A review by mrsruthiewebb
The Devil's Staircase by Helen Fitzgerald
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this one. The by-lines description it as disturbing and witty. I’m not sure I picked up on the comedy but it was definitely gripping. We follow an 18 year old backpacker, fleeing Australia and her self-imposed death sentence. She arrives in London and ends up squatting in a large house with a new group of friends when things take a dark turn.
Although the story started right away with little messing about, the real gritty part was half way through so it felt like I waded through the first part. We hear from three different characters and I’d have liked to have had this within the chapter heading to help focus me when reading.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and felt there was quite a vacuum around them. When reading I could picture how a TV adaptation could go, and perhaps that would help add depth to the characters, because I didn’t really get that from the book.
It was a really dramatic storyline with some interesting twists and stomach turning descriptions. It had an air of Gillian Flynn about it, reminding me a little of ‘The Grown Up’.
I’m still trying to figure out whether I liked this one so having to give it a mid-way score...
Although the story started right away with little messing about, the real gritty part was half way through so it felt like I waded through the first part. We hear from three different characters and I’d have liked to have had this within the chapter heading to help focus me when reading.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters and felt there was quite a vacuum around them. When reading I could picture how a TV adaptation could go, and perhaps that would help add depth to the characters, because I didn’t really get that from the book.
It was a really dramatic storyline with some interesting twists and stomach turning descriptions. It had an air of Gillian Flynn about it, reminding me a little of ‘The Grown Up’.
I’m still trying to figure out whether I liked this one so having to give it a mid-way score...