This book is terrifying, because it’s realistic. (more on this on the spoiler)
The author chose unique timeline of telling the story and partial epistolary; we are reading it from two povs, Nick and Amy. Amy’s is a flashback to some time before the current, while Nick’s starts from the current. At one point of the story, the timeline meets and we get to read both povs at the same time.
(There is a good example of concurrent point of view in A Storm of Sword, third book from the series A Song of Ice and Fire, where we read Catelyn and Arya`’s povs back and forth. No spoiler about which event. )
To me, I categorize them into three: Nick, Amy’s Diary, Amy. We are first introduced to Amy through her diary’s entries.
I can’t stand writing a review without spoiling it, because all the good stuff is in there. Personally, I have never read reviews before the book anyway.
Rating: 4 Treasure Hunts out of 5 Anniversaries
So, spoiler ahead.
I live under the rock, but I can't avoid the news sometimes, in fact, I became curious and followed the trial of the century that had just concluded (I hope!) (June 2022). What made me interested is the level of terrifying shenanigans going on and I can't help but comparing it with this book.
Fortunately, I guess, there are few similar perpetrators in real life who have the level of cunning and intelligence like Amy, who always thinks her moves a couple of steps ahead and plans everything to terrifying meticulous details. She is despicable, there is no doubt in it, but it is interesting to read a fabricated point of view and see how she twists reality to fit into her story.
Nick himself, the husband, is someone full of flaws, always making questionable and bad decisions. He is no match for Amy, but to put myself into a character, it's normal not to suspect someone you love to be a batshit psycho. He finally does, but at a terrifying cost and again, making another bad decision.
Although I am not a fan of the ending because personally, I don't think there is something I hate more than manipulation and surrender; IT IS a good ending. And actually, I like the prospect of a sequel more, I'm not sure if it is intended by the author, but there are a lot of things that are weird in this book that would make good sense for the sequel.
Desi's mom. Her description is, well, quite disturbing, weird! The way she smells ‘vaginal’. What?? It is mentioned on more than one occasion too, and from the screen time that she has, it has to be something, right? Because imo, it is too weird to be a throwaway and designed to raise questions. She seems menacing, intimidating, and potentially a good and promising counter character, but then, nothing in this book. She is reduced to an emotionally crazy woman.
I want to see how Amy ties the loose ends. By the way she holds grudges, I don't think she would forget Greta and Jeff who wronged her.
Now that Nick knows who she actually is, regardless of both being the fakes of the fakest, I want to see how they play against each other with their own limitations, now that they know the other better.
More past t0 surface. Do her parents really that clueless, or do they know but pretend that they don't?
No one can wear mask all the time, and since I don't care or root for any of the characters, I want to see shit hitting the fan in turbo speed.
