brittany_tellefsen's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 3.5 rounded up
I should start by saying that, while "Psychological Thriller" would likely be the best genre to describe this story, it does not necessary read as a thriller.
In the present day, we are following four colleagues who are employed by a prestigious New York finance firm. Their jobs are extremely competitive, high-stakes, stressful and time consuming, but also highly lucrative. They are able to live luxurious lifestyles, but maintaining these lifestyles comes with great sacrifice to their personal lives and to their morals.
After a rough year, when it seems that layoffs may be imminent, the four are asked to participate in a team-building exercise that comes in the form of an escape room...in an elevator. But when the elevator stops, the lights go off, and the doors don't open, even after an hour, they soon realize that it is no longer a game, but a rush for survival.
While in the elevator, we witness a myriad of emotions and reactions. These colleagues who have spent several years being teammates, yet often competing for glory and greed, start to turn on one another. Secrets are revealed. Their innermost feelings towards each other are exposed. The situation becomes increasingly tense as the heat is turned up and they realize they don't have much food and water.
So, we have one timeline that is following the characters in the elevator. Told from a third-person omniscient narration we are getting the perspectives of each individual which makes it easier to differentiate each one then it might have been had this been told from a different type of narration.
But there is an additional perspective we are witnessing. Set in the past, I will not go into detail about this perspective because, quite frankly, you know that the only reason this perspective is included because she connects to the four in the elevator and what is currently happening to them. But this person is one of the main characters and we spend a great deal of time chronicling her life and her connection with each of the other characters.
So, in many ways, this was a very character driven narrative. One that reads more like a contemporary than thriller. While we do understand that there are people trapped on a elevator, and we want to know why, that's really all there is to it. There isn't necessarily anything suspenseful or thrilling about it.
I will also say, that since this book was supposed to have an "escape room" type feel, that portion of the story should have been played up more. There were not very many clues provided. So really, we are just watching the deterioration of the characters in the elevator. This might have worked better if it were more representative of an escape room, where the clues were more high-stakes.
I should start by saying that, while "Psychological Thriller" would likely be the best genre to describe this story, it does not necessary read as a thriller.
In the present day, we are following four colleagues who are employed by a prestigious New York finance firm. Their jobs are extremely competitive, high-stakes, stressful and time consuming, but also highly lucrative. They are able to live luxurious lifestyles, but maintaining these lifestyles comes with great sacrifice to their personal lives and to their morals.
After a rough year, when it seems that layoffs may be imminent, the four are asked to participate in a team-building exercise that comes in the form of an escape room...in an elevator. But when the elevator stops, the lights go off, and the doors don't open, even after an hour, they soon realize that it is no longer a game, but a rush for survival.
While in the elevator, we witness a myriad of emotions and reactions. These colleagues who have spent several years being teammates, yet often competing for glory and greed, start to turn on one another. Secrets are revealed. Their innermost feelings towards each other are exposed. The situation becomes increasingly tense as the heat is turned up and they realize they don't have much food and water.
So, we have one timeline that is following the characters in the elevator. Told from a third-person omniscient narration we are getting the perspectives of each individual which makes it easier to differentiate each one then it might have been had this been told from a different type of narration.
But there is an additional perspective we are witnessing. Set in the past, I will not go into detail about this perspective because, quite frankly, you know that the only reason this perspective is included because she connects to the four in the elevator and what is currently happening to them. But this person is one of the main characters and we spend a great deal of time chronicling her life and her connection with each of the other characters.
So, in many ways, this was a very character driven narrative. One that reads more like a contemporary than thriller. While we do understand that there are people trapped on a elevator, and we want to know why, that's really all there is to it. There isn't necessarily anything suspenseful or thrilling about it.
I will also say, that since this book was supposed to have an "escape room" type feel, that portion of the story should have been played up more. There were not very many clues provided. So really, we are just watching the deterioration of the characters in the elevator. This might have worked better if it were more representative of an escape room, where the clues were more high-stakes.
nix_3's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
brianna_4pawsandabook's review against another edition
4.0
Welcome to the Escape Room. Your Goal is Simple. Get out Alive
I have such mixed feelings about this book that I'm still struggling to wrap my head around a rating. On one hand, this book was compelling, a page turner, and wasn't entirely predictable. There were plot twists I didn't see coming and it got really dark, really quickly. On the other hand, there were definitely parts of it that didn't make sense, the writing style was a little jarring and sometimes redundant and I felt like we had a huge build up only to be dropped off so quickly at the end. It felt like freefalling on a roller coaster.
There are winners and losers in this world. The winners are the one percent who get to live the dream. The losers are everyone else.
The characters from the beginning were unlikable. Every single one of them. The book focuses on two timelines, both taking place at Stanhope and Sons firm in New York City. These characters are entitled, rich assholes. Simply put. But there's something really refreshing about that. One timeline focuses on 4 people stuck in an elevator, who seem to be playing an involuntary game of the "Escape Room" with clues and puzzles. The second timeline follows Sara several years prior who starts out as a lowly analyst and works her way up the corporate ladder at Stanhope and Sons. The corporate life was interesting at first, but it did get a little boring as it went along. There was also a lot of emphasis placed on how people are perceived, particularly women in the corporate workplace. There were multiple conversations about how women needed to dress in the corporate world and how it was so much more difficult for women than it was for men. A valid point, but it got redundant. I also found it a little jarring at the beginning as the chapters switched between timelines because one timeline was in 3rd person and one timeline was in 1st person. However, I totally understand by the end why the author made that choice.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting
Overall, I actually enjoyed this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting going into it, but it definitely messed with my mind. If you enjoy thrillers that really dive into the minds of the characters, and the reasons why they go to these extreme actions, you might enjoy this book.
CW: Rape, sexual assault, being drugged, suicide, murder, car fire, burning alive, gun violence, claustrophobia, survivor's guilt, depression, alcoholism, drug use
schrodingerqu33r's review against another edition
4.0
I rather enjoyed the Wall Street drama, though i was hoping the Escape Room would play a larger role.
I liked the switching narrative between the group and Sarah, although it definitely made the plot points easier to predict. Which I feel is a big loss in this genre. You lose a lot of necessary steam in Thrillers if you can see what is coming.
I liked the switching narrative between the group and Sarah, although it definitely made the plot points easier to predict. Which I feel is a big loss in this genre. You lose a lot of necessary steam in Thrillers if you can see what is coming.
kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
4.0
I love Megan Goldin. I have been reading everything I can get my hands on. This was totally bingeable!
I don’t know if I have ever read an escape room thriller before and I am hooked. I LOVED the ending, though I could kind of see it coming.
I highly recommend the audiobook.
I don’t know if I have ever read an escape room thriller before and I am hooked. I LOVED the ending, though I could kind of see it coming.
I highly recommend the audiobook.
lisabooksit's review against another edition
3.0
Weak ending to me. Needed a bit more info but ok slow burn read. Sometimes Karma does its thing!
Felt a bit like 'The Firm' with the investment banking company.
Felt a bit like 'The Firm' with the investment banking company.
vsunnergren's review against another edition
2.0
The premise seemed really interesting and had potential, but the ending seemed lazy and disappointing.
gatomochalivre13's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5