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lou_o_donnell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this title in exchange for a review.
Imperfect Women was, in many ways, a deeply frustrating book. I enjoyed much of it, but it ultimately left me feeling disappointed.
The writing was lovely. Part best-selling, snappy, crime thriller, part self-conscious literary fiction. I enjoyed many turns of phrase, the reflections they contained and the cinematic use of language. That said, it sometimes felt that the morality lessons from the author lacked any subtlety; they were often shoved down your throat.
I loved the grey morals and the nuance, the complexity of the relationships and the preciousness of friendship. While I found some points of view tedious, I understood that this was an intentional drawing out by the author to illustrate the argument that women are often tangled in webs in their own minds.
The biggest disappointment by far, however, was the predicted outcome. I guessed both twists genuinely less than a fifth of the way through the book. And while I liked the layered build-up of the storytelling through the three perspectives, the red herrings were poor and I found myself annoyed with the predictability. I’m also not delighted with the tied-up-with-a-bow ending, enjoying more ambiguous conclusions myself.
I still recommend this book as a beach read, just not a world shattering one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Forced institutionalization
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