I can't really make up my mind about this book. In all honesty, it is extremely well written; the story is gripping and the characters are fully developed. Because of this, I constantly found myself wanting more, often picking the book back up simply out of curiosity about the characters.
Yet this book also has its issues. My biggest problems were the plot "twists", all of which I guessed pretty early on (even the big twist at the end, although I did not get it ENTIRELY right) and its believability.
The main action in this book centres around a secret. Without giving too much away, I'll say that it's about a hidden past, yet everything about this past, and the reason for concealing it, is just so unlikely. I realise that this is fiction, but it is also a realist work, which means that it is set in the real world, and, as a result of this, it should be believable. Most things that happen in this novel are unlikely, but, to a degree, believable. Yet the idea that they all happened at once - to one person - does seem a little absurd.
Having said this, I did really enjoy this book. It's frustrating because I can't quite work out how I feel about it! Let me break it down a little bit:
Writing - excellent.
Characters - phenomenal.
Tension - palpable.
Plot twists - good, but slightly obvious.
Believability - a total failure.
To be fair to it, this novel also provides some fascinating insights into identity crises, anxiety issues and the struggles of parenthood. It's incredibly well written, has short chapters that makes it an easy read, and is certainly exciting. If you don't mind the occasional impossibility, then this is certainly a book that I can recommend.
Yet this book also has its issues. My biggest problems were the plot "twists", all of which I guessed pretty early on (even the big twist at the end, although I did not get it ENTIRELY right) and its believability.
The main action in this book centres around a secret. Without giving too much away, I'll say that it's about a hidden past, yet everything about this past, and the reason for concealing it, is just so unlikely. I realise that this is fiction, but it is also a realist work, which means that it is set in the real world, and, as a result of this, it should be believable. Most things that happen in this novel are unlikely, but, to a degree, believable. Yet the idea that they all happened at once - to one person - does seem a little absurd.
Having said this, I did really enjoy this book. It's frustrating because I can't quite work out how I feel about it! Let me break it down a little bit:
Writing - excellent.
Characters - phenomenal.
Tension - palpable.
Plot twists - good, but slightly obvious.
Believability - a total failure.
To be fair to it, this novel also provides some fascinating insights into identity crises, anxiety issues and the struggles of parenthood. It's incredibly well written, has short chapters that makes it an easy read, and is certainly exciting. If you don't mind the occasional impossibility, then this is certainly a book that I can recommend.