nzlisam's review against another edition
5.0
Had me hooked from the get-go!
I was really looking forward to this release and am happy to report that I absolutely loved it! I spent the majority of the novel trying to puzzle out, and make sense of what was going on. I had my suspicions – some were correct, most were not. The protagonist, Eliza, was a fascinating, yet pretty screwed-up character. While reading, I had so many questions regarding her. Were there really gaps in her memory, or was she just an accomplished liar? Was someone actually stalking/trying to hurt her, or was it another brain tumour? Did she have a doppelganger/twin? And how did her unpublished manuscript (that is supposed to be a work of fiction but is eerily reminiscent of events in her life) fit in? Every chapter started with Eliza’s POV, ending with an excerpt from her upcoming novel ‘The Dots’. This format worked well at revealing a bit at a time, and kept the tension high. I was very satisfied with the ending – original and clever – and thankfully all my questions were answered, and the loose ends were tied up nicely.
This is Sara Shepard’s first suspense novel aimed at adults, but content wise I didn’t find any parts inappropriate for a teen audience, and Eliza was only in her early twenties. It’s a standalone novel – not part of a series like much of Shepard’s work. As advertised it does have a Hitchcockian vibe to it, which I enjoyed. Read it! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
I was really looking forward to this release and am happy to report that I absolutely loved it! I spent the majority of the novel trying to puzzle out, and make sense of what was going on. I had my suspicions – some were correct, most were not. The protagonist, Eliza, was a fascinating, yet pretty screwed-up character. While reading, I had so many questions regarding her. Were there really gaps in her memory, or was she just an accomplished liar? Was someone actually stalking/trying to hurt her, or was it another brain tumour? Did she have a doppelganger/twin? And how did her unpublished manuscript (that is supposed to be a work of fiction but is eerily reminiscent of events in her life) fit in? Every chapter started with Eliza’s POV, ending with an excerpt from her upcoming novel ‘The Dots’. This format worked well at revealing a bit at a time, and kept the tension high. I was very satisfied with the ending – original and clever – and thankfully all my questions were answered, and the loose ends were tied up nicely.
This is Sara Shepard’s first suspense novel aimed at adults, but content wise I didn’t find any parts inappropriate for a teen audience, and Eliza was only in her early twenties. It’s a standalone novel – not part of a series like much of Shepard’s work. As advertised it does have a Hitchcockian vibe to it, which I enjoyed. Read it! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
phdee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
2.75
rosexgold's review against another edition
3.0
A little weird reading this right after "Sometimes I Lie." A very similar start and they both have mentions of being "peas in a pod." This was way better though. I am still not over how awful SIL was. It was just pure garbage.
Aaannnywaayyyy, this story was pure, classic Sara Shepard. The concept of lookalikes always has to make an appearance. It's hilarious to me that I could stay ahead of the game and correctly guess what the next reveal would or wouldn't be depending on how far along I was in the book, since I knew it was a stand alone novel and not a series. If it was a series there would have been a few different twists that she laid the groundwork for, but decided to wrap up differently because there just wasn't enough time!
Aaannnywaayyyy, this story was pure, classic Sara Shepard. The concept of lookalikes always has to make an appearance. It's hilarious to me that I could stay ahead of the game and correctly guess what the next reveal would or wouldn't be depending on how far along I was in the book, since I knew it was a stand alone novel and not a series. If it was a series there would have been a few different twists that she laid the groundwork for, but decided to wrap up differently because there just wasn't enough time!
vanessa_issa's review against another edition
1.0
Me arrastei a semana toda pra terminar esse livro. Bateu aquela ressaca literária... :/
Só não abandonei a leitura por acreditar no trabalho da Sara Shepard. Esperava que pelo menos o final fosse me surpreender, mas... Sinceramente, não curti.
Só não abandonei a leitura por acreditar no trabalho da Sara Shepard. Esperava que pelo menos o final fosse me surpreender, mas... Sinceramente, não curti.
gareindeedreads's review against another edition
3.0
Eliza Fontaine is a trainwreck. That's how the story begins. Found at the bottom of a pool in a drunken stupid with a belly full of vodka is how this twisted tale begins. I found the opening to be rather frantic and oozing of panic, which was a great way to lead the story of this heavily psychological melodrama featuring a novel within a novel. Eliza Fontaine is not a likable or reliable character and that really fit well within this story for me. That being said, some things with this novel really worked for me while others were things I wasn't able to grasp.
This novel is good. More psychological and overwrought than her previous work, Shepard takes a giant leap into the adult world of psychological thrillers and the result is a novel that throws so many questions at you that it's painful to not continue to read. I really loved the alternating chapters of Elizas novel "The Dots" and could see the correlation within the two worlds as they continue to bump into each other before a disastrous collision.
