When I saw that mesmerizing trailer with Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, I knew I had to read the book before the movie came out in September. I’ll link the trailer that I saw for those who haven’t seen it yet. It’s got an air of glamour and drama that makes a mystery story all that more enticing.
I bought the book about a month ago now on my phone and started reading immediately. Right off the bat, you can tell that the narration is going to be different. It starts with a blog (which, obviously, I immediately was drawn to). We meet Stephanie, (Anna Kendrick’s character) a good mom who is frazzled about her possibly missing friend.
What I Liked
I liked getting to know her through the blogs. It’s a fresh way to open a story. It also prepares you for the layers of storytelling this story plays with. Without giving too much away, there are a few narrators that you get to know throughout the book. Each character gives you their own perspective on the wild world that they’re all living in.
The scandal is what kept me turning the page. I liked finding out things that they would only confess to an imaginary audience and (nearly) never to a living soul. I will admit, the book pushed the limits between being realistic and outlandish with the number of secrets and confessions. However, it was still fun to open the book with the excitement of finding someone’s diary.
Wikipedia categorizes this with “unreliable narrators”. However, I fully disagree. I trusted everyone that spoke. In my opinion, these were honest characters. While Stephanie’s blog obviously hides the dirty secrets that are going on in, she almost always directly starts the following chapter (her own POV) with her honest thoughts.
What I Didn’t Like
First off, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. It left things to be desired. While it almost sets up a sequel, it lacks the exhilaration that would carry an audience to ask for one. I can definitely see this film becoming a franchise even if the book does not. But, that’s just the way Hollywood strategizes.
A widely criticized aspect of this book were the plot-twists. I have to say, I thought to myself a few times what next over-the-top thing am I going to find out? It was heavy handed. I’ll just say it would make a fabulous telenovela. That is not necessarily an insult because I like those kinds of shows, but for an American thriller novel, it just pushed the boundaries of reality too much. Even Gone Girl had me more convinced.
Final Thoughts
This book had mixed reviews and understandably so. I would still suggest it to a friend because I overall enjoyed reading it and I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing the movie that comes out September 14th, 2018.
Have you read this book? Please let me know what you thought and leave a comment.
Until next time,
Julia
Fly with Time 