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lauraborkpower's review against another edition
2.0
Winters has a creepy crawly idea but isn't really a good enough writer to pull it off in all of its creepy crawliness.
That might sound harsh, but it's a pet peeve of mine when writers rely on dropping brand names instead of descriptions. It's the lazy writer's way of creating atmosphere, and it doesn't work. I don't need to know what kind of knives (Henckels) or bed (Design Within Reach) the couple owns, or what kind of denim jacket (H&M) the nanny has, what kind of technology (MacBook, iPhone) Susan uses, or where she grocery shops (Trader Joes). But Winters drops it all for absolutely no useful point. He's capitalizing on the bedbug frenzy in New York, but he just dates his novel instead.
If he'd intended to paint the couple as likeable yuppies, he missed the mark. He should have shown those bits of pricy setting and props instead of just naming them. And his laziness carried over to the denouement, which felt rushed and not as creepy, tense, or gory as I wanted it to be.
A note on the audiobook: the narrator, Elisabeth Rodgers, does a fine job, but she has to read the couple's four year old, Emma, and she "does" a child's voice, which is uber cute and absolutely hateful. I don't want an adult woman to read a four year old's "adorable" (it's not adorable) lispy and excited voice. I'd have read a hard copy if I knew this beforehand.
That might sound harsh, but it's a pet peeve of mine when writers rely on dropping brand names instead of descriptions. It's the lazy writer's way of creating atmosphere, and it doesn't work. I don't need to know what kind of knives (Henckels) or bed (Design Within Reach) the couple owns, or what kind of denim jacket (H&M) the nanny has, what kind of technology (MacBook, iPhone) Susan uses, or where she grocery shops (Trader Joes). But Winters drops it all for absolutely no useful point. He's capitalizing on the bedbug frenzy in New York, but he just dates his novel instead.
If he'd intended to paint the couple as likeable yuppies, he missed the mark. He should have shown those bits of pricy setting and props instead of just naming them. And his laziness carried over to the denouement, which felt rushed and not as creepy, tense, or gory as I wanted it to be.
A note on the audiobook: the narrator, Elisabeth Rodgers, does a fine job, but she has to read the couple's four year old, Emma, and she "does" a child's voice, which is uber cute and absolutely hateful. I don't want an adult woman to read a four year old's "adorable" (it's not adorable) lispy and excited voice. I'd have read a hard copy if I knew this beforehand.
againanew's review against another edition
3.0
This is a great poolside/easy horror read, which is exactly where I read it. I enjoyed the storyline and the ending was not a huge letdown as many horror story endings are. In fact it kept me guessing and did not end as I thought it would. The buildup was rather slow however, I didn't need quite so much apartment detail and family time storyline - a lot of that was nonessential to the plot.
But overall, fun story, suspenseful plot, and most importantly.... original.
But overall, fun story, suspenseful plot, and most importantly.... original.
librarygurl's review against another edition
2.0
I got this book at Book Expo in 2011 from the publisher. I put this one off because I had not been thrilled with another book Winters wrote. Sadly, this book did not do much to change my feelings about Winters as a writer.
I will be fair, I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book. I wanted to find out what was causing the bedbugs, who the bad guy was and who would survive. To be honest, I hoped the main character would bite it in the end. I did stay up late one night as I got closer to the end. Winters is easy to read as far as writing style. I felt the suspense I was suppose to feel, I just felt it for the wrong reasons. Winters does a great job plotting the story and pacing it. That's probably what saved this book and kept me reading.
There were two things I really disliked though. First, Susan, our heroine and main character, was someone I found totally unlikeable. I quickly tired of her neurotic, anxious inner monologue. Instead of creating a character prime for a psychotic break, Winters created a woman who annoyed me. Her saving grace was that she did love her child and husband and her intentions were good. She obsessed about things I just couldn't relate to and she ignored things I thought were important. I am sure others may find her likeable or will identify with her, but I am not one of them.
