this one so having to give it a mid-way score...
Although the story started right away with little messing about, the real gritty part was half way through so it felt like I waded through the first part. We hear from three different characters and I’d have liked to have had this within the chapter heading to help focus me when reading.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and felt there was quite a vacuum around them. When reading I could picture how a TV adaptation could go, and perhaps that would help add depth to the characters, because I didn’t really get that from the book.
It was a really dramatic storyline with some interesting twists and stomach turning descriptions. It had an air of Gillian Flynn about it, reminding me a little of ‘The Grown Up’.
I’m still trying to figure out whether I liked this one so having to give it a mid-way score...
whatemsreadingx's review against another edition
2.0
1 - Bronny was one of the most ANNOYING characters I have ever had to read. She was selfish, self centred and at points, downright stupid.
2 - None of the other characters really added any value either, they were incredibly irritating and flat.
3 - I am honestly still confused as to how she ended up getting in with this crowd, like I have no sympathy for her at all after the way she treated her Dad and sister...
4 - I am beyond confused as to why the book skipped from first person to third, out of no where with no indication of the change? Even just a different chapter or part would have made things a little easier to understand.
5 - Part two really took a turn didn't it! Possibly one of the only points that made me rate the plot quite highly. It got really fucked up.
6 - I really cannot cope with the plot holes in this book, they're illogical and completely ruined the enjoyment of this book. I just couldn't look past them.
7- Dear lord, this book isn't for the faint hearted...
8 - Bronny did grow on me as we made our way through the book, towards the end she really showed some resolve that I was proud of, it's just disappointing that we didn't have this at the start of the book, as I imagine some people wouldn't have stuck with it to this point.
9 - I was definitely intrigued to see how things played out but at the same time, I knew there would have to be some crazy leaps by the author to make everything make sense. I had no idea how everything would link together.
10 - I felt really let down by the way the author wanted us to believe it was one person then when they realised that would be too easy, it suddenly changed and became someone else. Except by it being that someone else it opened up plot holes and questions that there were no answers to.
11 - The whole book was incredibly hard to keep up with and the ending was just a complete let down and waste of time. I honestly feel so disappointed to have wasted my time with this one. I'm absolutely fuming with how it ended.
12 - It's described as a coming of age novel, and I thought it was more just a complete waste of time.
For me, this book just did not hit the mark. The only thing it had going for it was the intrigue that it built up, everything else was just a complete waste of my time, I'm sorry to say. I wish I'd have stuck with my earlier instinct of DNFR this one.
2 - None of the other characters really added any value either, they were incredibly irritating and flat.
3 - I am honestly still confused as to how she ended up getting in with this crowd, like I have no sympathy for her at all after the way she treated her Dad and sister...
4 - I am beyond confused as to why the book skipped from first person to third, out of no where with no indication of the change? Even just a different chapter or part would have made things a little easier to understand.
5 - Part two really took a turn didn't it! Possibly one of the only points that made me rate the plot quite highly. It got really fucked up.
6 - I really cannot cope with the plot holes in this book, they're illogical and completely ruined the enjoyment of this book. I just couldn't look past them.
7- Dear lord, this book isn't for the faint hearted...
8 - Bronny did grow on me as we made our way through the book, towards the end she really showed some resolve that I was proud of, it's just disappointing that we didn't have this at the start of the book, as I imagine some people wouldn't have stuck with it to this point.
9 - I was definitely intrigued to see how things played out but at the same time, I knew there would have to be some crazy leaps by the author to make everything make sense. I had no idea how everything would link together.
10 - I felt really let down by the way the author wanted us to believe it was one person then when they realised that would be too easy, it suddenly changed and became someone else. Except by it being that someone else it opened up plot holes and questions that there were no answers to.
11 - The whole book was incredibly hard to keep up with and the ending was just a complete let down and waste of time. I honestly feel so disappointed to have wasted my time with this one. I'm absolutely fuming with how it ended.
12 - It's described as a coming of age novel, and I thought it was more just a complete waste of time.