While this novel is a lighter read and fun, similar to that of a Lifetime movie, my only issue that I was having a hard time grasping was the chapters from Eliza's world as she tries to piece together what happened that night. It was almost like the character did have full on amnesia and the results were not only frantic chapters, but those that left me wondering at times if I had missed a chapter or a larger portion of the novel was trying to worm its way out of the center of truth.
Shepard again does a great job of wrapping everything up neatly with a bow and answering all questions the reader may have and the ending was not only shocking, but complex, and didn't let me down as a reader. I would mark this as a novel that is a great and light beach read, perfect for those who are young adult readers transitioning into the world of adult suspense or for those who want a psychological thriller that isn't too gritty or violent.
Special thanks to Atria Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
This novel is good. More psychological and overwrought than her previous work, Shepard takes a giant leap into the adult world of psychological thrillers and the result is a novel that throws so many questions at you that it's painful to not continue to read. I really loved the alternating chapters of Elizas novel "The Dots" and could see the correlation within the two worlds as they continue to bump into each other before a disastrous collision.
While this novel is a lighter read and fun, similar to that of a Lifetime movie, my only issue that I was having a hard time grasping was the chapters from Eliza's world as she tries to piece together what happened that night. It was almost like the character did have full on amnesia and the results were not only frantic chapters, but those that left me wondering at times if I had missed a chapter or a larger portion of the novel was trying to worm its way out of the center of truth.
Shepard again does a great job of wrapping everything up neatly with a bow and answering all questions the reader may have and the ending was not only shocking, but complex, and didn't let me down as a reader. I would mark this as a novel that is a great and light beach read, perfect for those who are young adult readers transitioning into the world of adult suspense or for those who want a psychological thriller that isn't too gritty or violent.
Special thanks to Atria Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
cristalya's review
4.0
Ce livre me tentait plutôt bien, de par le résumé mais aussi du fait que j'ai pu lire plusieurs tomes de Pretty Little Liars de la même autrice que j'avais franchement bien aimés, et ce fut vraiment une bonne lecture.
On entre dans la vie de Eliza Fontaine, dont le livre Les Dés va paraître sous peu. Seulement, quelques temps avant sa sortie, elle va être retrouvée au fond d'une piscine alors qu'elle ne sait pas nager, et tout le monde pense qu'elle a voulu se suicider. Mais Eliza est sûre d'une chose, on l'a poussé, elle n'a pas sauté dans cette étendue d'eau.
On va ainsi suivre Eliza à partir de ce moment-là, avec toutes les questions qu'elle se pose et la recherche de réponses. Elle veut à tout prix connaître la vérité, et faire comprendre à son entourage que ce n'était pas un accident, et qu'elle n'a pas tenté de mettre fin à ses jours.
On alterne entre chapitres sous le point de vue de Eliza, et d'autres qui correspondent à des passages de son roman. Au fil des pages, on va ainsi découvrir deux histoires différentes, mais on va rapidement se rendre compte que son roman pourrait bien l'aider.
On est pris dans l'histoire que nous offre Sara Shepard, à un point que parfois nous sommes perdus comme Eliza. On se retrouve à parfois ne plus savoir ce qui est la réalité ou la fiction dans le roman, à essayer de distinguer les deux. On veut pouvoir aider le personnage, lui parler, lui conseiller de faire ou de ne pas faire les choses. On veut qu'elle découvre la vérité, mais sans qu'elle ne se mette dans des situations qui dégénèrent alors que tout pourrait correctement se dérouler. On tourne les pages afin de découvrir la suite, tout comme Eliza, on veut connaître le fin mot de l'histoire : a-t-elle raison ou son esprit est-il malade et lui fait croire des choses qui n'existent pas ?
Le personnage principal est intéressant, du fait qu'elle change de ce qu'on peut lire habituellement. C'est un protagoniste particulier, qui a des attirances pour les choses assez morbides, et ainsi diffère de nos habitudes. On compatit pour ce qui lui arrive, du fait qu'une bonne partie des gens qu'elle connaît la pense à moitié folle, du fait qu'elle se retrouve presque seule face à tout le reste du monde.
Les autres personnages sont plus difficiles à cerner, étant nous même dans les pensées de Eliza, et étant parfois influencé par son jugement puisque nous n'avons aucun autre point de vue. Les personnages du roman du protagoniste était eux aussi intéressants et pour certains touchants, et ils ont une importance non moindre dans l'histoire de Eliza.
