The problem with being active in the bookstagram community is that you don't often go into books blind. I had been warned that the first section of the book was slow and boring, that the father's character wasn't very sympathetic or interesting. So when I made it through that section, I was ready for the action to pick up. And it did. But Stella's naivete frustrated me. I called the ending very early on, based on information Stella reveals. So when Stella's section dragged for me as much as Adam's did, I was almost ready to write off the whole book.
And along came Ulrika. The final section of the book is where you get tension (because you're on a time limit in the courtroom) and once people start lying, you can't be sure what is going to come out.
I found myself frustrated with the use of rotating first person (It's a personal preference) when the characters didn't have a distinct narrative voice (perhaps that was lost in translation?) BUT of course with as much conflicting information as comes out from one section to the next, I realized it HAS to be in first person, so we might believe them.
Basically, I can absolutely see why people love this book. Personally, it was slow and a little too predictable for me. The characters fell into easy boxes and didn't really challenge that. But there is, generally, a clever revealing of information as time goes, and, more interesting, conflicting facts even between characters who experienced the same moment, which lends an air of authenticity to the whole thing.
And along came Ulrika. The final section of the book is where you get tension (because you're on a time limit in the courtroom) and once people start lying, you can't be sure what is going to come out.
I found myself frustrated with the use of rotating first person (It's a personal preference) when the characters didn't have a distinct narrative voice (perhaps that was lost in translation?) BUT of course with as much conflicting information as comes out from one section to the next, I realized it HAS to be in first person, so we might believe them.
Basically, I can absolutely see why people love this book. Personally, it was slow and a little too predictable for me. The characters fell into easy boxes and didn't really challenge that. But there is, generally, a clever revealing of information as time goes, and, more interesting, conflicting facts even between characters who experienced the same moment, which lends an air of authenticity to the whole thing.