1.) Murders in the Rue Morgue by Iron Maiden pops up on my playlist. 2.) Proceeded to Wikipedia for inspiration on which un-readSequence of events:
1.) Murders in the Rue Morgue by Iron Maiden pops up on my playlist. 2.) Proceeded to Wikipedia for inspiration on which un-read Poe stories to add to my spooky season read list. 3.) Found out this was a sequel to the Rue Morgue story. 4.) Possibly did a 'I cannot contain my excitement’ lap around the room. 5.) Read the quick short in one sitting.
Based on a true story, Dupin tries to solve the murder of a perfume saleswoman who is found floating in the Seine. Was it a group of no-good scoundrels, someone close to the victim, or just a random criminal act? Fear not! Dupin is on the case. An entertaining, albeit methodical detective story. Considered to be some of the first ever written.
The two men in “Strangers On A Train” are despicable people. One, a well-off psychopath who berates women, and the other is a brilliant yet insecure fThe two men in “Strangers On A Train” are despicable people. One, a well-off psychopath who berates women, and the other is a brilliant yet insecure fella who lacks a few basic moral filters. Perhaps número dos is not too bad in the beginning, but time will tell as the novel chugs along. Does the dynamic fit a twisty murder plot? To me, the book has flashes of brilliance, but some of the melodrama and filler irked me quite a bit.
Guy and Bruno meet on a train. A few drinks are shared, and before long, Bruno lays out a perfect murder. Bruno will murder Guy’s wife; he is on his way to divorce, and Guy will in turn murder Bruno’s father. Does this sound like a foolproof idea to you?
If you can get past the ‘perfect’ meetup and subsequent murder coercing, I think you might enjoy it a bit more than I did. The chapter describing the deed was an eerie look into the mind of a psychopath and included quite a bit of introspection. This, coupled with the extreme detail, really set the tone for the rest of the book. Sadly, it takes until about the last third to really ramp up again. The middle portion of the book is filled with too much melodrama and philosophical takes, which I usually enjoy, but it sort of plateaued for me. It is understandable that these characters would get caught up in these ramblings of crime, but it hits it over the head a bit too much. It all could have been compacted a bit more. The alcoholism, the blackouts, and the staunch remarks started to get pretty grating. Also, it never really hits that sense of Annie Wilkes type crazy, if you know what I mean. Maybe we are just a bit desensitized to these types of stories, but back when this was published, I’m sure it was eye-opening.
On the other hand, the writing is pretty great. I read that the movie iteration was directed by Hitchcock, and this makes perfect sense. The stalking chapter in particular had a Hitchcockian feel to it, so I can see why he would gravitate toward it. Oh! One more point. The murder in and of itself was pretty clever. Back then, it would have been almost impossible for authorities to catch on to how it was committed. There is some detective work that shows up in the last third or so, but the ‘gotcha’ moments are pretty far-fetched and frankly uninteresting in my opinion. I can definitely see other writers being influenced by the interrogation scenes as well. Karen Slaughter comes to mind.
All in all, it had some amazing moments, but I feel like it could be trimmed up a bit. My advice would be to go into it not expecting a cat-and-mouse chase or an in-depth character story, just some tension surrounding a few blokes who devise a creative act of evil. A more sinister version of My Dinner with Andre, for example. ...more
The book opens like a dream. A fever dream built around a main character who has experienced something tragic. A young woman named Belle takes a planeThe book opens like a dream. A fever dream built around a main character who has experienced something tragic. A young woman named Belle takes a plane from Canada to California after she finds out her mother passed away under questionable circumstances. She must meet with the solicitor to talk about her mothers apartment, her dress shop, and the surprising amount of debt that she will be responsible for.