On retrouve dans ce roman la patte de Sara Shepard, les éléments qui lui sont propres. Ainsi, on a les thèmes de la paranoïa, mais aussi du mensonge, thèmes de prédilection de la célèbre série Pretty Little Liars. De même, on a à plusieurs reprises la mention de marques américaines, que ce soit pour la mode ou les voitures, mais aussi des personnages provenant d'un foyer favorisé. En effet, tout comme les filles des romans Pretty Little Liars, Eliza fait partie de la population qui a de l'argent, et qui n'a pas de problème pour s'assurer de manger et d'avoir un toit.
En ce qui concerne le dénouement du roman, je ne m'y étais pas attendue, ou plus exactement, je ne m'y serais pas attendue tant que les premiers éléments ne soient dévoilés. Sara Shepard ne nous livre pas toutes les réponses d'un coup, on avance dans l'intrigue en voulant connaître la vérité, et c'est à partir d'un certain moment dans le roman (assez lointain tout de même) que l'autrice nous le suggère et nous laisse la possibilité de rassembler les pièces du puzzle. Néanmoins, elle nous laisse des parts d'ombre qu'elle telles quelles jusque dans les toutes dernières pages du roman où elles nous révèlent les dernières réponses, tout en laissant une part de doute au lecteur, à pied d'égalité avec Eliza.
Pour conclure, j'ai beaucoup aimé cette lecture. On retrouve la patte de l'autrice que j'apprécie, et elle nous entraîne dans un thriller un peu différent de ce que l'on peut lire. Je ne m'étais pas attendue à cette dénouement et l'idée de cette intrigue était vraiment intéressante. On est pris entre réalité et fiction, avec parfois une difficulté à les dissocier ou à mettre les éléments à sa place. Sara Shepard ne nous livre pas toutes les réponses d'un coup, et laisse même une part de doute sur ce qu'est réellement la vérité, qu'on ne connaîtra, comme l'héroïne, peut-être jamais avec certitude.
Note de 4,5/5 sur le blog
On entre dans la vie de Eliza Fontaine, dont le livre Les Dés va paraître sous peu. Seulement, quelques temps avant sa sortie, elle va être retrouvée au fond d'une piscine alors qu'elle ne sait pas nager, et tout le monde pense qu'elle a voulu se suicider. Mais Eliza est sûre d'une chose, on l'a poussé, elle n'a pas sauté dans cette étendue d'eau.
On va ainsi suivre Eliza à partir de ce moment-là, avec toutes les questions qu'elle se pose et la recherche de réponses. Elle veut à tout prix connaître la vérité, et faire comprendre à son entourage que ce n'était pas un accident, et qu'elle n'a pas tenté de mettre fin à ses jours.
On alterne entre chapitres sous le point de vue de Eliza, et d'autres qui correspondent à des passages de son roman. Au fil des pages, on va ainsi découvrir deux histoires différentes, mais on va rapidement se rendre compte que son roman pourrait bien l'aider.
On est pris dans l'histoire que nous offre Sara Shepard, à un point que parfois nous sommes perdus comme Eliza. On se retrouve à parfois ne plus savoir ce qui est la réalité ou la fiction dans le roman, à essayer de distinguer les deux. On veut pouvoir aider le personnage, lui parler, lui conseiller de faire ou de ne pas faire les choses. On veut qu'elle découvre la vérité, mais sans qu'elle ne se mette dans des situations qui dégénèrent alors que tout pourrait correctement se dérouler. On tourne les pages afin de découvrir la suite, tout comme Eliza, on veut connaître le fin mot de l'histoire : a-t-elle raison ou son esprit est-il malade et lui fait croire des choses qui n'existent pas ?
Le personnage principal est intéressant, du fait qu'elle change de ce qu'on peut lire habituellement. C'est un protagoniste particulier, qui a des attirances pour les choses assez morbides, et ainsi diffère de nos habitudes. On compatit pour ce qui lui arrive, du fait qu'une bonne partie des gens qu'elle connaît la pense à moitié folle, du fait qu'elle se retrouve presque seule face à tout le reste du monde.
Les autres personnages sont plus difficiles à cerner, étant nous même dans les pensées de Eliza, et étant parfois influencé par son jugement puisque nous n'avons aucun autre point de vue. Les personnages du roman du protagoniste était eux aussi intéressants et pour certains touchants, et ils ont une importance non moindre dans l'histoire de Eliza.