Part of my dislike of her came from the fact that I don't feel Winters did a good job setting up her anxiety in reality. He makes a big deal out of her decision to give up a job as a lawyer to stay at home, be a mom and be an artist. Well, she makes a big deal out of it. Instead of making art and being a mom she constantly reminds herself that she really does neither (especially the art). Her husband only mentions that he may be frustrated with her choice at a moment when he is under immense stress. Her anxiety comes out of nowhere. While this may reflect reality, it made for a poor story.
The other thing I really disliked was this was clearly a book for New Yorkers. Winters wastes time mentioning NYC specific details. For example, a friend of Susan works in theater. Winters gives unnecessary details about the show she is working on when what theater it's in and who wrote it. He does the same with parks and neighborhoods and restaurants. I don't like in NYC, I don't know neighborhoods nor do I care. I am suppose to relate to these characters and their problem. It was hard when I didn't care about these details.
I will be fair, I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book. I wanted to find out what was causing the bedbugs, who the bad guy was and who would survive. To be honest, I hoped the main character would bite it in the end. I did stay up late one night as I got closer to the end. Winters is easy to read as far as writing style. I felt the suspense I was suppose to feel, I just felt it for the wrong reasons. Winters does a great job plotting the story and pacing it. That's probably what saved this book and kept me reading.
There were two things I really disliked though. First, Susan, our heroine and main character, was someone I found totally unlikeable. I quickly tired of her neurotic, anxious inner monologue. Instead of creating a character prime for a psychotic break, Winters created a woman who annoyed me. Her saving grace was that she did love her child and husband and her intentions were good. She obsessed about things I just couldn't relate to and she ignored things I thought were important. I am sure others may find her likeable or will identify with her, but I am not one of them.
Part of my dislike of her came from the fact that I don't feel Winters did a good job setting up her anxiety in reality. He makes a big deal out of her decision to give up a job as a lawyer to stay at home, be a mom and be an artist. Well, she makes a big deal out of it. Instead of making art and being a mom she constantly reminds herself that she really does neither (especially the art). Her husband only mentions that he may be frustrated with her choice at a moment when he is under immense stress. Her anxiety comes out of nowhere. While this may reflect reality, it made for a poor story.
The other thing I really disliked was this was clearly a book for New Yorkers. Winters wastes time mentioning NYC specific details. For example, a friend of Susan works in theater. Winters gives unnecessary details about the show she is working on when what theater it's in and who wrote it. He does the same with parks and neighborhoods and restaurants. I don't like in NYC, I don't know neighborhoods nor do I care. I am suppose to relate to these characters and their problem. It was hard when I didn't care about these details.
rachelellyn's review
3.0
A nice little psychological thriller, yet I feel it droned on a bit to long about 3/4th the way into the story. It's a fast read with a good twist.
signsitive's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Sort of slow paced and a little unclear but the last 50 or so pages had my jaw dropped the whole time! Interesting idea. Weirdly sexualized the literal 3 year old tho which was notttttt cool.
vandermeer's review against another edition
3.0
Unterhaltsam, aber mit Längen. Es war ziemlich Schema F. Das Paar hat Probleme. Die alte Dame ist der Bösewicht. Oh und es hat mich überall gejuckt beim Lesen und ich liege im Bett einer Ferienwohnung und bin nun tatsächlich etwas paranoid.
pekoegal's review against another edition
4.0
Grabs your attention and doesn't let it go until you've finished. But, man, does it make you itchy to read....
audreychamaine's review against another edition
2.0
Susan is dying to move into a bigger place in Brooklyn, but doesn’t know if she and her husband will be able to afford it since she’s recently quit her lawyer job to take up painting. Then, the perfect apartment becomes available, and with such a low price, they move in immediately. Everything seems wonderful, except for the room Susan has chosen to be her studio. As her concerns with the apartment grow, so does the strain on their relationship and domestic situation. And Susan is also waking up with mysterious bites. Bedbugs are running rampant, but it seems that she is the only one who can see them or is getting bitten. Susan is left to question whether they are really bedbugs, or something more demonic.
