Reviews

*With thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own*

I was so, so excited to be approved to read ‘The Confession’ as I’m a massive fan of Jessie Burton’s writing and have had the pleasure of meeting her through Library work. Burton’s characterisation in this book was fantastic as it has been in her other works, although I would say that her writing style has matured a lot with this book; the text flows really well and the narrative split into two separate timelines was a nice touch as it allowed snippets of information to feed through to the reader.

Unlike in her previous novels, I found the characters to be fairly unlikable, although at the same time realistic as they all had flaws and talents as people generally do. I found that the further into the plot I delved, the further I began to dislike some characters and like others. The characters stories and histories interwove perfectly, even across the two timelines, set in the 1980s and 2010s. The main characters especially felt very real, with real emotions of friendship, relationships and sexuality. Both timelines were equally interesting and held my attention well; the differences between America and London were well executed, as was the pace of the storyline; there were a lot of twists and turns, although at times the twists were fairly predictable (to me), the book was enjoyable anyway.

One of my favourite things was the dynamic between Kelly, Instagram star and super mum, and Rose, the main character. Rose is believable as a thirty-something woman who isn’t quite sure where her life has gone or where it’s going and Kelly is the woman to keeps her going when life starts to fall apart. Overall I loved how the characters in this book weaved in and around each other; everyone was connected and that was ultimately, what helped the novel flow. I found the ending frustrating as it was too open ended for my liking, although on the other hand it isn’t a bad thing to be able to use your imagination to continue the story in the mind. A beautifully written piece of prose, from the beginning to the end.

caffeinatedandreading's review against another edition

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3.0

The Confession is a beautiful book about love, loss, friendship and motherhood. The Confession follows the lives of three women across two timelines, exploring Constance and Elise’s relationship as they navigate life in 1980s LA and then Elise’s daughter Rose and her life in London 2017.

The characters are wonderfully vibrant! I was gripped and surprised with the unravelling stories of these 3 different women. Jessie Burtons writing leaves for a truly authentic story.

somekindofmiriam's review against another edition

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

4.0

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