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Kimberly A. (Hannibal, MO)
(06/07/14)
Just Okay!
I thought the novel Her, a psychological thriller, would be a compelling reading adventure. For me, it was a slow read that never quite captured my attention.
There are several reasons to like this book:
1. The premise behind the plot is unique and promising;
2. The format (alternating narrators) is perfect for the two main characters; and
3. The characters are interesting and intriguing.
However, the shortcomings diminish what could/should have been an engaging read:
1. There is too much repetition of events by the main characters in their alternating chapters;
2. The plot is lean and needs more "meat";
3. The book's climax is weak and is not well-developed.
All in all, it was an okay read. I just wish it had fulfilled its promise.
Elizabeth M. (Syracuse, NY)
(06/03/14)
Mysterious minds of women
I feel like this book had hints of the novel Gone Girl in it, although it is not as successful. It is a story about two women who become friends, but with very different motives. Emma is looking for a break from her baby and housecleaning routines. Nina is looking to disrupt Emma's life in a more sinister manner, as retribution for something that occurred in the distant past.
Emma's portion of the story was not much different from many other books I have read about former career women becoming mired in motherhood and wondering "is this all there is".
Nina's portion is much more nuanced, but ultimately I found that she was not "off" enough to make her really interesting. And the long ago slight by Emma was not really explained enough to make her actions make sense.
I did enjoy Nina's mental processes as she was painting. I think that it offered a really interesting narrative of the creative process.
This version of the book is an early edition, so I'm not sure if it would change, but I found some of the "English-isms" to be very distracting because I didn't know what some them meant. I understand that the story takes place in England, but I'm not sure that these words added much for an American audience.
Amy W. (Annapolis, MD)
(06/02/14)
Slow to begin
I had high hopes for this book but I felt that it took way too long to get to the "meat" of the book. The back and forth switching points of view and retelling the same information really slowed down the flow of the book. That being said, I did enjoy the book it just took a while to get through. I would recommend it.
Wendy F. (Kalamazoo, MI)
(06/02/14)
Her a bit disappointing
The strange story of Emma and Gina is entertaining but has some flaws. It's a subtle stalking story that you really can't quite figure out until the twist is revealed later in the book. As a short book, it is entertaining and the final dagger does catch you off guard. Some of it just didn't seem to work for me and was a little disappointing.
Cheryl K. (East Aurora, NY)
(06/01/14)
Her A Novel
This novel by Harriet Lane was difficult for me to get into, initially. Reading the alternating voices of Emma and Nina was confusing, but I became comfortable with the story and couldn't stop reading until I finished. It was a carefully constructed "mystery" with a very unsettling ending. It would be an interesting book for discussion.
Amy H. (Johnson City, TN)
(05/31/14)
Her
Her is a well written book told in alternating chapters / voices. The story of two "friends", Nina and Emma. Nina recognizes Emma but Emma is unaware of who Nina is Nina pretends to be friendly and caring, weaving her way back into Emma's life in some very unusually cruel ways. The past of these two is never disclosed. The book ended rather vaguely, leaving me to wonder if I had missed something. A few more details of this "friendship" would have tied up the loose ends,
Susan B. (Coventry, RI)
(05/30/14)
Her, A Novel
I was puzzled by the book Her. The alternating chapters, about one character and then the next were confusing at first. But once I got into the rhythm of that pattern, I began to enjoy the book. Of course once I got into the body of the book, I began to wonder why Nina is making such an effort to befriend Emma. They have almost nothing in common; Nina's daughter is finishing high school and Emma has two young children that she struggles with. Nina begins to make serious efforts to arrange circumstances that involve Emma. So there was an air of mystery that moved the story along and I got caught up with it. I enjoyed the book very much but when I got to the end, I found it hard to believe the direction it headed in. I thought it a little far-fetched. Despite this, I recommend this book and give it four stars.
Iris F. (West Bloomfield, MI)
(05/28/14)
Her
Through two incidents which should have appeared to Emma to have been too unlikely to be a coincidence, Emma and Nina become friends. The cause of Nina's obsession,when it is finally revealed, doesn't seem significant enough to have warranted her actions. At times I found Emma's discontent cloying, and the plot was somewhat flawed, but I enjoyed the English expressions and found them amusing. Ultimately, this was a fun read that held my interest from beginning to end