Book Review: The Girl Before by J. P. Delaney
/10 Comments/by SuzanneAlso by this author: Believe Me, The Perfect Wife
Published by Ballantine Books on January 24th 2017
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 320
Source: Netgalley
Amazon
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life. The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
Emma: Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.
Jane: After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.
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My Review:
The Girl Before is the next big psychological thriller to come along that employs the same ingredients that have made other ‘Girl’ books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train so immensely popular in recent years. Central to The Girl Before’s plot are the now familiar concepts of the potentially unreliable narrator that keeps you guessing throughout the novel, supplemented by a cast of characters who aren’t especially likable, and a storyline filled with twists and turns and red herrings as the reader is kept guessing as to whether a tragic event is truly an accident or if it is the result of something more sinister.
What I Liked:
The Dual Narrative Perspective: Even though I have some quibbles about a few other elements of The Girl Before, I did love how the story itself was presented. It alternates between two women, Emma and Jane, who, 3 years apart, live in the same unusual residence, One Folgate Street. The story alternates between their points of view as they live in this house. Both Emma and Jane learn that prior to their moving in to One Folgate Place, someone else has tragically died there. Emma and Jane, in turn, each become obsessed with trying to piece together the circumstances of the deaths because there are so many unanswered questions and so much gossip surrounding each death. In many ways, Emma and Jane’s investigations parallel each other, and I LOVED this, mainly because it just built so much suspense into the story and added so many twists and turns as they follow the various leads they have managed to uncover. It also had me practically screaming at both women because they seemed so hell bent on putting themselves in harm’s way just to satisfy a curiosity. It was maddening and yet so entertaining to read.
The Danger of Obsession: This is a theme that runs throughout The Girl Before and it’s a powerful one. Both Emma and Jane become obsessed with trying to solve these mysterious deaths, in spite of the fact that they may be putting themselves in harm’s way.
You might be asking yourself by this point ‘Why are these women both so hung up on these deaths? Don’t they have anything else more pressing to worry about?’ Well, the basic answer is that during their respective stays at One Folgate House, both Emma and Jane become romantically involved with Edward Monkford. That probably wouldn’t be an issue in and of itself; however, in both deaths, Edward’s name came up as a possible suspect so each lady wanted to know what role, if any, their lover played in the deaths and if they themselves are now in danger because of another added twist: Jane and Emma resemble each other, and both of them bear a striking resemblance to Edward’s dead wife. The man clearly has a type and clearly wants that type living in his perfect house. Edward is basically the embodiment of the ‘dangers of obsession’ theme.
One Folgate Street: One Folgate Street is basically Edward Monkford’s pet project and he is extremely selective about who he allows to live in the residence. The application process is rigorous and asks many probing personal questions, and if an applicant makes it through the initial screening process, which apparently very few do, they then still have to submit to an interview with Monkford before there’s any chance of approval. The house itself comes pre-furnished, although minimally so, and if approved, you are allowed to bring very few things of your own with you, and you also must adhere to the over 200 restrictive covenants that Monkford has in place to mandate and facilitate the minimalist lifestyle he expects his residents to adhere to. Eviction will result from the breaking any of those covenants, which include no pets, no children, and no books, among others (No books? Seriously, what kind of freak doesn’t want any books in their house?!)
I personally couldn’t imagine even wanting to go through the application process to live in this house, much less wanting to live the way this guy demands, but I did find the idea fascinating for storytelling purposes because it got me curious as to the type of person who would want to live there as well as the type of person Monkford is clearly looking for to take part in his little experiment.
The house itself is no ordinary house and in some ways it functions as a character in the story as well. It is always referred to by its name, One Folgate Street. It has also been programmed to employ the use of smart technology in the form of a bracelet and some other diagnostics to recognize its inhabitants and basically perform for them accordingly. If the resident steps into the shower, the water will turn on automatically at the preferred temperature, for example, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The house often seems as though it has a mind of its own, which both Emma and Jane occasionally comment on. Periodically throughout the residents’ stay there, the house will basically shut itself down until the resident takes an assessment test and answers more probing questions similar to those in the initial application. Once the test is completed, the resident may continue with life as usual. Emma and Jane each at random times even mention that sometimes they feel like the house is punishing them, especially if they’ve been in a disagreement with Edward. All of that technology in the house adds a creepy Big Brother element to the story. Are they being watched? If so, by whom and why?
Anything I Didn’t Like?
The main thing that somewhat disappointed me about The Girl Before was that I didn’t particularly like any of the characters. As those who follow my reviews know by this point, I really like to be able to connect with the characters I’m reading about and that just didn’t happen for me with Emma or Jane. I just felt like I was only meant to passively observe them in this odd, minimalist habitat rather than truly connect with them in any meaningful way. Maybe that was the author’s intent because of the nature of the story, but that aspect of it didn’t quite work for me.
