goddess_of_gore_vix's review against another edition
3.0
"there's nothing more glamorous than a flamingo"
Extremely well written book about Elise in the early 1980s and Rose in the late 2010s and the woman who holds the secrets to connect them both Connie.
I found myself more attuned to Rose in 2017 than Elise. In fact I didn't really like Elise much at all except for when she was drunk at her birthday party. Then I really felt myself sympathising with her. Her heartbreak I felt with her.
I thought Connie was the best character throughout the book and quite honestly she made the book for me.
I also liked the short chapters. They kept me intrigued to keep finding out more information.
The actual confession was brutal and cutthroat but I didn't like the outcome. I thought everything was a bit to coincidental to be plausible in Rose's life and I didn't like the ambiguity of the ending. So my 3* rating reflects this.
However, I would read more of Jessie Burton because the writing was astounding and so easy to read and binge.
Extremely well written book about Elise in the early 1980s and Rose in the late 2010s and the woman who holds the secrets to connect them both Connie.
I found myself more attuned to Rose in 2017 than Elise. In fact I didn't really like Elise much at all except for when she was drunk at her birthday party. Then I really felt myself sympathising with her. Her heartbreak I felt with her.
I thought Connie was the best character throughout the book and quite honestly she made the book for me.
I also liked the short chapters. They kept me intrigued to keep finding out more information.
The actual confession was brutal and cutthroat but I didn't like the outcome. I thought everything was a bit to coincidental to be plausible in Rose's life and I didn't like the ambiguity of the ending. So my 3* rating reflects this.
However, I would read more of Jessie Burton because the writing was astounding and so easy to read and binge.
rhatcher15's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
annib's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
shahrun's review against another edition
3.0
I found it hard to put this book down. Interesting weaving of Elsie & Connie’s back stories with Rose & Connie’s present. But in the end I felt a bit cheated, as I didn’t feel we had extracted quite all of this books secrets. And perhaps I didn’t agree with all of the characters choices. Which I know is normal for real life. But then that’s why I read, to escape from that and find stories with everything neatly tied up I suppose. Still glad I read it.
clmckinney's review against another edition
4.0
I like Jessie Burton's books. She has a knack with unraveling mysteries and plot twists that make for good fiction. There are only two complaints that I have for this book. The first is that I find fault with coincidences in novels. It feels cheap to me. I don't like things just falling into place. I don't feel like it reflects real life. The second is that near the end, things got too schmaltzy for me. The relationships developed too fast and lacked plausible closeness. With that said, I would give this one a 3.9/5.
hayleysnextpage's review against another edition
3.0
The Confession is a book about secrets, motherhood and finding yourself. Its interwoven timelines alternate between the 1980s, where Elise Morceau serendipitously meets Constance Holden one afternoon on Hampstead Heath. Elise is quickly enamoured by the older woman, a writer whose book is being turned into a Hollywood blockbuster. Elise follows Connie to LA, which is where everything seems to unravel. Meanwhile, three decades later we meet Rose Simmons, who's still seeking answers after her mother abandoned her when she was a baby. When her dad finally reveals that Connie was the last person to see her, Rose secretively finds her way into Connie's life in search of a confession.
Firstly, I thought this book was very well-written, but my rating reflects the fact that I just didn't really empathise with either of the main characters. Elise was quite bratty, while Rose was a bit of a pushover in the beginning. I also (without spoiling anything) wanted more from the ending.
Firstly, I thought this book was very well-written, but my rating reflects the fact that I just didn't really empathise with either of the main characters. Elise was quite bratty, while Rose was a bit of a pushover in the beginning. I also (without spoiling anything) wanted more from the ending.
jessmed3's review against another edition
5.0
Such gorgeous writing. Interesting subject matter, highly developed women characters. Blew through this one because it just flowed so well. Some really ‘deep thoughts’ (that are actually not that profound but just so well’articated) on being a woman, being a bit lost, marriage, motherhood
hoggm07's review against another edition
5.0
Loved the characters in this book and the current and historic stories running right through the book
_gremlin's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
line_magnus's review against another edition
2.0
I just couldn't connect with this. The characters didn't feel real, and the writing is pretentious and often nonsensical. Nothing about writing, characters, setting or plot drew me in. DNF at 20% -- life is too short.