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lisanne98s's review against another edition
4.0
The book is a bit slow, but it captures the attention of the reader. Especially the ending, including an unexpected twist... Loved it!
sandin954's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite type of psychological suspense novel. Slow deliberate pacing with enough reveals to keep it interesting, fully developed characters, and a crime from the past made this a top notch read.
underdarkrivers's review against another edition
1.0
Just... no
Okay, okay, I'll say something more, more than half a year later... I can tell you that this book, even though I like to inflict pain on myself by reading awful books, still haunts me. I will never EVER get the time back that I spent on the main character going: *2 pages long description on how everything looks* ''Grass... It's a funny word, you didn't forget I like words, right? I only mentioned it 10 pages ago for the 50th time. Grass is a funny word, g-r-a-s-s, funny how we pronounce it etc. etc.'' For an ENTIRE damn book. The ending was one of the least satisfying things I've ever read. This is the OTHER side of psychological thrillers, instead of shock-factor turned up to max, nothing happens for like, 400 pages and the resolution presents itself in the last 10.
Sorry for the rant, I just can't get over it. It will be the demon that haunts me. It will be the nail in my coffin. It will always be in the back of my mind, gnawing at its seams. Not even to mention the pedophilia.
Okay, okay, I'll say something more, more than half a year later... I can tell you that this book, even though I like to inflict pain on myself by reading awful books, still haunts me. I will never EVER get the time back that I spent on the main character going: *2 pages long description on how everything looks* ''Grass... It's a funny word, you didn't forget I like words, right? I only mentioned it 10 pages ago for the 50th time. Grass is a funny word, g-r-a-s-s, funny how we pronounce it etc. etc.'' For an ENTIRE damn book. The ending was one of the least satisfying things I've ever read. This is the OTHER side of psychological thrillers, instead of shock-factor turned up to max, nothing happens for like, 400 pages and the resolution presents itself in the last 10.
Sorry for the rant, I just can't get over it. It will be the demon that haunts me. It will be the nail in my coffin. It will always be in the back of my mind, gnawing at its seams. Not even to mention the pedophilia.
katdid's review against another edition
4.0
Another Vine I read when I was younger but wow it hits so much harder now!
Hard to decide who was the most hateful in this.
Hard to decide who was the most hateful in this.
Spoiler
Vivien was beyond reproach, Zoe had mental health issues, but the three guys..! Rufus, living his best life without a care in the world (except for the dark cloud over his marriage and presumably unfaithful/indifferent wife) and who thought only of himself; Adam, just insufferable; and Shiva, who feels like he's living his adult life according to karmic retribution and who suffers and dies horribly! but also he was the one who suggested a ransom after the baby's death which shows a moral compass gone seriously askew. So awful for the baby's parents, never knowing what happened to her. And that sting in the tail, seriously twisted!meaustin's review against another edition
2.0
This was my second Vine book, the first was A Dark Adapted Eye. Because of my experience with the first book, I was expecting the slow start and the ambiguous references until the pace picked up. However, with the exception of perhaps the las 20 pages or so, the book really never picked up pace.
I also disliked all of the characters. They were well-written and developed, but I personally despised them all, especially Adam and Zosie - perhaps if I was a child of the 70s, I might better be able to understand and sympathize with them. I've also postulated that perhaps Vine didn't want us to like any of them - it's hard to see how someone really could.
The book slogged on. Characters didn't really change. I realized the truth about two of the book's biggest mysteries several pages before they occurred (albeit I was in the dark for most of the book - but it started to piece together quickly at one point and made it pretty easy to guess).
Overall, not something I'd recommend. Glad I read it for free.
I also disliked all of the characters. They were well-written and developed, but I personally despised them all, especially Adam and Zosie - perhaps if I was a child of the 70s, I might better be able to understand and sympathize with them. I've also postulated that perhaps Vine didn't want us to like any of them - it's hard to see how someone really could.
The book slogged on. Characters didn't really change. I realized the truth about two of the book's biggest mysteries several pages before they occurred (albeit I was in the dark for most of the book - but it started to piece together quickly at one point and made it pretty easy to guess).
Spoiler
Since I did dislike all of the characters, the end was pretty unsatisfying. All of these terrible people got away with it, and the only one who I for whatever reason felt slightly sympathetic for, died. I know the author may have meant it this way, but it still annoys me. Perhaps I'm a sucker for heroic characters and happy endings.Overall, not something I'd recommend. Glad I read it for free.
peter_fischer's review against another edition
4.0
For me this is an absolute modern classic in the crime thriller genre. A group of young people spend a summer in the 70s squatting and revelling in a beautiful dilapidated country house in England. A decade later, the new owner of the house discovers the remains of a woman and a baby from that time. As the story is told, the identity of the woman from among the group of revellers, and the circumstances of her and her baby’s death, emerge slowly. Extremely well constructed whodunnit plot and written in a wonderfully atmospheric style. Rendell’s work, especially under the Vine pseudonym, is just brilliant.
randywgravitz's review against another edition
challenging
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
teffin's review against another edition
4.0
this reminded me of a secret history by Donna tartt - only I preferred this, I think because I went in with no expectations.
offenbach's review against another edition
4.0
Great, solid mystery. I'm not usually a fan of slow reveal books like this (you know from the start what happened, but not quite, who it happened to, but not quite, and who did it, but not quite), but this was engaging without making me want to shout 'get on with it already.'
Read this as part of attempt to read through one of those '100 best mysteries' lists. Was waffling between three and four stars, but think it really deserves four. Good plot and characters - that's what a mystery novel needs, right? And Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell creates such amazing, flawed characters.
Read this as part of attempt to read through one of those '100 best mysteries' lists. Was waffling between three and four stars, but think it really deserves four. Good plot and characters - that's what a mystery novel needs, right? And Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell creates such amazing, flawed characters.
kath61's review against another edition
3.0
Ok. I I suppose I wanted to find out what had happened but it wasn't gripping. There was good observation and the characters were well drawn.