ladychestnut's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.0
Loved it until the ending. The ending was underwhelming and sad not, mind blowing.
butteredcroissant's review against another edition
4.0
I have to say that I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I’ve always been afraid to read thrillers but this one seemed to surprise me more than scare me which I thought was pretty neat. There’s plenty of twists and turns, some expected while others are very unexpected.
jakelovesbooks1000's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
hilla1ee's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sarahpuschel's review against another edition
3.0
What a difference from how I felt about the first Ware book I read.
rachtat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
nglofile's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Even though there was little to surprise, the journey is everything - especially when Imogen Church is reading the tale.
Ruth Ware is often aligned with psychological suspense contemporaries such as Paula Hawkins and Gilly Macmillan, but she seems truly to have found her métier in a flavor variation of that genre that embraces more overtly gothic sensibilities. Her forte is creating atmosphere saturated with dread, the deliciously creepy, and the claustrophic paranoia that leaves both character and reader increasingly unhinged. In this book she begins with Henry James' iconic The Turn of the Screw and then recasts it in a remote home with smart technology run amok (cameras everywhere, appliances and door locks controlled by app). Even so, classic elements such as creaking footsteps and items that move from where they were last set play just as integral a part in the coiling tension.
The success of the story relies heavily on the blurring of what is real and what is imagined. Is something truly insidious at work? Are there reasonable explanations? Even if the reader is confident that a gaslighting campaign is underway, the questions of who and why have multiple possibilities that only complicate any one interpretation of events. Archetype characters of the handyman and the housekeeper add to the uncertainties, as does the book's originating structure: Rowan is writing from prison to beg the assistance of a prominent lawyer because she is charged with the death of one of the children.
audiobook note: Narrator Imogen Church expertly conveys the increasingly fraying, not-entirely-reliable, desperate sensibilities of Ware's heroine. Her performance choices aren't showy in the sense of dramatically different character voices; instead controlled changes such as a dropped register, a tightening of tone, a barely evident tremor, or an elongated delivery sell every ominous beat. I have the highest expectation each time I sync up a Church/Ware collaboration, and it is the narrative prowess that never disappoints. As has now become the norm in these pairings, my rating assessment of the book is much more favorable because of the medium by which I experience it.
Ruth Ware is often aligned with psychological suspense contemporaries such as Paula Hawkins and Gilly Macmillan, but she seems truly to have found her métier in a flavor variation of that genre that embraces more overtly gothic sensibilities. Her forte is creating atmosphere saturated with dread, the deliciously creepy, and the claustrophic paranoia that leaves both character and reader increasingly unhinged. In this book she begins with Henry James' iconic The Turn of the Screw and then recasts it in a remote home with smart technology run amok (cameras everywhere, appliances and door locks controlled by app). Even so, classic elements such as creaking footsteps and items that move from where they were last set play just as integral a part in the coiling tension.
The success of the story relies heavily on the blurring of what is real and what is imagined. Is something truly insidious at work? Are there reasonable explanations? Even if the reader is confident that a gaslighting campaign is underway, the questions of who and why have multiple possibilities that only complicate any one interpretation of events. Archetype characters of the handyman and the housekeeper add to the uncertainties, as does the book's originating structure: Rowan is writing from prison to beg the assistance of a prominent lawyer because she is charged with the death of one of the children.
audiobook note: Narrator Imogen Church expertly conveys the increasingly fraying, not-entirely-reliable, desperate sensibilities of Ware's heroine. Her performance choices aren't showy in the sense of dramatically different character voices; instead controlled changes such as a dropped register, a tightening of tone, a barely evident tremor, or an elongated delivery sell every ominous beat. I have the highest expectation each time I sync up a Church/Ware collaboration, and it is the narrative prowess that never disappoints. As has now become the norm in these pairings, my rating assessment of the book is much more favorable because of the medium by which I experience it.
kassimesserly's review against another edition
5.0
This book gave me the chills! Kept me on the edge of my seat and the 40 pages had my anxiety up! Loved it! The ending was slightly disappointing and I felt like it wrapped up too quickly. Overall, the best thriller I have read thus far.