alibi313's review against another edition
3.0
Characters weren’t written in a particularly believable manner; plot and motivations were all over the place, but it held my interest.
tomhill's review against another edition
3.0
This is a really well-plotted thriller. If I was awarding star ratings based on different components of the book, I think I would give the plot construction four stars. Same for the overall chilling tone, and the way that Brockman builds suspense so effectively by jumping around in time. I often don't like the constant time hops in novels, I tend to think of it as trendy but often ineffective. But it really worked here. Tell Me Everything seems to be inspired by (among others) The Secret History, which is a great thriller with literary ambitions (or maybe more accurately, a great literary novel with thriller elements). But this novel is pretty much focused on just being a strong thriller, and it is mostly. And it's definitely more Gillian Flynn than James Patterson. The second half of the book is really good, and this is when the plot begins to gain steam and things start to come together, and even though as a reader you're pretty sure you know what's going to happen, you can't stop turning the pages. The writing style, which I didn't like at first, also improves greatly in the second half of the novel. I spend too much time thinking about Goodreads ratings. They don't really matter, few people look at them, and opinions on books can and should change with reflection. I'd say this is a 3.5* book for me, a solid B+. In some ways, a book like this, despite some flaws (some characters lack development, the first half of the book felt very expository, the sometimes less than polished writing style) is the best kind of book for discussion. I want other people to read it just so I can talk to them about it. Just look at this rambling review I've written! This book's flaws make it interesting, because in contrast its strengths shine that much more. Maybe it's my affection for campus-set novels or for Nick Carraway/Richard Papen type protagonists. But mostly, I think it has to do with the protagonist here, and the "aha moment" I had as a reader when I saw what Brockman had been up to the whole time, how stealthily she built her central character.
kricketa's review against another edition
3.0
Recommended to me by a fellow Ruth Ware fan. This is an atmospheric slow burn with a few things that didn't quite add up for me I could also tell it was a first novel because she used some really weird descriptors like saying that Ruby's bones felt brittle when Malin touched her arm- really? She touched the arm of the best athlete on the soccer team and her bones felt like they were going to break? And Malin, despite lacking empathy, is REALLY good at reading people's faces and seeing all of their feelings through their eyes.
So, it's not perfect writing but I did race through the 12 hour audiobook in a matter of days, and would recommend to Gone Girl on the Train fans.
Spoiler
If Malin lacks empathy, why can she not bear her mother's disappointment, and why was she so upset about her dog? Why didn't John tell Ruby that Malin stole her purse, since he was already so good at denying his philandering?So, it's not perfect writing but I did race through the 12 hour audiobook in a matter of days, and would recommend to Gone Girl on the Train fans.
ynthia's review against another edition
2.0
*2.5 stars.
this book is very different from the books I usually enjoy reading. I was not expecting the end which is what i will remember the most. However, it is a bit of slowburn and when you finally arrive at "the good part" the book ends.
This is also why I am extremly torn between 2 and 3 stars because it is not a bad book and very easy to read. I also very much enjoy the fact it is different, 2.5 stars will have to do.
this book is very different from the books I usually enjoy reading. I was not expecting the end which is what i will remember the most. However, it is a bit of slowburn and when you finally arrive at "the good part" the book ends.
This is also why I am extremly torn between 2 and 3 stars because it is not a bad book and very easy to read. I also very much enjoy the fact it is different, 2.5 stars will have to do.
melissadelongcox's review against another edition
3.0
so, here’s the thing. this book has major character depth and there’s a full plot, both things i love. the story is fast paced, too. what i didn’t love was all the hopping around in time - there’s someone’s childhood circa the mid-90’s, freshman year of college, and senior year of college. the story from each angle is good, but i think it would’ve flowed better to have the story told in time order. fast read, so would recommend for that reason!
michellekmartin's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this suspenseful campus novel. With echoes of The Secret History by Donna Tartt, this book centers around a group of friends as their story alternates between freshman and senior year at a small liberal arts college in Maine. Their group begins to unravel and as the story continues we learn more about the secrets and lies they tell themselves and each other.
I really liked the setting of this one and the plot pulled me along. I'm not a big thriller fan, so I wasn't sure what to expect going in but it was more psychological suspense than a thriller.
I really liked the setting of this one and the plot pulled me along. I'm not a big thriller fan, so I wasn't sure what to expect going in but it was more psychological suspense than a thriller.
jessicasbookjourney's review against another edition
5.0
I am known to love a good thriller… however, Tell Me Everything was not your typical Gone Girl or Girl on the Train type thriller. This book was so different but in such a good way!
The story is told from the perspective of the main character, Malin. Switching between Malin’s childhood, her freshman year of college, and various points in her senior year (leading up to the infamous Senior Day). To really understand Malin, we need to go back to her childhood.
Brockman did a fantastic job of laying out little clues to Malin’s childhood, but pulling us so deep into desire to know what exactly happened and what exactly is her “condition” that makes her such an introvert. I had predictions, but not a single one of them was correct.
Brockman shared a twisted story while incorporating friendship (or lack thereof), family dynamics, and psychological disorders. I haven’t ever been so drawn to a thriller and more work from an author, as I am after reading Tell Me Everything. Cambria Brockman’s debut novel has earned her a five out of five-star rating from me.