Speaking of the characters, I also didn’t like the potentially unreliable narrator angle. Not because it wasn’t well done, but just because I’ve seen it in so many books lately. When it started making an appearance here, I actually groaned and said ‘No, not you too. You were doing so well without that.’ I think I’ve just read too many books in this genre in recent years and so what might be a fresh idea for some readers has become a stale one for me.
Who Would I Recommend This Book to?
I’d say if you’re a big fan of books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train or are completely new to the psychological thriller genre, you’ll probably love this. I’ve heard that it’s already slated to be made into a movie with Ron Howard directing, so I’ll be curious to see how the movie compares to the book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion.
Rating: 3.5 stars
About J.P. Delaney
J. P. Delaney is the pseudonym of a writer who has previously published best-selling fiction under another name. .
Waiting on Wednesday – Spotlight on A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
/8 Comments/by Suzanne“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.
My “Waiting On” Wednesday selection for this week is A Conjuring of Light by V E. Schwab. I just finished reading the second book in this series last week and after that super intense cliffhanger ending, I’m just dying to get my hands on the final book. I’m sorry to see the series come to a conclusion but I just know with the incredible job V. E. Schwab has done with the first two books that this series finale is going to be one of my favorite 2017 reads!
A Conjuring of Light
by V. E. Schwab
Publication Date: February 21, 2017
From Amazon:
The battle between four magical Londons comes to a head in this stunning finale to the New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy by rising star V. E. Schwab.
London’s fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees Schwab reach a thrilling culmination concerning the fate of beloved protagonists—and old enemies.
Praise for the Shades of Magic Series
“Fans of A Darker Shade of Magic will love its sequel, and fantasy fans who haven’t yet read the first book in this series should hurry to catch up.”–Kirkus Reviews
“Full of magic, intrigue, adventure, deception, a bit of piracy…this will engage both adult and young adult fantasy readers alike.”–Booklist
Praise for A Darker Shade of Magic
“Compulsively readable…her characters make the book.”–NPR
“[This has] all the hallmarks of a classic work of fantasy. Its plot is gripping. Its characters are memorable. [Its setting] is otherworldly yet believable. Schwab has given us a gem of a tale…This is a book to treasure.”–Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of The All Souls trilogy
“Inventive fantasy…One for Neil Gaiman fans.”―The Guardian
Feels like a priceless object, brought from another, better world of fantasy books. Schwab’s writing is engaging and vivid…kept me engrossed by its story every bit as much as I was fascinated by its complex, multilayered world. ―io9.com on A Darker Shade of Magic
London’s appeal for Schwab seems to be its changeability, the way it can shift shades, from familiar to recognizable to weird to utterly alien. But for her, even the familiar has seeds of horror in it, grime and gloom and the weight of the past…It’s a multiple split-screen adventure, with an engaging hero/heroine pair at its center. ―The Wall Street Journal on A Darker Shade of Magic
Compulsively readable…her characters make the book. Just as Kell has layers, Lila is a satisfyingly rich invention…the stakes feel higher because Schwab takes the time to make a world worth getting lost in. Darker Shade Of Magic resolves its plot thoroughly, but still feels like it could be the seed of a lengthy series. With so many worlds on the map, there’s plenty left to discover. ―NPR on A Darker Shade of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic is as twisty-turny, dark, and gorgeous as the (multiple) Londons it winds through–I loved it! ―Steven Brust, author of the New York Times bestselling Vlad series
A Darker Shade of Magic is smart, funny and sexy … and Schwab keeps the excitement coming with roller-coaster plot twists that establish her as, perhaps, the natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones’s contemporary fantasy crown. ―The Independent (UK)
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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your WoW selection for this week. 🙂
Top 10 Literary Characters I Would Want to Have in my Squad
/31 Comments/by SuzanneTop Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is a FREEBIE so I decided to do a top ten list that I think about every time I come across a cool character while I’m reading: If I were to choose 10 literary characters to be my best friends, who would I choose?
What qualities do I look for in best friends anyway? I’d say these qualities are probably at the top of my list: loyalty, intelligence – can be book smart or street smart, someone who has a sense of humor and a sense of adventure, and who is passionate about causes that are important to them, and who can also be a bit on the sassy side and give me a kick in the pants if I need it. In my mind, the characters I’ve selected embody most – if not all – of those qualities and I’d be thrilled for any of them to be a member of my squad.
Ten Literary Characters I Would Want to Have in my Squad
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1. HERMIONE GRANGER from the Harry Potter series
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2. DELILAH BARD from the Shades of Magic series
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3. ELIZABETH BENNETT from Pride and Prejudice
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4. FARLEY from the Red Queen series
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5. MINNIE JACKSON from The Help
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6. STEPHANIE PLUM from the Stephanie Plum series
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7. ARYA STARK from A Song of Fire and Ice series
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8. REAGAN from Fangirl
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9. BEATRICE from Much Ado About Nothing
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10. JO MARCH from Little Women
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