I really liked Jessica. She had drive and was weighed down with heavy (but believable) burdens. She wasn't the typical "thriller protagonist" with a drinking problem and a propensity for paranoia. She was crafted to be 100% believable.
Lydia Shields, however, was just impossible to accept. I liked the style of second person / direct address that her narrative started with, but as soon as she started coming into play directly, it just kind of went downhill for me. Don't get me wrong, I love that we have a woman in this position, but she was too perfect for the role. I wanted more humanity from her.
The second act of the book also dragged quite a bit. While I really enjoyed the conclusion, I was a little tired of Jess's blind trust and Lydia's obvious manipulations. Though it was a lot more engaging than this authorial pair's previous collaboration, it wasn't for me.
Lydia Shields, however, was just impossible to accept. I liked the style of second person / direct address that her narrative started with, but as soon as she started coming into play directly, it just kind of went downhill for me. Don't get me wrong, I love that we have a woman in this position, but she was too perfect for the role. I wanted more humanity from her.
The second act of the book also dragged quite a bit. While I really enjoyed the conclusion, I was a little tired of Jess's blind trust and Lydia's obvious manipulations. Though it was a lot more engaging than this authorial pair's previous collaboration, it wasn't for me.