Reviewed by lovelybookshelf on
This was my first encounter with Maggie Shipstead's writing, and I was captivated from the very first page. Her writing is simply stunning. I savored every word, and I didn't want to put the book down. These characters are flawed, their lives complicated, and the connections between them confusing and messy. Yet Shipstead created characters I loved and became fully invested in.
There was a "twist" near the end - more of a cliché, really - that I saw coming for most of the book. I was so disappointed when it finally turned up... I'd held out hope that I'd be wrong. But my disappointment was short lived: I wasn't at the end of the book yet! Shipstead took that cliché and put her own spin on it. The tension and my conflicting emotions had my stomach in knots and took my breath away. From that moment until the last page, I simultaneously wanted to throw the book across the room and hug it.
What a phenomenal reading experience. I can't wait to read more by Maggie Shipstead.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 19 April, 2014: Finished reading
- 19 April, 2014: Reviewed