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Mary O. (Boston, MA)
Slow but engaging
A very slow start which had me re-reading the first few chapters. I expected a more compelling thriller and better character development. The storyline was interesting but needed more "oomph". I would recommend it as a quick beach read!!!!
Jessica D. (Bemidji, MN)
Disappointing
I was disappointed with this book. It took the author a long time to get where she was going and it didn't seem to make a lot of sense. I could have understood Nina's anger and revenge a bit better if Emma had had an affair with her father but that wasn't the case. And Emma never realized who Nina was?? That seems a bit of a stretch. Not one of my favorite books, unfortunately.
Kimberly A. (Hannibal, MO)
Just Okay!
I thought the novel Her, a psychological thriller, would be a compelling reading adventure. For me, it was a slow read that never quite captured my attention.
There are several reasons to like this book:
1. The premise behind the plot is unique and promising;
2. The format (alternating narrators) is perfect for the two main characters; and
3. The characters are interesting and intriguing.
However, the shortcomings diminish what could/should have been an engaging read:
1. There is too much repetition of events by the main characters in their alternating chapters;
2. The plot is lean and needs more "meat";
3. The
…more book's climax is weak and is not well-developed.
All in all, it was an okay read. I just wish it had fulfilled its promise. (less)I feel like this book had hints of the novel Gone Girl in it, although it is not as successful. It is a story about two women who become friends, but with very different motives. Emma is looking for a break from her baby and housecleaning routines. Nina is looking to disrupt Emma's life in a more sinister manner, as retribution for something that occurred in the distant past.
Emma's portion of the story was not much different from many other books I have read about former career women becoming mired in motherhood and wondering "is this all there is".
Nina's portion is much more nuanced, but ultimately I found
…more that she was not "off" enough to make her really interesting. And the long ago slight by Emma was not really explained enough to make her actions make sense.
I did enjoy Nina's mental processes as she was painting. I think that it offered a really interesting narrative of the creative process.
This version of the book is an early edition, so I'm not sure if it would change, but I found some of the "English-isms" to be very distracting because I didn't know what some them meant. I understand that the story takes place in England, but I'm not sure that these words added much for an American audience. (less)
Wendy F. (Kalamazoo, MI)
Her a bit disappointing
The strange story of Emma and Gina is entertaining but has some flaws. It's a subtle stalking story that you really can't quite figure out until the twist is revealed later in the book. As a short book, it is entertaining and the final dagger does catch you off guard. Some of it just didn't seem to work for me and was a little disappointing.
Amy W. (Annapolis, MD)
Slow to begin
I had high hopes for this book but I felt that it took way too long to get to the "meat" of the book. The back and forth switching points of view and retelling the same information really slowed down the flow of the book. That being said, I did enjoy the book it just took a while to get through. I would recommend it.
Lea Ann M. (Seattle, WA)
Her
I'm at somewhat of a loss as to how to review this book without giving away too much of the plot. However, let's give it a go. I must admit that I found it difficult to pick this book up to read once I got into it a ways, It simply did not hold my interest. Now generally I enjoy books that alternate narrative chapters, but the device seemed a bit awkward in HER. It also left me wondering about when the author would get to the point of the novel and tell her readers the connection between the two main characters. When that connection was finally revealed, it seemed rather tenuous at best. The more I read, the
…more more evil Nina was made out to be and the more I wanted to see the course of events change, which they did not. Things just got worse. The book left me with a distaste for Nina and sorrow for Emma and her family. I found nothing compelling this reader to continue reading the book other than a sense of responsibility to Book Browse and a desire to learn if Nina was really as evil as I felt she was, more so as each chapter passed. The premise of the book was a good one, but I believe it could have been handled more expertly. (less)I was excited to begin this book due to the book jacket information, but that was not my experience at all. I thought that the characters were underdeveloped, the reading slow, and the ending dangled. I wanted this to be the psychological thriller that I had imagined, but this never developed for me either. Thought the writing was fine... Just needed more substance.
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