A review by nglofile
One by One by Ruth Ware
4.0
Cards on the table: Story - 2 stars, if that. Audio experience - 5 stars.
Anyone whose path has brushed mine in recent years knows my favorite fall activity is moody nighttime walks with the incomparable Imogen Church reading Ruth Ware in my ear. That still stands true, but more than ever all credit is due to the always exceptional narration.
Though I was entertained by Ware's earlier books, I firmly believed she had found her true calling in her recent turn to gothic suspense. Her gift for crafting atmosphere and tension along with Hitchcockian characters offered delicious experiences. Unfortunately, she has again changed direction and chose to first lay powder for an adaptation of And Then There Were None mash-up with perhaps The Hunting Party -- but then veered off-piste to...I'm not even certain.
I was all-in at the beginning, and the common complaint about meeting all the characters at once without being able to track them wasn't a barrier for me (thank you, Imogen!). The beats and even perpetrator may have been somewhat predictable, but that never bothers me with these; I come for the ride. However, the last quarter of the book fails to work structurally, narratively, or tonally, and.
audiobook note: All flaws and disappointments aside, it is still a genuine, thrilling pleasure to have Imogen read me a story. I'm well aware my effusiveness is becoming one-note, but the way she adds nuance to characterization and pacing and mood is all that I need. It is for her contributions that I rate this read as high as I do. I can't bring myself to do otherwise.
Anyone whose path has brushed mine in recent years knows my favorite fall activity is moody nighttime walks with the incomparable Imogen Church reading Ruth Ware in my ear. That still stands true, but more than ever all credit is due to the always exceptional narration.
Though I was entertained by Ware's earlier books, I firmly believed she had found her true calling in her recent turn to gothic suspense. Her gift for crafting atmosphere and tension along with Hitchcockian characters offered delicious experiences. Unfortunately, she has again changed direction and chose to first lay powder for an adaptation of And Then There Were None mash-up with perhaps The Hunting Party -- but then veered off-piste to...I'm not even certain.
I was all-in at the beginning, and the common complaint about meeting all the characters at once without being able to track them wasn't a barrier for me (thank you, Imogen!). The beats and even perpetrator may have been somewhat predictable, but that never bothers me with these; I come for the ride. However, the last quarter of the book fails to work structurally, narratively, or tonally, and
Spoiler
the drawn-out denouement is bewildering, especially as the book ends with a whimper. This is not a book that leaves the reader with any sense of satisfaction. Not even a bitaudiobook note: All flaws and disappointments aside, it is still a genuine, thrilling pleasure to have Imogen read me a story. I'm well aware my effusiveness is becoming one-note, but the way she adds nuance to characterization and pacing and mood is all that I need. It is for her contributions that I rate this read as high as I do. I can't bring myself to do otherwise.