Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - The Woman in the Window

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

21 reviews

rsagarin's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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shaleen64's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book is really well paced, the short chapters keep you engaged and the writing style is easy to follow. Whilst I would argue one of the main twists was fairly easy to guess (if you read thrillers regularly) I did not see the ending coming and for that reason did not feel disappointed. It’s a thriller worth the read.

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k_coston's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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ranjanireviewsreads's review against another edition

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Very underwhelming and honestly, there is too much alcohol and drugs.

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literatureleaf's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Age: 16+

Reading time: 4 days

Difficulty level: 2/5

Rating: 6.5/10

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn follows Anna Fox, a no-longer practicing child psychologist who finds herself suffering from agoraphobia after tragedy strikes her household. While battling her own mind, Anna passes the time by watching her neighbors. Most of the time she sees nothing but the mundanity of rich, suburban lifestyles, but one fateful day a new family, the Russell’s, move into the neighborhood, and everything changes.

After observing the new neighbors through her windows, and getting to know Jane Russell, the woman of the house, and Ethan Russell, her teenage son, Anna begins to suspect that everything is not quite as it should be within the household, and the root of the domestic strife lies with Alistair, Jane’s husband and Ethan’s father. One night the situation reaches a boiling point, and Anna witnesses something that no one was meant to see, sending her spiraling into a web of deception and mystery where she quickly finds that she can trust no one, not even herself.

Finn pens a gripping portrait of a psyche ravaged by loneliness, substance abuse, and mental illness. Anna is a flawlessly executed unreliable narrator, and an air of tormented despair permeates throughout the book, creating a continuous feeling of dread and uncertainty. At times the narration can become a bit longwinded, and Anna tends to ramble, but for the most part, within the context of her fragile mental state, this works with the story rather than against it.

At the heart, The Woman in the Window is a thriller, and Finn is certainly a master of the genre. The book centers around one large mystery, with several other, smaller, interconnected mysteries at play that intertwine seamlessly into one main plotline. Each element is given just the right amount of attention, and the different subplots serve to flesh out the main story, rather than overshadow it. The suspense scenes are not only plentiful, but executed to near perfection, igniting a feeling akin to holding a live wire. Holding your breath is nearly a guarantee!

Despite the expertly crafted suspense elements, the book struggles with the mysteries themselves. The twists were, for the most part, largely unoriginal, and despite the riveting leadups, the reveals themselves were underwhelming, leading to a feeling much like eating a delicious dinner, then following it up with a prepackaged Hostess cake from the local gas station for dessert. When considering the high caliber of the rest of Finn’s writing, the twists can’t help but feel phoned in.

Unfortunately, the mysteries aren’t the only aspect of the novel that leaves something to be desired. At times, it feels like the book is taking on more than it can handle. Without giving too much away, in addition to being a simple thriller, The Woman in the Window attempts to delve into mental health, family, resiliency, domestic abuse, grief, and drug addiction. While some of these are explored in detail and very well done, others fall by the wayside and are not given the respect and attention that such heavy topics deserve. However, when so much is crammed into one book, it is almost inevitable that certain themes will take precedence over others.

At its core, The Woman in the Window is a fun and suspenseful read that excels at keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Anna is an outstanding main character, and Finn makes it startlingly easy to empathize with her, even when revelations are made that don’t cast her in the best light. The plot is solid and entertaining throughout, and, despite the predictable twists and less-than-stellar exploration of some of the heavier themes, Finn is undeniably great at writing a novel that’s no less than a great time.

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