This part of the story is quite clear, but the lines start to blur when Belle thinks back to her childhood and the disparities in parenting between her grandmother and mother. Her mother never wanted Belle to go into her bedroom and peruse her closet. What was in her room that was so secretive and off-limits? Perhaps it was the mirror. The mirror allowed one to see things. Things that excite, things that seduce, and things that frighten. On the other hand, the grandmother wants to expose young Belle to the outside world. She rents her Tom Cruise movies from the video store so she can experience feelings such as envy, revenge, lust, and anger. But how does she cope with these new feelings? Well, you have to jump down the rabbit hole to find out.
This intricate plot has numerous levels to dig through: dealing with family, discovering yourself, inner problems with outward-facing issues, and a variety of other complex mental states. It’s a puzzle box to solve, and as you start to put the pieces together, the “a-ha” moments might just leave you with emotions you were not prepared for.
If you have read Mona Awad’s novel Bunny and enjoyed it, I believe you will be right at home with this book. She has an uncanny ability to explain complex feelings in the fully realized worlds she creates. It may be confusing at first, but the author weaves together some familiar story lines, which help with some of the heavy lifting that’s required. Everything makes emotional sense, even if some of the visuals might leave you scratching your head at first. If you do read it, I would suggest filing away some of the more repetitive and neurotic behaviors, such as the overabundant explanations of cosmetics for use in the latter portion of the book. But just like in Bunny, everything comes together in the end.
I had an amazing time with this book, and I think the best way to go into it is to know very little about the plot. Try to avoid any mention of themes, and I think it will really surprise you. There is no avoiding the emotional response to her journey. The impact of the book showcases a young woman’s outward struggles with the world around her, illuminating thoughts and feelings we all go through in one way or another. This book also shines in the last 100 or so pages. It’s a masterclass in compiling previous emotional sequences into a form that not one person might interpret the same way. It’s mysterious, charming, cautionary, and surprisingly heartfelt.
⭐ | Rating | ⭐ ❖ 4.5 out of 5
Merged review:
The book opens like a dream. A fever dream built around a main character who has experienced something tragic. A young woman named Belle takes a plane from Canada to California after she finds out her mother passed away under questionable circumstances. She must meet with the solicitor to talk about her mothers apartment, her dress shop, and the surprising amount of debt that she will be responsible for.
This part of the story is quite clear, but the lines start to blur when Belle thinks back to her childhood and the disparities in parenting between her grandmother and mother. Her mother never wanted Belle to go into her bedroom and peruse her closet. What was in her room that was so secretive and off-limits? Perhaps it was the mirror. The mirror allowed one to see things. Things that excite, things that seduce, and things that frighten. On the other hand, the grandmother wants to expose young Belle to the outside world. She rents her Tom Cruise movies from the video store so she can experience feelings such as envy, revenge, lust, and anger. But how does she cope with these new feelings? Well, you have to jump down the rabbit hole to find out.
This intricate plot has numerous levels to dig through: dealing with family, discovering yourself, inner problems with outward-facing issues, and a variety of other complex mental states. It’s a puzzle box to solve, and as you start to put the pieces together, the “a-ha” moments might just leave you with emotions you were not prepared for.
If you have read Mona Awad’s novel Bunny and enjoyed it, I believe you will be right at home with this book. She has an uncanny ability to explain complex feelings in the fully realized worlds she creates. It may be confusing at first, but the author weaves together some familiar story lines, which help with some of the heavy lifting that’s required. Everything makes emotional sense, even if some of the visuals might leave you scratching your head at first. If you do read it, I would suggest filing away some of the more repetitive and neurotic behaviors, such as the overabundant explanations of cosmetics for use in the latter portion of the book. But just like in Bunny, everything comes together in the end.
I had an amazing time with this book, and I think the best way to go into it is to know very little about the plot. Try to avoid any mention of themes, and I think it will really surprise you. There is no avoiding the emotional response to her journey. The impact of the book showcases a young woman’s outward struggles with the world around her, illuminating thoughts and feelings we all go through in one way or another. This book also shines in the last 100 or so pages. It’s a masterclass in compiling previous emotional sequences into a form that not one person might interpret the same way. It’s mysterious, charming, cautionary, and surprisingly heartfelt.
