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expatally's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Phew-glad I’m done with this one! He does a brilliant job at making the reader feel trapped in the little cellar room. I couldn’t put the book down if only to escape myself. Great writing-to see the plot and main character
Is distasteful is an understatement, but it don’t let that keep you away from the book.
Is distasteful is an understatement, but it don’t let that keep you away from the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
m11cc444's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-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
Very melancholy. Not sure I would ever reread but it was a dumpster fire I couldn’t look away from. You knew the ending from the beginning and every sickening second before that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
thesawyerbean's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-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
3.25
An interesting read.
The highlight of this novel for me was the dual perspectives - we begin with Fred’s point of view: his planning, experiences and emotions throughout the process of obsession, abduction and ‘possession’ of Miranda. It was an exciting spin on the Lolita-esque unreliable and morally-reprehensible narrator: the perception of events we had just read obliterated by the diary entries of the victim Miranda herself.
The stream of consciousness from Miranda, elucidating the thoughts and emotions behind her responses to her captivity interweaved with the context surrounding her life and romantic past, disintegrates the grotesquely endearing account by Fred in the previous part. It solidifies his evil firmly for the reader, emphasised further in the conclusion of the novel.
Despite this, it wasn’t all that enjoyable a read. Miranda’s diary entries were very convoluted, with constant switching between her memories and present day events, laced with political and class discourse. The discourse itself refers to the problematic aspects of gaining wealth, the apparent degradation of the ‘soul’ as a result, the class warfare between old and new money, the dilution of art, etc. etc.. Miranda is the classic rich artsy girl, Fred is the insidious ‘new money’. Fascinating, I suppose, but written in a way that wasn’t in fact fascinating. Especially when it was coming from the mouth of an absolutely heinous ‘love’ interest from her past.
The entire book was also riddled with weird grammar errors which interrupted the flow completely because I had to reread to confirm that I had no idea what was just said.
Overall this was an average read - it was not what I was expecting necessarily when I picked it up, but the architecture of the storytelling and the discourse I think warrant a read if you are so inclined.
The highlight of this novel for me was the dual perspectives - we begin with Fred’s point of view: his planning, experiences and emotions throughout the process of obsession, abduction and ‘possession’ of Miranda. It was an exciting spin on the Lolita-esque unreliable and morally-reprehensible narrator: the perception of events we had just read obliterated by the diary entries of the victim Miranda herself.
The stream of consciousness from Miranda, elucidating the thoughts and emotions behind her responses to her captivity interweaved with the context surrounding her life and romantic past, disintegrates the grotesquely endearing account by Fred in the previous part. It solidifies his evil firmly for the reader, emphasised further in the conclusion of the novel.
Despite this, it wasn’t all that enjoyable a read. Miranda’s diary entries were very convoluted, with constant switching between her memories and present day events, laced with political and class discourse. The discourse itself refers to the problematic aspects of gaining wealth, the apparent degradation of the ‘soul’ as a result, the class warfare between old and new money, the dilution of art, etc. etc.. Miranda is the classic rich artsy girl, Fred is the insidious ‘new money’. Fascinating, I suppose, but written in a way that wasn’t in fact fascinating. Especially when it was coming from the mouth of an absolutely heinous ‘love’ interest from her past.
The entire book was also riddled with weird grammar errors which interrupted the flow completely because I had to reread to confirm that I had no idea what was just said.
Overall this was an average read - it was not what I was expecting necessarily when I picked it up, but the architecture of the storytelling and the discourse I think warrant a read if you are so inclined.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Minor: Rape
cakearson's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
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