Reviews

The Eden Test by Adam Sternbergh

kaitlynhermansen's review against another edition

2.5

Honestly just didn’t care for this one’s characters or story. Predictable plot points and full of plot holes. Just a pretty average thriller. 

kennedyfio_'s review

fast-paced

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

3.25

bookph1le's review

2.0

2 stars because I thought it was okay.

For the most part, I was fascinated by delving into the psyche of these two characters.

Spoiler

Unfortunately, when the book ended, I had no idea at all why Daisy wanted to stay with Craig. For the bulk of the book, he sounds like an awful, awful man, and I found his transformation extremely hard to believe. He seems to have a pattern of imagining something about himself and then, when he gets bored, reverting to the selfish, self-centered human being he is.

This book also did the thing that many a thriller/mystery does, and that always leaves me scratching my head: why would you bother crafting such a convoluted plot when you could have accomplished the same thing using much simpler methods? Yeah, entertainment value, I get it, but suspension of disbelief is almost impossible for me when this happens in books. I almost wish mystery/thrillers had additional subgenres so that I could leave the convoluted plot books to the readers who enjoy them.

And, lastly, this book fails to answer a central question: what even is the Eden Test?

Spoiler

Also, picky note here, but one I imagine a lot of people don't know if they aren't a person who has given birth at some point, or who is currently pregnant: hot baths, especially the scalding one that Daisy takes, are a no when you're pregnant.

schmieg330's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

3.5

hlundstedt's review

mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

mtthwsmth's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

mel28's review

mysterious tense fast-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

2.5

stephreadsit's review

5.0

Many thanks to NetGalley and FlatIron books for the advance digital copy of The Eden Test by Adam Sternbergh in exchange for my honest review! I really loved this one and highly recommend it if you’re a fan of domestic suspense thrillers! It was a really fun and twisty read. I didn’t really know what to expect with this book at first but ended up enjoying it so much! The plot was unique and I was hooked in right away, it had me turning pages like crazy and needing to know where the story was going and how it would end. This was so well written and truly an unputdownable domestic suspense novel with an ending you won’t see coming!

jb93reads's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

ckarsten's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

2.0