I decided to change my usual reading pattern (i.e., indy reads and new authors) and read some highly touted thrillers. One lived up to its review; the other, unfortunately, in my opinion, did not!
GIRL ON A TRAIN by Paula Hawkins
I finally succumbed and bought this book to see what all the hoopla was about and, no, I haven’t seen the movie. Happily, I found it to be a super entertaining read. I finished it in the ‘wee smalls,’ unable to put it down.
What I really liked about it was that though I thought I’d figured out who the evil-doer was at the very beginning, the author skillfully kept leading me astray … so that I abandoned my first impression only to be surprised at the end when I found that I was right from the start!
The story is told from alternating points of view which I liked, too.
The novel is dark and fast-paced, the characters are complex, and the plot is compelling. Highly recommended for thriller fans.
Five big, bright, shiny stars!
BEHIND HER EYES by Sarah Pinborough
I bought this book because of recommendations from Stephen King, Joe Hill, and others. Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed. I found the characters to be annoying, rather stupid, and the ending hard to believe.
The story is told, mainly, from two points of view, Louise – a divorcee with a young son – and Adele – wife of Louise’s new boss, David. The tale begins after Louise meets David at a bar (not knowing he is her new employer) and they share a passionate kiss. The next morning, she finds out his status and that he is married. Curiously, soon after, David’s wife, Adele, seeks out Louise and initiates a friendship. In the meantime, David pursues an affair with Louise.
The plot thickens, as they say, but I found Louise to be too dumb to be believed and David, always inebriated, came off as less than attractive. His character was flat and undeveloped and his relationship with Louise seemed to consist of getting drunk and having sex. What Louise’s attraction was to him, other than his looks, was lost on me.
Adele, on the other hand, was the most fascinating character, albeit thoroughly unlikeable and unredeemable.
The ending does supply an unexpected twist, but, it involves a choice made by Louise that, to me, was just plain ludicrous given all that she knows by this point.
The book is intriguing, but slogs along in places, requiring some effort on the reader’s part to keep going. All in all, it was not my cup of tea. Thus, I give it only two, somewhat small and slightly tarnished, stars.