I finished this novel about two days ago, and my thoughts on it linger. The book, originally written in French, is a thriller unlike anything I've ever read; the plot is not what you think it is, and the characters aren't who they say they are. Since I hate when others spoil books for me, this review will be as devoid of spoilers as I can make it, sticking to what you can read about in the synopsis.
The book alternates between the third-person perspective of our main character Alex and the police force led by Commandent Camille looking into her kidnapping--and, later, the fog of mystery and murder that swirls around her. Said third-person point of view is interesting, but in the police chapters it does make it hard to follow what's going on at times. Disregarding that, the descriptions and detail put into the writing, even with the English translation, are enthralling and result in incredibly visceral emotions in the reader.
What I liked most about this particular book is that, simply, the victim is not exactly the victim.Without spoiling anything, I can't say much more, other than Alex is not who she seems in the beginning. If you think it's just a novel about a woman being kidnapped, you are in for quite a treat. In the end, you're questioning your ideas of what is and isn't morally right.
A final warning: if you don't like crime fiction, gore, or detailed descriptions of gruesome acts, this probably isn't the book for you. However, much like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, it's a novel that many people think they wouldn't like, but end up loving. If you think you'd like to give it a shot, go for it.
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