For me, this book just did not hit the mark. The only thing it had going for it was the intrigue that it built up, everything else was just a complete waste of my time, I'm sorry to say. I wish I'd have stuck with my earlier instinct of DNFR this one.
myweereads's review against another edition
4.0
“I’m writing this instead so that you can feel me with you when it’s time. I’m with you, my little girl. I’m with you and it’s going to be okay...”
The Devil’s Staircase by Helen Fitzgerald is the story of a young Australian girl called Bronny who flies over to London for a change in life. She is a sweet girl and has loved her teenage years in caution and finds herself amongst backpacker seeking a rent free life within an abandoned townhouse. What they don’t realise is that somebody is already there.
This is a short novel of just over 200 pages. The blurb makes this sound like a horror story which it most definitely embodies but it’s so much more than that. It’s a fast paced thriller which is quite predictable at so many turns but you simply can’t put it down. After the first part when a wee bomb exploded in the story I was like hold on!!! What just happened and after that there was one bomb after another after another. The protagonist Bronny is a strong willed character who is on journey to escape the reality of what her life may become. She encounters so many intriguing and unique people during this and who they really are becomes a mystery especially when the truth is revealed. I was very surprised by this book because as predictable as it was I couldn’t put it down and enjoyed this twisted, dark and very disturbing story.
The Devil’s Staircase by Helen Fitzgerald is the story of a young Australian girl called Bronny who flies over to London for a change in life. She is a sweet girl and has loved her teenage years in caution and finds herself amongst backpacker seeking a rent free life within an abandoned townhouse. What they don’t realise is that somebody is already there.
This is a short novel of just over 200 pages. The blurb makes this sound like a horror story which it most definitely embodies but it’s so much more than that. It’s a fast paced thriller which is quite predictable at so many turns but you simply can’t put it down. After the first part when a wee bomb exploded in the story I was like hold on!!! What just happened and after that there was one bomb after another after another. The protagonist Bronny is a strong willed character who is on journey to escape the reality of what her life may become. She encounters so many intriguing and unique people during this and who they really are becomes a mystery especially when the truth is revealed. I was very surprised by this book because as predictable as it was I couldn’t put it down and enjoyed this twisted, dark and very disturbing story.
roaze's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked this book up at an op shop when I was a teenager simply because the title intrigued me. While reading I was lulled into a false sense of security only to have the rug ripped out from underneath me half way through. It shook me to my core, my ears became red and hot . I thought about it for days after.
Looking back years later it’s a book that’s stuck with me. I remember reading it vividly. But definitely read the triggers because this book deals with a lot of heavy topics.
Looking back years later it’s a book that’s stuck with me. I remember reading it vividly. But definitely read the triggers because this book deals with a lot of heavy topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Death, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Rape, Sexism, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Fire/Fire injury
beatrizmagalhaes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ashleighbeanxo's review against another edition
4.0
Nice quick read, but I feel like this book was sold to me as something it wasn't.
I went in thinking it was gonna be a creepy thriller-horror type book, but no. I'm not really sure which category I would put this book in, but it's not exactly a horror or thriller. Also, the tagline on the cover of the book kind of spoiled some of it.
There were a few moments where I audibly gasped such as. Overall, it clearly wasn't one of the best thriller books I've read, but yeah, it was good, and a quick read as I said before.
I went in thinking it was gonna be a creepy thriller-horror type book, but no. I'm not really sure which category I would put this book in, but it's not exactly a horror or thriller. Also, the tagline on the cover of the book kind of spoiled some of it.
Spoiler
Especially as Bronny doesn't actually kill anyone until the very end of the book, and even then, it's in self-defenceThere were a few moments where I audibly gasped such as
Spoiler
the reveal of the two other bodies in the basement, and the reveal that one of the bodies was Zach's missing sister, holy fuck manrealkaylouise's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book over an afternoon and enjoyed the twists and turns. It wasn’t predictable so was really enjoyable to wonder where the story would go.
I didn’t find the ending to be somewhat underwhelming, but only as it seems to be over really quickly.
Overall, an enjoyable short read
I didn’t find the ending to be somewhat underwhelming, but only as it seems to be over really quickly.
Overall, an enjoyable short read