Ξέχασα να αναφέρω ότι έχω και βίντεο κριτική στο κανάλι μου, στο YouTube! Όποιος ενδιαφέρεται μπορεί να τη δει πατώντας εδώ.
Μπορείτε να διαβάσετε την Ξέχασα να αναφέρω ότι έχω και βίντεο κριτική στο κανάλι μου, στο YouTube! Όποιος ενδιαφέρεται μπορεί να τη δει πατώντας εδώ.
Μπορείτε να διαβάσετε την συγκεκριμένη κριτική στο blog μου Through the Chapters.
*4.5*
Μαντέψτε! Διάβασα τα βατράχια του Δημήτρη Σίμου! Επιτέλους.
Είναι η εντύπωσή μου; Ή ακούω πράγματι αποδοκιμασίες τύπου «τώρα ξύπνησες Ευγνωσία; Έχει κυκλοφορήσει και το δεύτερο! Σε ποια σπηλιά ζεις;». Σας παρακαλώ πάρα πολύ, τα ξέρω όλα αυτά! Αλλά όπως λένε, κάλλιο αργά παρά ποτέ.
Εξάλλου πρέπει να ομολογήσω πως από μικρή έχω αδυναμία στα βατράχια.
Fun fact about me: Όταν ήμουνα μικρή, (όχι ότι τώρα δεν είμαι :P), οι φίλοι μου κι εγώ ψαρεύαμε (γκουχ-τυφλά ψάρια-γκουχ) γυρίνους (νεογνό βατραχάκι που δεν έχει ακόμα πόδια). Τα παρατηρούσαμε, παίζαμε μαζί τους… Μια φορά, ένα από τα παιδιά τα τάισε στις πάπιες. Δεν ήμουνα εγώ. Από τότε δεν ξανάπιασα.
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Όταν είδα τα βατράχια του Σίμου ίσως υποσυνείδητα να απέφευγα το βιβλίο για τον παραπάνω λόγο. Ξέρετε τι λένε για τα παιδικά τραύματα και τέτοια. Διαβάζοντάς το όμως το ξεπέρασα! Yay! Εντάξει δεν είχα τέτοιο τραύμα πλάκα σας έκανα…ουπς… Αλλά όλα τα άλλα σχετικά με τους γυρίνους είναι αλήθεια.
Άκουγα για τα βατράχια παντού, έβλεπα φωτογραφίες και τα σχετικά. Δεν άντεξα κι εγώ η καημένη. Άνθρωπος είμαι, τι να κάνω το πήρα. Πόσο χαίρομαι που το πήρα. Άξιζε με το παραπάνω τα λεφτά και τον χρόνο που πέρασα διαβάζοντάς το.
Η πλοκή διαδραματίζεται στο παρόν και στο παρελθόν.
Παρόν. 2010. Σύγχρονη επαρχιακή πόλη της Χαλκίδας. Ο αστυνόμος Χρήστος Καπετάνος επιστρέφει στο σώμα της αστυνομίας για να εξιχνιάσει την δολοφονίας μιας δεκατετράχρονης μαθήτριας η οποία ανασύρθηκε νεκρή από ποτάμι.
Παρελθόν. 1978 – 1985. Αλιβέρι. Ο Δημήτρης και η Αμαρυλλίς. Δύο αδέλφια από διαφορετικούς γονείς συνδέονται με ένα σκοτεινό μυστικό.
Ενδιαφέρον; Πολύ!
Από τις πρώτες σελίδες με συνεπήρε. Δεν κατάλαβα πως προχώρησα τόσο γρήγορα. Η πλοκή και η δράση του μυθιστορήματος με κράτησε σε συνεχή εγρήγορση. Η ωραία, απλή και παράλληλα εθιστική γραφή του Σίμου με έκανε να βυθιστώ μέσα στη δράση του μυθιστορήματος.
Η σκιαγράφηση του Καπετάνου ήταν ολοκληρωμένη και δομημένη με τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε να τον συμπαθήσω από την αρχή. Απλός, καθημερινός άνθρωπος, με γήινα προβλήματα, στον οποίο αρέσουν οι σπαζοκεφαλιές. Επικροτώ επίσης το γεγονός ότι μας παρουσιάζεται ο αστυνομικός που δεν είναι εθισμένος ούτε έχει σκοτεινά μυστικά… τουλάχιστον όχι τόσο σκοτεινά όσο έχουμε συνηθίσει. Η πένα του Σίμου, δημιουργεί χαρακτήρες ρεαλιστικούς, καθημερινούς τόσο που συνδέεσαι με αυτούς από τις πρώτες σελίδες. Στα επόμενα βιβλία περιμένω να αναδιπλωθεί η προσωπικότητα του Καπετάνου ακόμα περισσότερο.
