Reviews with content warning for Stalking - The Teacher

Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

The Teacher by Freida McFadden

168 reviews

the_berries_books's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

GET AWAY FROM HER OMG

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marija_m95's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

A thriller should not be boring in my opinion, and this book was exactly that.
With the major plot holes, terrible "plot twist" at the end, and the double standards applied regarding the relationships, it's safe to say it was not an enjoyable reading experience. And the writing style gave me a headache. Literally.

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brichambo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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chapters_and_pages's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’ve literally just finished this book and I have no idea what to say…

Eve has a good life, she has a great job and a wonderful husband. Life is good. Last year, Caseham High was rocked by allegations of a student-teacher affair. With student Addie at the centre, but Eve knows there is more to the story, and that Addie might be someone you can’t trust.

Honestly, this book is a wild ride and I feel quite torn. On the one hand, I did enjoy reading this book, well as much as you can enjoy a book revolving around grooming and pedophilia, but on the other hand, I was left with some questions.

Starting with characters, I wasn’t a fan of Eve. She was rude, materialistic, annoying and honestly not a great teacher if her treatment of Addie is anything to go by. Nate seemed alright at the beginning but, let’s be honest, if you’ve read the book, then you know that changed very bloody quickly. Addie was probably my favourite of the three. Was she perfect? Hell no. Did she make some poor decisions? Many. But the fact that no one but a predator seemed to notice that she was on a downwards spiral and seriously needed help and support is beyond me. It’s a terrible school.

I wasn’t surprised when Nate showed his true colours, between grooming multiple young girls and the events between him, Eve and Addie towards the end of the book, he honestly had it coming to him. I thought the twist with Eve practically coming back from the dead was hilarious. If that’s not karma, I don’t know what is. I didn’t see the fact that Eve was one of Nate’s earliest victims coming, even though I probably should have, but it definitely made sense.

I really liked how Addie’s life started to improve, how she was no longer the subject of bullying, she got her old friend back and made new ones and had found people who understood her abuse that she could talk to.

The final twist of the book was Jay. Honestly, I had to read those last couple pages multiple times to wrap my head around it. But it left me with questions. One, did Eve know Jay’s real identity? Two, if she didn’t, how is that possible? Considering he attends the same school she works at and he’s a fairly popular football player. Three, even if you gave her the benefit of the doubt, surely this sixteen-year-old didn’t look like he could possibly be married with a baby? Surely he looked, you know, like a teenager! Either Eve had no idea and just the worst luck, or the victim became the abuser… honestly, my brain hurts.

Overall, I found this book very intriguing and it will definitely not be my last Freida McFadden book.

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topaustin's review against another edition

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2.75

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lexithelion's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was an interesting read. The writing was really good, as Frieda McFadden always writes well, but the subject matter is very uncomfortable. I can understand that that was the point, however I have read many of her other novels, and comparatively, this one feels out of place. This book is super predictable, which is also something different from her other novels. This was still well-written and for the most part entertaining, except that middle section was very uncomfortable to get through. I also think that Addie as a character is super frustrating. Yes, she is a child and when I was 16, I made bad decisions too, but she went way over the line of what would be an expected amount of stupidity for a teenager. I wouldn't recommend this if you like Frieda's other novels but maybe you would enjoy it if you want to explore darker material.

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sykamor's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I almost DNFed this book. Part 2 made up for Part 1 but only just.

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readaholicliv's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-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

1.5

While I appreciate author Freida McFadden’s distinctive style and talent for generating suspense, I found this particular narrative to be somewhat challenging to engage with overall. On one hand, a huge strength McFadden has is her capacity to maintain a fast-paced narrative under various circumstances. From the outset, the story unfolds rapidly, effectively capturing the reader’s attention with numerous unexpected twists throughout.

However, I encountered several aspects to the book that ultimately detracted from my overall enjoyment. A significant concern for me was the book’s focus on adults in inappropriate relationships and situations with underage teenagers. This theme proved difficult for me to engage with, and I would have appreciated a more sensitive and nuanced approach. Had I been aware of the prominence of this theme and how romanticized it was in the narrative prior to reading, I would have reconsidered my choice, despite being a fan of McFadden’s other works.

Additionally, the thematic focus on shoes, particularly heels, was quite pronounced. Eve’s fascination with high heels seemed excessive and at times overshadowed more significant aspects of the narrative. While I recognize that this may have been intended to develop her character further, it came across as unrealistic and unnecessary. I would strongly advise against creating a drinking game based on any time Eve discusses shoes, as it could lead to rapid intoxication and possible alcohol poisoning. That’s how excess her obsession is.

I noted some logistical inconsistencies within the plot. Without disclosing any spoilers, the time management of a secondary character seemed inconsistent and implausible for one major scene, leading me to question certain plot elements and their resolutions. Greater attention to these details could have enhanced the overall coherence of the narrative. Additionally, I found it puzzling that this character didn’t seek further clarification when certain elements aligned.

Another challenge in “The Teacher” was the writing style employed, which departs from McFadden’s typical approach. While I value the effort to capture Addie’s perspective as a sixteen-year-old, the execution felt contrived and affected other characters’ perspectives in this dual-perspective narrative. This, combined with the sensitive and complex themes introduced, resulted in a writing style that seemed inconsistent and forced.

Moreover, connecting with the characters posed another great challenge. Eve’s obsession with shoes, her insecurities, and her consistent hypocritical behavior made it difficult to relate to her. Nate, another central character, was unsettling from the start; as the narrative progressed, he also evolved into a less favorable character, and just a major creep. Addie, despite being a teenager, often came across as whiny and naïve, which made her a frustrating character to follow. Her behavior sometimes reminded me of a poorly conceived horror movie, where the character calls out “Is anyone there?” while approaching danger instead of fleeing to safety.

I was shocked and disappointed that this was a story Freida McFadden would choose to write, as the themes are incredibly taboo, and the writing feels rather forced and unbecoming of her typical style. Additionally, the characters were not particularly likable and did not develop any redeeming qualities as the story progressed. On a positive note, this is not my first Freida McFadden book, so I am fully aware of her tremendous talent as a writer and how captivating her stories typically are.

This particular book, however, fell short on expectations for me in nearly every way.

—

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Content Warnings

zsnails99's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The epilogue completely shattered an otherwise fantastic read. Dark and gripping to some sense of vindication gets shredded to ribbons in a convoluted gotcha twist ending that ruins otherwise decent characters and makes no logistical sense. Also the shoe thing was exhausting.

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autumnrosemac's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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