There are a lot of strengths in this novel. It has a unique premise, well-crafted descriptive writing, a suspenseful build, and some fun red herrings.
Because of the slow burn storytelling, my craving for jaw-dropping moments increased. Unfortunately, I picked up on a lot of the dispersed clues, making the shock value within most of the twists ineffective for me. I think it’s worthwhile to note that I’ve been consuming suspenseful tales most of my life. I believe that I’ve seen enough revealed through various plots to make evidence easier to detect when I’m reading. This book is creative and my previous exposure likely contributed to the things I did properly predict. I wouldn’t say anything is blatantly foreseeable. I think the story will produce the desired effect in many other readers.
That being said, I never actually guessed who the killer was. I was always sure about who WASN’T the killer. But the actual culprit was a surprise! It was interesting to see how that guilty character spun certain details at the very end.
Since we were frequently given her perspective before she died, I felt very sad for Amanda. The author created a likable, sympathetic victim and getting to know her while always knowing she was going to be killed was unsettling and heartbreaking.
While I think McCreight did well painting scenes, describing emotions and building suspense, the inauthentic feel of the dialogue was hard to sit through. I found the interactions between many of the characters difficult to swallow. This was, ultimately, my greatest annoyance with the book.
A Good Marriage wasn't the explosive narrative I had hoped for but it was an interesting read. Kimberly McCreight is a talented author and I do intend to read some of her previous novels in the future. Reconstructing Amelia is already in my pile!
Because of the slow burn storytelling, my craving for jaw-dropping moments increased. Unfortunately, I picked up on a lot of the dispersed clues, making the shock value within most of the twists ineffective for me. I think it’s worthwhile to note that I’ve been consuming suspenseful tales most of my life. I believe that I’ve seen enough revealed through various plots to make evidence easier to detect when I’m reading. This book is creative and my previous exposure likely contributed to the things I did properly predict. I wouldn’t say anything is blatantly foreseeable. I think the story will produce the desired effect in many other readers.
That being said, I never actually guessed who the killer was. I was always sure about who WASN’T the killer. But the actual culprit was a surprise! It was interesting to see how that guilty character spun certain details at the very end.
Since we were frequently given her perspective before she died, I felt very sad for Amanda. The author created a likable, sympathetic victim and getting to know her while always knowing she was going to be killed was unsettling and heartbreaking.
While I think McCreight did well painting scenes, describing emotions and building suspense, the inauthentic feel of the dialogue was hard to sit through. I found the interactions between many of the characters difficult to swallow. This was, ultimately, my greatest annoyance with the book.
A Good Marriage wasn't the explosive narrative I had hoped for but it was an interesting read. Kimberly McCreight is a talented author and I do intend to read some of her previous novels in the future. Reconstructing Amelia is already in my pile!