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cedrisc's review against another edition
4.0
This book is written in an interesting way. Two timelines run at the same time, and bit by bit you discover what has happened. It is a thriller, and at times I had to put it down and didn't want to continue. While the subject matter has been done before, the way it was written, the ocd twist and the tension that it built up in me was brilliant. It would get 5 stars if I wanted to read it again, but once is enough. It seemed to be well researched, although towards the end it felt a little convenient.
elissalynn's review against another edition
4.0
3.5ish stars! I had this on my list for awhile and when I got it from the library I thought I wasn’t going to like it but I was pleasantly surprised! It was fairly long for a thriller but it moved quickly. I enjoyed the short “chapters” back and forth through time. Even though I could guess how it wound end from the beginning (Sleeping With the Enemy vibes for sure) I still kept reading-and it was creepy!
infinite_kay's review against another edition
4.0
Into the Darkest Corner is definitely a page turner. While the story itself is quite predictable, it is the psychological aspect of it that sets the tone and makes it a gripping read. It would be hard not to feel for Catherine (now Cathy) and her traumatic experience, and the marks it left on her, not only physically but also psychologically.
The book alternates scenes from before Catherine met Lee and now, four years later. Catherine from the past is a joyful young woman who thinks she can finally settle into a quieter lifestyle after years of partying. Cathy from the present couldn’t be more different; nervous, anxious, she has no friends and is living (if you can call this living) with a serious case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The author did a wonderful job of setting two different tones for the two different times. It was easy for me to pick up the book and know which of Cathy or Catherine I was reading. I also have to applaud her description of Cathy’s disorder, which was spot-on. I’ve mentioned it before, that I do have a small case of OCD, and while it has never been close to being this bad, I could absolutely relate to Cathy’s compulsions. Not every author gets it right, but I really did feel that Haynes did.
I also appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from describing the most violent aspects of Catherine and Lee’s relationship. Not that I do enjoy these scenes, but I feel that describing them harshly makes them less of a “spectacle” and confronts me, the reader, to the cold reality of the scenes. Yes, it is hard to read. But it does makes you realize the importance of what happened.
There is one thing that did bothered me with the story, and it is Catherine’s friends. I get it, not all of her friends were good friends; but it seemed a bit too easy when, after meeting Lee for maybe 3 or 4 times, they absolutely believe him when he tells them that Catherine is having a breakdown and is hurting herself. And by believing him, I mean it; they don’t ask Catherine whether it is true or not, they just assume it is and tell her to get help. Because Lee isn’t a bad guy and he would never do this. I do know that this often happens, and that people assume that the victim of sexual or physical abuse is lying. It’s not the idea of it that bothered me, but the way it was executed; there needed to be more evidence that all of her friends were bad friends, or that Lee had seen them more than a few times. It felt a bit forced into the story.
This being said, I really enjoyed Into the Darkest Corner. It reminded me of when I read Before I go to Sleep – and sure enough, Watson endorsed this book, describing it as “Intense, gripping and utterly unputdownable. A stunning debut.” And I couldn’t agree more!
The book alternates scenes from before Catherine met Lee and now, four years later. Catherine from the past is a joyful young woman who thinks she can finally settle into a quieter lifestyle after years of partying. Cathy from the present couldn’t be more different; nervous, anxious, she has no friends and is living (if you can call this living) with a serious case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The author did a wonderful job of setting two different tones for the two different times. It was easy for me to pick up the book and know which of Cathy or Catherine I was reading. I also have to applaud her description of Cathy’s disorder, which was spot-on. I’ve mentioned it before, that I do have a small case of OCD, and while it has never been close to being this bad, I could absolutely relate to Cathy’s compulsions. Not every author gets it right, but I really did feel that Haynes did.
I also appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from describing the most violent aspects of Catherine and Lee’s relationship. Not that I do enjoy these scenes, but I feel that describing them harshly makes them less of a “spectacle” and confronts me, the reader, to the cold reality of the scenes. Yes, it is hard to read. But it does makes you realize the importance of what happened.
There is one thing that did bothered me with the story, and it is Catherine’s friends. I get it, not all of her friends were good friends; but it seemed a bit too easy when, after meeting Lee for maybe 3 or 4 times, they absolutely believe him when he tells them that Catherine is having a breakdown and is hurting herself. And by believing him, I mean it; they don’t ask Catherine whether it is true or not, they just assume it is and tell her to get help. Because Lee isn’t a bad guy and he would never do this. I do know that this often happens, and that people assume that the victim of sexual or physical abuse is lying. It’s not the idea of it that bothered me, but the way it was executed; there needed to be more evidence that all of her friends were bad friends, or that Lee had seen them more than a few times. It felt a bit forced into the story.
This being said, I really enjoyed Into the Darkest Corner. It reminded me of when I read Before I go to Sleep – and sure enough, Watson endorsed this book, describing it as “Intense, gripping and utterly unputdownable. A stunning debut.” And I couldn’t agree more!
xmaine's review against another edition
5.0
Can I just say this book reminds me of “A Woman in the Window” but in a good different kind of way. It’s such an entertaining read you find yourself to want to know more as the story progress. What a twist in the end as well! Another book that should be made into movies! A must read!
simcha13's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, I enjoyed this book. But there were too many unrealistic character actions. I just didn't feel like real people would act the way these people did. One or two people, maybe. But when you have almost every character acting in an unrealistic way, the story starts to feel false.
Still a worthwhile read, I just felt it could have been much better.
Still a worthwhile read, I just felt it could have been much better.
mrsbooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
The alignment of past and present in this novel really added to the building tension that was just rising and rising throughout. Contrasting Lee and Stuart and allowing the reader small glimpses into Cathy's past to show how it has affected her future was a brilliant technique and I found myself getting SO TENSE on her behalf. I really and genuinely hated Lee and was shocked by his abuse and the way that he was sneaking back into her life, while a large part of me likedStuart as her saviour I was worried that he was going to get hurt by jealous Lee. (You can tell that I was really into this book...)
The only downside for me was the repitition of her OCD habits. I know, I know, the whole point was to show her routine and to emphasise her OCD tendancies but as a reader it was irritating to say the least. I kept skipping whole pages at a time just so that I didn't have to read it, thus the 4 stars rather than 5. Regardless, this was a great book and I would even read it again!
The only downside for me was the repitition of her OCD habits. I know, I know, the whole point was to show her routine and to emphasise her OCD tendancies but as a reader it was irritating to say the least. I kept skipping whole pages at a time just so that I didn't have to read it, thus the 4 stars rather than 5. Regardless, this was a great book and I would even read it again!
adelet's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I’ve ever read. So exciting loved every second
juneuk's review against another edition
3.0
I speed read my way though this because I really wanted to know what happened in the end...the only reason I didn't give this story of domestic violence a higher rating was because it was a bit too graphic for me, although I understand it was part of the plot. A matter of taste, that's all. A very dark story,but one that completely hooked me..