Falling into an obsession with a terrible adult man-baby.
The way this author captures the feeling of falling into an obsession with a terrible adult man-baby is wonderful — very immersive and thrilling. The beginning reads like a proper thriller and I loved it for that. But the middle gets slow and repetitive, too much back-and-forth “he’s great, he’s terrible” when what I really wanted was more exploration of her relationship with her parents — that thread felt rich and underdeveloped. The ending surprised me by going mystical and spiritual, which didn’t fit the otherwise concrete tone of the book. I’m not sure if the whole arc was meant to mimic a descent into obsessive madness followed by liberation, but it didn’t land for me. I wish it had committed to being a thriller all the way through.
Vibes
- obsession
- a terrible adult man-baby
- writers and writing
- not a tidy ending
Favorite quote
“Now everything mine has become his, and I don’t know when or how that happened.”
Would recommend to
About 70% of this book is great for people who love obsessive relationship thrillers. It would also work for someone who enjoys books about writers and writing. That said — if you need a tidy, resolved ending, this isn't it.
Part of
Obsession stories
Also reviewed: Kingfisher