Take a photo of a barcode or cover
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75 ⭐
Another not-quite-a-four-star-read in the books for 2024. Emma Cline's "The Guest" had me on the edge of my seat, earning a spot on my "weird little books with unhinged FMCs" shelf. The narrative revolves around Alex, living up to the title as a wandering guest in everyone's lives. With an innate understanding of people's desires, she adopts a chameleon-like persona, seamlessly integrating into the lives of strangers in order to fulfill her needs—be it money, shelter, new clothes, you name it.
After a misstep with her recent suitor, Simon, leaves her stranded in the Hamptons and pursued by the mysterious "Dom" she left behind in the city, Alex decides to bide her time in the Hamptons until Simon cools off and wants her back. Drifting through the Hamptons, she continues doing what she does best - using the people she encounters to satisfy her needs. Alex remains a guest in everyone's life, including her own.
The book is teeming with tension, possessing a train wreck quality that makes it impossible to stop reading. Despite Alex's morally grey intentions, readers find themselves rooting for her, intrigued by the question of how she will extricate herself from the challenges she faces.
Until Goodreads grants us the coveted partial star system, I rounded up my rating, giving “The Guest” 4 stars, simply because I enjoyed it that much. However, The end of the book was left a LOT to be desired. There was no true climax, no resolution, it’s as if the publisher just forgot to publish that last 30 pages. The Dom situation just feels like a loose thread that the author wasn’t sure how to finish and we never learn if Alex’s reunion with Simon was magical or delusional. While this plays into the dissonant feeling of the narrative, given how invested I was in the story, I was really wanting much more of a conclusion.
Another not-quite-a-four-star-read in the books for 2024. Emma Cline's "The Guest" had me on the edge of my seat, earning a spot on my "weird little books with unhinged FMCs" shelf. The narrative revolves around Alex, living up to the title as a wandering guest in everyone's lives. With an innate understanding of people's desires, she adopts a chameleon-like persona, seamlessly integrating into the lives of strangers in order to fulfill her needs—be it money, shelter, new clothes, you name it.
After a misstep with her recent suitor, Simon, leaves her stranded in the Hamptons and pursued by the mysterious "Dom" she left behind in the city, Alex decides to bide her time in the Hamptons until Simon cools off and wants her back. Drifting through the Hamptons, she continues doing what she does best - using the people she encounters to satisfy her needs. Alex remains a guest in everyone's life, including her own.
The book is teeming with tension, possessing a train wreck quality that makes it impossible to stop reading. Despite Alex's morally grey intentions, readers find themselves rooting for her, intrigued by the question of how she will extricate herself from the challenges she faces.
Until Goodreads grants us the coveted partial star system, I rounded up my rating, giving “The Guest” 4 stars, simply because I enjoyed it that much. However, The end of the book was left a LOT to be desired. There was no true climax, no resolution, it’s as if the publisher just forgot to publish that last 30 pages. The Dom situation just feels like a loose thread that the author wasn’t sure how to finish and we never learn if Alex’s reunion with Simon was magical or delusional. While this plays into the dissonant feeling of the narrative, given how invested I was in the story, I was really wanting much more of a conclusion.