On retrouve dans ce roman la patte de Sara Shepard, les éléments qui lui sont propres. Ainsi, on a les thèmes de la paranoïa, mais aussi du mensonge, thèmes de prédilection de la célèbre série Pretty Little Liars. De même, on a à plusieurs reprises la mention de marques américaines, que ce soit pour la mode ou les voitures, mais aussi des personnages provenant d'un foyer favorisé. En effet, tout comme les filles des romans Pretty Little Liars, Eliza fait partie de la population qui a de l'argent, et qui n'a pas de problème pour s'assurer de manger et d'avoir un toit.
En ce qui concerne le dénouement du roman, je ne m'y étais pas attendue, ou plus exactement, je ne m'y serais pas attendue tant que les premiers éléments ne soient dévoilés. Sara Shepard ne nous livre pas toutes les réponses d'un coup, on avance dans l'intrigue en voulant connaître la vérité, et c'est à partir d'un certain moment dans le roman (assez lointain tout de même) que l'autrice nous le suggère et nous laisse la possibilité de rassembler les pièces du puzzle. Néanmoins, elle nous laisse des parts d'ombre qu'elle telles quelles jusque dans les toutes dernières pages du roman où elles nous révèlent les dernières réponses, tout en laissant une part de doute au lecteur, à pied d'égalité avec Eliza.
Pour conclure, j'ai beaucoup aimé cette lecture. On retrouve la patte de l'autrice que j'apprécie, et elle nous entraîne dans un thriller un peu différent de ce que l'on peut lire. Je ne m'étais pas attendue à cette dénouement et l'idée de cette intrigue était vraiment intéressante. On est pris entre réalité et fiction, avec parfois une difficulté à les dissocier ou à mettre les éléments à sa place. Sara Shepard ne nous livre pas toutes les réponses d'un coup, et laisse même une part de doute sur ce qu'est réellement la vérité, qu'on ne connaîtra, comme l'héroïne, peut-être jamais avec certitude.
Note de 4,5/5 sur le blog
lynnaeaowens's review against another edition
2.0
I go back to these juicy YAs as an escape. I expect a lot of drama and suspense, hopefully some fun fashion or romance, and decent character development - most of this was achieved here. So, I'm not really sure why this didn't work for me other than that it was extremely obvious I was not the intended audience. The discussion of brain tumors and mental illness and all sorts of possible psychological explanations for Eliza's difficulties fell flat for me and the title of this book and the plot line of "The Dots" (the story within a story in the novel) caused me to guess the twist way too soon and as a result I felt frustrated by Eliza's ineptitude and everyone else's misguided attempts to protect her from herself. Honestly, this was a slog to get through with no real pay-off for me.
2/5 - probably a better fit for other readers... didn't bring me the escapism I hoped for.
2/5 - probably a better fit for other readers... didn't bring me the escapism I hoped for.
mayris88's review against another edition
1.0
I didn’t like it at all.
It felt dragged and if I’m being honest, I skipped a lot of pages because I found it incredibly boring and slow paced.
I don’t known why but I forgot that Sara’s characters are spoiled rich kids, and I never really cared up until this book.
It felt dragged and if I’m being honest, I skipped a lot of pages because I found it incredibly boring and slow paced.
I don’t known why but I forgot that Sara’s characters are spoiled rich kids, and I never really cared up until this book.
acwyland's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
kendraji's review against another edition
4.0
I'll start by saying that I completely love everything written by Sara Shepard. Every time I pick up one of her novels I know that I will be completely drawn in. With that being said, I feel that The Eliza's is unlike anything she has written before.
The content itself is more mature and intense as our main character is in her early twenties and is dealing with some heavy topics. From the beginning, we are supposed to assume that our main character Eliza is an unreliable narrator. As the story continued, I found myself switching sides multiple time as new information is revealed. I really enjoy books with unreliable narrators as they are more unpredictable as your normal run-of-the-mill YA Thrillers. However, I am taking away one star because I felt that the plot of the story was too confusing. Sara was trying to implicate too many people and scenarios that by the time we got to the 'reveal' I didn't know what to believe and everything seemed a little too convenient. Overall, this book left me on the edge of my seat. Towards the end of the novel, I found myself unable to put this book down.
The content itself is more mature and intense as our main character is in her early twenties and is dealing with some heavy topics. From the beginning, we are supposed to assume that our main character Eliza is an unreliable narrator. As the story continued, I found myself switching sides multiple time as new information is revealed. I really enjoy books with unreliable narrators as they are more unpredictable as your normal run-of-the-mill YA Thrillers. However, I am taking away one star because I felt that the plot of the story was too confusing. Sara was trying to implicate too many people and scenarios that by the time we got to the 'reveal' I didn't know what to believe and everything seemed a little too convenient. Overall, this book left me on the edge of my seat. Towards the end of the novel, I found myself unable to put this book down.