⭐ | Rating | ⭐ ❖ 4.5 out of 5
Merged review:
The book opens like a dream. A fever dream built around a main character who has experienced something tragic. A young woman named Belle takes a plane from Canada to California after she finds out her mother passed away under questionable circumstances. She must meet with the solicitor to talk about her mothers apartment, her dress shop, and the surprising amount of debt that she will be responsible for.
This part of the story is quite clear, but the lines start to blur when Belle thinks back to her childhood and the disparities in parenting between her grandmother and mother. Her mother never wanted Belle to go into her bedroom and peruse her closet. What was in her room that was so secretive and off-limits? Perhaps it was the mirror. The mirror allowed one to see things. Things that excite, things that seduce, and things that frighten. On the other hand, the grandmother wants to expose young Belle to the outside world. She rents her Tom Cruise movies from the video store so she can experience feelings such as envy, revenge, lust, and anger. But how does she cope with these new feelings? Well, you have to jump down the rabbit hole to find out.
This intricate plot has numerous levels to dig through: dealing with family, discovering yourself, inner problems with outward-facing issues, and a variety of other complex mental states. It’s a puzzle box to solve, and as you start to put the pieces together, the “a-ha” moments might just leave you with emotions you were not prepared for.
If you have read Mona Awad’s novel Bunny and enjoyed it, I believe you will be right at home with this book. She has an uncanny ability to explain complex feelings in the fully realized worlds she creates. It may be confusing at first, but the author weaves together some familiar story lines, which help with some of the heavy lifting that’s required. Everything makes emotional sense, even if some of the visuals might leave you scratching your head at first. If you do read it, I would suggest filing away some of the more repetitive and neurotic behaviors, such as the overabundant explanations of cosmetics for use in the latter portion of the book. But just like in Bunny, everything comes together in the end.
I had an amazing time with this book, and I think the best way to go into it is to know very little about the plot. Try to avoid any mention of themes, and I think it will really surprise you. There is no avoiding the emotional response to her journey. The impact of the book showcases a young woman’s outward struggles with the world around her, illuminating thoughts and feelings we all go through in one way or another. This book also shines in the last 100 or so pages. It’s a masterclass in compiling previous emotional sequences into a form that not one person might interpret the same way. It’s mysterious, charming, cautionary, and surprisingly heartfelt.
⭐ | Rating | ⭐ ❖ 4.5 out of 5
Merged review:
The book opens like a dream. A fever dream built around a main character who has experienced something tragic. A young woman named Belle takes a plane from Canada to California after she finds out her mother passed away under questionable circumstances. She must meet with the solicitor to talk about her mothers apartment, her dress shop, and the surprising amount of debt that she will be responsible for.
This part of the story is quite clear, but the lines start to blur when Belle thinks back to her childhood and the disparities in parenting between her grandmother and mother. Her mother never wanted Belle to go into her bedroom and peruse her closet. What was in her room that was so secretive and off-limits? Perhaps it was the mirror. The mirror allowed one to see things. Things that excite, things that seduce, and things that frighten. On the other hand, the grandmother wants to expose young Belle to the outside world. She rents her Tom Cruise movies from the video store so she can experience feelings such as envy, revenge, lust, and anger. But how does she cope with these new feelings? Well, you have to jump down the rabbit hole to find out.
This intricate plot has numerous levels to dig through: dealing with family, discovering yourself, inner problems with outward-facing issues, and a variety of other complex mental states. It’s a puzzle box to solve, and as you start to put the pieces together, the “a-ha” moments might just leave you with emotions you were not prepared for.
If you have read Mona Awad’s novel Bunny and enjoyed it, I believe you will be right at home with this book. She has an uncanny ability to explain complex feelings in the fully realized worlds she creates. It may be confusing at first, but the author weaves together some familiar story lines, which help with some of the heavy lifting that’s required. Everything makes emotional sense, even if some of the visuals might leave you scratching your head at first. If you do read it, I would suggest filing away some of the more repetitive and neurotic behaviors, such as the overabundant explanations of cosmetics for use in the latter portion of the book. But just like in Bunny, everything comes together in the end.
