d_nice_'s review against another edition
After She Wrote Him reads like an optical illusion in book form, which I found difficult to follow as an audiobook. Very clever and I’m highly impressed by the concept, even if I couldn’t fully appreciate the execution.
mandyherbet's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This is the weirdest book I’ve ever read.
wrenlee's review against another edition
4.0
I don't think I've finished a book as quickly as this one. It's so trippy to read about two people writing each other's stories, but it works. You're drawn into their relationship. It's a codependent spiral that absolutely pulls you in. The murder mystery part is just meh, but it isn't the focus. You're reading to see how far Madeleine and Edward will go in the name of writing and art. The author navigates their different voices and stories so well you won't be able to tell where Edward starts and Madeleine begins or vice versa. And that last line? GORGEOUS.
It also cracks me up when Edward finds out Madeleine isn't white. He's like, "Oh didn't see that one coming," and that is so stereotypical white male author of him.
It also cracks me up when Edward finds out Madeleine isn't white. He's like, "Oh didn't see that one coming," and that is so stereotypical white male author of him.
85tarheel's review against another edition
2.0
“All novels are self-referential to some extent” says one of the characters in “After She Wrote Him”, and this novel takes that to an extreme. Talk about meta, this is a book written by an author about an author writing a book about an author who is writing a book about an author. I am not making that up. I enjoyed some of the set up in this book and definitely enjoyed seeing the various authors plying their craft, but there is a change in the story that was definitely a bridge too far for me, which I won’t mention because it would be a major spoiler. Then the book ends with one of the mystery/thriller tropes I most despise, again I won’t name it, but that sealed the deal for me. A criticism leveled about one of the stories within the novel rings very true, “They say the novel doesn’t know what it is: crime fiction, memoir, literary fiction…” A well written book that ended up being about something other than I thought it was going to be, and what it ended up being was disappointing to me.
faerique's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
aielylois's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
melpoda's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
zoylicious's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
3.75
lehine's review against another edition
2.0
I looked forward to this one for so long, and it had so much potential as an idea, but it was very disappointing. A self-indulgent story about two writers writing each other’s story and becoming increasingly obsessed with each other. The back cover questions which is real- something which is NEVER ANSWERED.
The ending was just. Terrible. Unforgivably bad. The woman is gaslighted into mental care and is just okay with it? Really? The crime is never resolved in a satisfying way either. Just bad.
The ending was just. Terrible. Unforgivably bad. The woman is gaslighted into mental care and is just okay with it? Really? The crime is never resolved in a satisfying way either. Just bad.
kayla_jade's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
2.5