I wanted to like this book. It had all the trappings of a fun psychological thriller, with dark tones and was capitalizing on a recent American fear. Who hasn’t heard the sensationalist stories of bed bugs in New York hotels? Plus, many people are very afraid of insects, so the thought of tiny creepy crawlies can result in the kind of book you don’t want to read at night.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting through it. The main character, Susan, was really annoying to me. She’s always complaining about something, yet she doesn’t work and doesn’t ever paint, even though they’re paying a nanny to watch her daughter during the day to free her up for making her art. And even though they’re struggling to make ends meet on her husband’s salary, she’s constantly going out to eat and even goes to the salon for a manicure, pedicure, and wax. I just kept feeling like this is an example of what is wrong with America. The book would have worked much better for me if she would have been a person I could root for, instead of against.
There was also repeated mention of something that happened at the beginning of the book (not a spoiler). She notes that a mother pushed her twin babies off of a rooftop, killing them. I kept expecting the story to cycle back to this, to tie it in in some way, but it didn’t. It was just there, maybe meant to flavor the novel? I couldn’t tell, but it irked me that it never was worked into the larger plot.
Things got better about 2/3 of the way through. It seemed that the book was really going to go the psychological route, which pleased me greatly. The tension increased, and Susan began having “issues.” Then, the entire spirit of the book did a big 180. I don’t know why he did it, but the bedbugs ended up being something entirely different than the story was working them up to be, and it didn’t work for me. The ending left me feeling absolutely incredulous, and very unhappy that I had invested so much time for such a poor payout.
I think this book will find its audience, but that audience was not me. I also think that Winters writes well, and the idea for the story was really good. It came down to characterization and ending for me, which bummed me out. Still, there were some nice moments of creepiness, and I felt itchy when going to sleep after putting the book down.
I wanted to like this book. It had all the trappings of a fun psychological thriller, with dark tones and was capitalizing on a recent American fear. Who hasn’t heard the sensationalist stories of bed bugs in New York hotels? Plus, many people are very afraid of insects, so the thought of tiny creepy crawlies can result in the kind of book you don’t want to read at night.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting through it. The main character, Susan, was really annoying to me. She’s always complaining about something, yet she doesn’t work and doesn’t ever paint, even though they’re paying a nanny to watch her daughter during the day to free her up for making her art. And even though they’re struggling to make ends meet on her husband’s salary, she’s constantly going out to eat and even goes to the salon for a manicure, pedicure, and wax. I just kept feeling like this is an example of what is wrong with America. The book would have worked much better for me if she would have been a person I could root for, instead of against.
There was also repeated mention of something that happened at the beginning of the book (not a spoiler). She notes that a mother pushed her twin babies off of a rooftop, killing them. I kept expecting the story to cycle back to this, to tie it in in some way, but it didn’t. It was just there, maybe meant to flavor the novel? I couldn’t tell, but it irked me that it never was worked into the larger plot.
Things got better about 2/3 of the way through. It seemed that the book was really going to go the psychological route, which pleased me greatly. The tension increased, and Susan began having “issues.” Then, the entire spirit of the book did a big 180. I don’t know why he did it, but the bedbugs ended up being something entirely different than the story was working them up to be, and it didn’t work for me. The ending left me feeling absolutely incredulous, and very unhappy that I had invested so much time for such a poor payout.
I think this book will find its audience, but that audience was not me. I also think that Winters writes well, and the idea for the story was really good. It came down to characterization and ending for me, which bummed me out. Still, there were some nice moments of creepiness, and I felt itchy when going to sleep after putting the book down.
hldonavant's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good read. I expected it to be a bit corny but the story read pretty well. A bit creepy. Good ending!