I had an amazing time with this book, and I think the best way to go into it is to know very little about the plot. Try to avoid any mention of themes, and I think it will really surprise you. There is no avoiding the emotional response to her journey. The impact of the book showcases a young woman’s outward struggles with the world around her, illuminating thoughts and feelings we all go through in one way or another. This book also shines in the last 100 or so pages. It’s a masterclass in compiling previous emotional sequences into a form that not one person might interpret the same way. It’s mysterious, charming, cautionary, and surprisingly heartfelt.
⭐ | Rating | ⭐ ❖ 4.5 out of 5
Merged review:
The book opens like a dream. A fever dream built around a main character who has experienced something tragic. A young woman named Belle takes a plane from Canada to California after she finds out her mother passed away under questionable circumstances. She must meet with the solicitor to talk about her mothers apartment, her dress shop, and the surprising amount of debt that she will be responsible for.
This part of the story is quite clear, but the lines start to blur when Belle thinks back to her childhood and the disparities in parenting between her grandmother and mother. Her mother never wanted Belle to go into her bedroom and peruse her closet. What was in her room that was so secretive and off-limits? Perhaps it was the mirror. The mirror allowed one to see things. Things that excite, things that seduce, and things that frighten. On the other hand, the grandmother wants to expose young Belle to the outside world. She rents her Tom Cruise movies from the video store so she can experience feelings such as envy, revenge, lust, and anger. But how does she cope with these new feelings? Well, you have to jump down the rabbit hole to find out.
This intricate plot has numerous levels to dig through: dealing with family, discovering yourself, inner problems with outward-facing issues, and a variety of other complex mental states. It’s a puzzle box to solve, and as you start to put the pieces together, the “a-ha” moments might just leave you with emotions you were not prepared for.
If you have read Mona Awad’s novel Bunny and enjoyed it, I believe you will be right at home with this book. She has an uncanny ability to explain complex feelings in the fully realized worlds she creates. It may be confusing at first, but the author weaves together some familiar story lines, which help with some of the heavy lifting that’s required. Everything makes emotional sense, even if some of the visuals might leave you scratching your head at first. If you do read it, I would suggest filing away some of the more repetitive and neurotic behaviors, such as the overabundant explanations of cosmetics for use in the latter portion of the book. But just like in Bunny, everything comes together in the end.
I had an amazing time with this book, and I think the best way to go into it is to know very little about the plot. Try to avoid any mention of themes, and I think it will really surprise you. There is no avoiding the emotional response to her journey. The impact of the book showcases a young woman’s outward struggles with the world around her, illuminating thoughts and feelings we all go through in one way or another. This book also shines in the last 100 or so pages. It’s a masterclass in compiling previous emotional sequences into a form that not one person might interpret the same way. It’s mysterious, charming, cautionary, and surprisingly heartfelt.
A murder, a psychiatric hospital, and plenty of drama. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller through and through. After bA murder, a psychiatric hospital, and plenty of drama. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller through and through. After being booked for the murder of her husband, Alicia is sent off to the Grove mental hospital for treatment. There, she is heavily medicated, does not respond well to the program, and, more curiously, refuses to speak to anyone. (Hence the title of the book.) Enter Theo, a psychiatrist who has sought a job at the Grove so he can personally treat the hospitalized artist. The current psychiatric team has all but given up trying to treat her, so letting Theo have a go may be the last hope of saving her sanity and finding out why she committed such a heinous act.
I enjoy a slow-burn thriller, but the story and the character development were a bit too sparse for me; most of the patient treatments were head-scratchingly unprofessional; and the drama felt very much like a soap opera. That being said, I do believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
It might not reach the same heights as a similar Christie novel or do much for me, but it had its moments and might just wiggle its way into your psyche.
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