I beg of you not to read the synopsis before reading this book. First off, it’s somewhat misleading and, second, some of the biggest suspense plot twiI beg of you not to read the synopsis before reading this book. First off, it’s somewhat misleading and, second, some of the biggest suspense plot twists are revealed. All you need to know is that it’s about a young woman named Laura who goes away with her new boyfriend to a Bahamian island. There she meets a mysterious woman who intrigues her, but when this stranger suddenly disappears, Laura is pulled into the investigation. That’s it. That’s all you need to know. I mean, other than what I’ve said in my review, of course…
A powerful story of self-worth, female friendship, and the journey of finding oneself, The Ends of Things wasn’t necessarily my normal type of novel. After all, while billed as a suspense/thriller, it was more of a juxtaposition of mild suspense with a women’s lit core. That being said, from Laura’s dynamic character study to the thought-provoking premise, I was utterly absorbed by the unwinding plot until the very last page. So, despite the genre switch that occurred about two-thirds of the way into the book, I rolled with the change in direction and lapped up every word.
The most successful aspect of this character-driven storyline was easily Laura herself. At the same time, the secondary characters didn’t quite live up to her in any real sense. Even Dave, who was certainly well-crafted and had a vivid persona, felt marginalized in comparison to her. It was the pivotal character of the enigmatic woman, however, that could’ve used a bit more inclusion into the plot. Specifically, I would have loved to know more about her before, during, and after. That alone, though, shows how invested I was in the story as I wanted to know so much more about her backstory by the end of the soul-satisfying conclusion.
All said and done, I really wish this book had been listed as something other than literary suspense. While I guess that it did somewhat fit into that box, I also believe it set some up to be disappointed. I, however, was not one of those readers. Compelling and poignant, it made me think of my own traits and behaviors through Laura’s own lens. For that reason alone, I’m sure that this book will stick with me far longer than I would’ve imagined before diving in. So if you like a literary feel and a moral of the story that will make you think long and hard, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this one ASAP. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Sandra Chwialkowska and Blackstone Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
With Hollywood vibes and deeply eloquent prose, this love letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald was much more thought-provoking than I ever imagined. After alWith Hollywood vibes and deeply eloquent prose, this love letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald was much more thought-provoking than I ever imagined. After all, Sweet Fury broached some truly serious themes. Critiquing toxic relationships, feminism, and misogyny in turn, it was a stellar look at both through the guise of some deliciously unhinged personas. But it the smoothly unfurling plot and evocative descriptions that had me in the palm of Ms. Bischoff’s talented hand. You see, the realistic dialogue and cinematic feel gave me the unerring sense that I was there with each vividly conjured scene and perfectly parsed word.
There were a few hangups for me, though. First off was the somewhat long, slow burn at the start of the novel. Told via multiple POVs and Jonah’s therapy notes, I initially had a hard time losing myself in the words. Don’t get me wrong, once part two came along I was utterly riveted, but it took some doing to get to that point. Thanks in large part to the narrative style, it just felt a bit too dense to get truly absorbed. That, unfortunately, extended to the climax as well due to a standoff that included multiple ripostes that switched who had the upper hand several times. To be frank, I felt a bit lost and had to slow my reading speed down just to follow the action. Then again, when I finally soaked it all in, I was 100% floored.
Despite all of the above, however, I found myself transfixed by the time that I reached the end of this novel. With a powerful character-driven plot, rich writing, and an atmospheric, dark premise, this mashup of psychological suspense and literary fiction had quite the tally of gripping twists and turns. Were all of them shocking? No—not really. But much of that was down to how well the stage was set for each of them in turn. Provocative, lyrical, and emotionally charged, this debut novel proved that Sash Bischoff not only has literary chops, but can craft some truly magnificent f***ed up characters as well. Rating of 3.5 stars (upgraded).
SYNOPSIS:
Lila Crayne is America’s sweetheart: she’s generous and kind, gorgeous and magnetic. She and her fiancé, visionary filmmaker Kurt Royall, have settled into a stunning new West Village apartment and are set to begin filming their feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night.
To prepare for the leading role, Lila begins working with charming and accomplished therapist Jonah Gabriel to dig into the trauma of her past. Soon, Lila’s impeccably manicured life begins to unravel on the therapy couch—and Jonah is just the man to pick up the pieces. But everyone has a secret, and no one is quite who they seem.
Thank you to Sash Bischoff and Simon & Schuster for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme)
>
Books:
character-driven
(2)
Loading...