The story is told from the perspective of the main character, Malin. Switching between Malin’s childhood, her freshman year of college, and various points in her senior year (leading up to the infamous Senior Day). To really understand Malin, we need to go back to her childhood.
Brockman did a fantastic job of laying out little clues to Malin’s childhood, but pulling us so deep into desire to know what exactly happened and what exactly is her “condition” that makes her such an introvert. I had predictions, but not a single one of them was correct.
Brockman shared a twisted story while incorporating friendship (or lack thereof), family dynamics, and psychological disorders. I haven’t ever been so drawn to a thriller and more work from an author, as I am after reading Tell Me Everything. Cambria Brockman’s debut novel has earned her a five out of five-star rating from me.
adornhoe's review against another edition
2.0
While I am always here for stories of the academia with murder variety, this novel turned out to be rather disappointing.
One reason for this is the main character and first-person narrator, Malin. Of course, a character narrator does not have to be likable, but unfortunately, Malin is not even interesting. From its very beginning to the end, all the over 400 pages of the book can be summarized as: “I am not like normal people. I do not have normal feelings and I observe everything.” This can be an interesting basis for a character, but Malin makes this apparent very early on and then it just goes on and on and on like this, with no variety, interesting insights, or development. I felt like I was stuck at a bar with a conversation partner who was very insistent about telling me what kind of person they are instead of giving me an opportunity to actually get to know them to see for myself what kind of person they are.
Malin’s narrative voice overshadows everything, and since she has a very boring voice the book feels much longer than it is. I am not actually a strong proponent of the old “show, don’t tell” truism since things can be told beautifully, thoughtfully, and in a way that enriches a reading experience, but in this book nothing was ever shown. For every interaction, dialogue or event, there was Malin, handing us the Sparknotes version of what had happened.
Sadly, this is not a story unfolding and characters becoming knowable in their interactions, this is a first-person narrator drunk on bad psychology books overanalyzing herself in the most banal and obvious way possible.
Another problem of this book is for me that the non-linear timeline device rarely felt more useless to me and in this novel it contributes nothing to the story. There is no gradual peeling back of the layers of Malin’s personality, and I really wonder why it was decided to tell the story in this order.
In general, I find the idea fascinating of exploring how a character shaped by a traumatic event in their childhood goes through college and how their past affects how they connect with people. The passages from Malin’s childhood memories are the most interesting and touching of the whole book.
In the case of this story, I think that a chronological way of storytelling would have been more fruitful – then, the episodes from Malin’s childhood could lay solid groundwork upon which a fleshed-out development of her character as well as rising suspense could be built. Now, the jumps just feel random and instead of an intensifying of suspense the reader experiences a feeling of stagnation.
Aside from not being a fan of Malin’s character voice, I quite liked the writing style, and there were some very beautiful descriptions of the campus. I also enjoyed most of the side characters and a story told from one of their perspectives would maybe have been more interesting.
Content notes:
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One reason for this is the main character and first-person narrator, Malin. Of course, a character narrator does not have to be likable, but unfortunately, Malin is not even interesting. From its very beginning to the end, all the over 400 pages of the book can be summarized as: “I am not like normal people. I do not have normal feelings and I observe everything.” This can be an interesting basis for a character, but Malin makes this apparent very early on and then it just goes on and on and on like this, with no variety, interesting insights, or development. I felt like I was stuck at a bar with a conversation partner who was very insistent about telling me what kind of person they are instead of giving me an opportunity to actually get to know them to see for myself what kind of person they are.
Malin’s narrative voice overshadows everything, and since she has a very boring voice the book feels much longer than it is. I am not actually a strong proponent of the old “show, don’t tell” truism since things can be told beautifully, thoughtfully, and in a way that enriches a reading experience, but in this book nothing was ever shown. For every interaction, dialogue or event, there was Malin, handing us the Sparknotes version of what had happened.
Sadly, this is not a story unfolding and characters becoming knowable in their interactions, this is a first-person narrator drunk on bad psychology books overanalyzing herself in the most banal and obvious way possible.
Another problem of this book is for me that the non-linear timeline device rarely felt more useless to me and in this novel it contributes nothing to the story. There is no gradual peeling back of the layers of Malin’s personality, and I really wonder why it was decided to tell the story in this order.
In general, I find the idea fascinating of exploring how a character shaped by a traumatic event in their childhood goes through college and how their past affects how they connect with people. The passages from Malin’s childhood memories are the most interesting and touching of the whole book.
In the case of this story, I think that a chronological way of storytelling would have been more fruitful – then, the episodes from Malin’s childhood could lay solid groundwork upon which a fleshed-out development of her character as well as rising suspense could be built. Now, the jumps just feel random and instead of an intensifying of suspense the reader experiences a feeling of stagnation.
Aside from not being a fan of Malin’s character voice, I quite liked the writing style, and there were some very beautiful descriptions of the campus. I also enjoyed most of the side characters and a story told from one of their perspectives would maybe have been more interesting.
Content notes:
Spoiler
Alcohol, drugs, abusive relationships, cruelty towards & murder of animals, offhanded comment about asexuality means being a „weird anti-sex freak“{ Blog | Twitter | Insta | Hell Yeah, Campus Novels! | Linktree | Ko-Fi }