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pershie13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Let me start off by saying this: Oh. My. Gosh. I read The Woman in Cabin 10 a few years ago and still remember some of the uneasy feelings it gave me as a read, but this book took that to another level. I was questioning everyone and everything along with the main character, and I felt such deep emotions of unease and confusion as I tried to solve the mystery as I was reading. I don't think I have ever read a book that stirred up so many different emotions from start to finish, and I am not in the least bit surprised by how much I liked this book. The creepiness of the tech and surveillance was relatable as someone who tends to be afraid of the dark side of technology, and I found myself telling the main character to get the heck out of there pretty much from the start. The plot twist in the last hundred pages was truly shocking, and I love how Ruth Ware brought the whole book together in the end. The last couple pages definitely left me asking questions, and I did not expect the book to end the way it did. This is one of the best books I have read this year - or even ever - and definitely one of the most thrilling! An automatic 5-star read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Confinement, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment, Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, and Gore
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Holy shit! So many twists and turns I did not anticipate. I like that the book is written in a series of letters and that the narrator is not necessarily reliable. This book definitely made me a bit jumpy and the ending brought tears to my eyes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
lydiavsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
This was overall a very enjoyable, fast and intriguing read. Very fun and I'm glad I read it but I do have a few criticisms.
Firstly, I personally wanted more spookyness. There were some scenes that seemed like they were trying to be scary, but just weren't doing it for me. I wanted the creepy elements to just be a little more. The threatening messages written out in alphabetti spaghetti, as an example.
Secondly, the main character did get on my nerves at times. I found myself getting very frustrated with how clueless she was with the kids, especially for someone with nannying experience. The frequent switch between hmmm Jack seems dodgy and but he do be cute tho also got a little old a little fast.
The end explanation felt a little rushed, but still enjoyed it. I feel like I've been overly harsh here, it's just always easier to pick out criticisms for some reason.
That said, I really did enjoy it. I loved Ellie as a character in particular, the idea of the poison garden and the history behind that (I'd happily read a whole seperate book about that). I enjoyed and appreciated the themes touched upon, such as misogyny, complex family dynamics, potentially grooming etc. I'm kind of torn between wishing these were explored more, and appreciating that maybe this just wasn't the place for these discussions. Either way I appreciate that they were included.
And most important of all, we needed more of the dogs please
Firstly, I personally wanted more spookyness. There were some scenes that seemed like they were trying to be scary, but just weren't doing it for me. I wanted the creepy elements to just be a little more. The threatening messages written out in alphabetti spaghetti, as an example.
Secondly, the main character did get on my nerves at times. I found myself getting very frustrated with how clueless she was with the kids, especially for someone with nannying experience. The frequent switch between hmmm Jack seems dodgy and but he do be cute tho also got a little old a little fast.
The end explanation felt a little rushed, but still enjoyed it. I feel like I've been overly harsh here, it's just always easier to pick out criticisms for some reason.
That said, I really did enjoy it. I loved Ellie as a character in particular, the idea of the poison garden and the history behind that (I'd happily read a whole seperate book about that). I enjoyed and appreciated the themes touched upon, such as misogyny, complex family dynamics, potentially grooming etc. I'm kind of torn between wishing these were explored more, and appreciating that maybe this just wasn't the place for these discussions. Either way I appreciate that they were included.
And most important of all, we needed more of the dogs please
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Misogyny and Sexual harassment
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