benjfleck's review against another edition
4.0
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax: Or, This Isn't a Happy Story about a Cat
Not much to say about this without spoiling the whole book, but, oooof did it get dark and troubling. Poor Louis Drax. His living situation wasn't great and he really had it tough, but he fought for life. And lived... nine times even. He always chose life.
Liz Jensen tells a powerful story about the importance of memory, love, never giving up, and trusting your gut. It is gripping and troubling and heartbreaking and hard to put down. I just shivered thinking back on it and I don't want to think more on it because it makes me feel things I don't want to even think about.
Not much to say about this without spoiling the whole book, but, oooof did it get dark and troubling. Poor Louis Drax. His living situation wasn't great and he really had it tough, but he fought for life. And lived... nine times even. He always chose life.
Liz Jensen tells a powerful story about the importance of memory, love, never giving up, and trusting your gut. It is gripping and troubling and heartbreaking and hard to put down. I just shivered thinking back on it and I don't want to think more on it because it makes me feel things I don't want to even think about.
stacialithub's review against another edition
3.0
I don't normally read psychological thrillers. I found this one a quick, easy read -- guessed parts of it ahead of time, but there were still a few surprises. Overall ok, but if this is your type of genre, you may enjoy it more than I did.
And, yes, the cover is somewhat creepy. Accurate reflection of the mental stuff going on in the story.
And, yes, the cover is somewhat creepy. Accurate reflection of the mental stuff going on in the story.
guiltlesspleasures's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a big fan of Liz Jensen. This book was very readable and the character of Louis Drax is compelling and well drawn - but something about the story didn't sit right with me. For one thing, the main narrator, Dr Dannachet, is a fool and quite irritating.
But the oddest thing is Jensen's approach to her female characters. There are two main ones: Louis' mother, Natalie, and the detective, Stephanie Charvillefort. They seem to have been set up as polar opposites in terms of gender: Natalie is delicate, fragile, nervous; the detective is butch, blunt, dogged. And -
when Louis' mother is found to be the crazy one, not her husband, Charvillefort says to the doctor, "I hope this doesn't colour your view of all women!" And this is accepted as a reasonable question. Why on earth would you assume that the actions of one woman would taint a man's view of all women, except if that man was seriously disturbed on a par with Elliot Rodger? It was seriously odd.
Even more infuriating was a subsequent comment that some guy (another doctor, if I recall correctly) made to the detective, jokingly, when she ruefully mentions that, in contrast to the delicate Mme Drax, she can come across as a bit coarse. "Maybe you should wear make-up!" he says. And they all chuckle, including her.
It was just BIZARRE, how this creepy little tale of a unique little boy and his disturbed, manipulative mother got turned into some sort of odd tract on femininity. Can't quite work out why she did it.
But the oddest thing is Jensen's approach to her female characters. There are two main ones: Louis' mother, Natalie, and the detective, Stephanie Charvillefort. They seem to have been set up as polar opposites in terms of gender: Natalie is delicate, fragile, nervous; the detective is butch, blunt, dogged. And -
Spoiler
when Louis' mother is found to be the crazy one, not her husband, Charvillefort says to the doctor, "I hope this doesn't colour your view of all women!" And this is accepted as a reasonable question. Why on earth would you assume that the actions of one woman would taint a man's view of all women, except if that man was seriously disturbed on a par with Elliot Rodger? It was seriously odd.
Even more infuriating was a subsequent comment that some guy (another doctor, if I recall correctly) made to the detective, jokingly, when she ruefully mentions that, in contrast to the delicate Mme Drax, she can come across as a bit coarse. "Maybe you should wear make-up!" he says. And they all chuckle, including her.
It was just BIZARRE, how this creepy little tale of a unique little boy and his disturbed, manipulative mother got turned into some sort of odd tract on femininity. Can't quite work out why she did it.
jerefi's review against another edition
4.0
I gave it four stars because I enjoyed it is weird,quirky and sometimes dark and twisted sense of humor. It is a piece of fiction that serves as warning for the guy with the knight in shining armor syndrome. I am fighting the urge to make some of my thick headed guy friends read this.
bookiesncreme's review against another edition
2.0
If I hadn’t started with any expectations, I might have liked this more.
dominikalongi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
zombiemom54's review against another edition
2.0
kind of weird mystery.I think it was originally published in french. So I guess there are some words that don't translate well. There were some things I didn't understand cause it was in french. The story did keep my attention , cause I wanted to know what happend. It was a little predictable but not horrible that I couldn't finish. I wouldn't read it again and there were a few unnessesary sexual refrences.
grnnminded's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Manipulation
Psychological Thriller
Psychological Thriller