Επίσης θα ήθελα να τονίσω και τις ανατροπές, οι οποίες με ωθούσαν να συνεχίζω να γυρνάω τις σελίδες. Κάποια στιγμή με είχε μπερδέψει τόσο, που όλοι μου φαίνονταν ύποπτοι. Ήμουνα σε φάση δεν καταλαβαίνω τίποτα, και γελούσα σαν τρελή. Την νύχτα. Ενώ όλοι ήταν στο κρεβάτι και έβλεπαν το δέκατο όνειρό τους!
Δεν μπορούσα να το αφήσω από τα χέρια μου, αφού ακόμα και βόλτα το πήρα όταν βγήκα και έφαγα ένα ωραιότατο block. Αλλά δεν μετανιώνω για τίποτα!
Και το τέλος; Δεν θα μπορούσα να το μαντέψω με τίποτα. Μου ήρθε κατακούτελα! Τι τέλος ήταν αυτό? Δεν μπορούσα να καταλάβω μέχρι την τελευταία στιγμή το πως συνδέεται η ιστορία που διαδραματιζόταν στο παρόν με εκείνη του παρελθόντος.
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Εκείνο που ίσως με προβλημάτισε λιγουλάκι ήταν οι χαρακτηρισμοί για τις γυναίκες όπως «γυναίκες κλώσσες». Δεν μπορώ να το παραβλέψω η άμοιρη επειδή διαβάζω και βιβλία πάνω στο φεμινισμό, και θα με λιθοβολήσουν αν δεν αναφερθώ στο θέμα.
Ένα πράγμα θέλω να ρωτήσω. Σίγουρα, βρε Δημήτρη, είναι το πρώτο σου βιβλίο? Τόσο καλογραμμένο με τόση ίντριγκα. Αν σας πω ότι ο Σίμος είναι ο Nesbo της Ελλάδας δεν υπερβάλλω. Και μια σημείωση εδώ παρακαλώ. Σε αντίθεση με τα βατράχια το πρώτο βιβλίο του Nesbo, η νυχτερίδα, ήταν “ολίγον” βαρετό. Λιθοβολήστε με!
Δεύτερο βιβλίο του King που διαβάζω, και καταλαβαίνω πια, ότι το επίθετό του καθρεπτίζει απόλυτα το συγγραφικό του ταλέντο. Τι πήγες και δημιούργησες Δεύτερο βιβλίο του King που διαβάζω, και καταλαβαίνω πια, ότι το επίθετό του καθρεπτίζει απόλυτα το συγγραφικό του ταλέντο. Τι πήγες και δημιούργησες King?
Η σκιαγράφηση των χαρακτήρων, ο τρόπος σκέψης τους, τα μοτίβα τους, ο εύθραυστος και συνάμα δυνατός κόσμος της Κάρυ ήταν μερικά από τα δυνατά σημεία του βιβλίου.
Μου άρεσε υπερβολικά η δομή της ιστορίας. Όλα αυτά τα αποσπάσματα από τις καταθέσεις μαρτύρων, τα βιβλία και τα άρθρα για την περίπτωση των γεγονότων που περιγράφονται, έδωσαν μια τελείως σουρεαλιστική αίσθηση. Είχα την εντύπωση πως πρόκειται για γεγονότα, που πράγματι είχαν λάβει χώρα κάπου κάποτε. Βρε, τώρα που το σκέφτομαι πρέπει να πάω να δω αν όντως κάτι τέτοιο συνέβη.
Συνδύασε με απόλυτη μαεστρία όλα τα στοιχεία της ιστορίας από τρίτα πρόσωπα (σκέψεις, εικασίες) με την πηγή, δηλαδή την Κάρυ και τη μητέρα της. Μας έδειξε που μπορεί να οδηγήσει η υπερβολή, η φανατική πίστη και το bulling. Μέσα σε αυτές τις λίγες σελίδες παρουσίασε την σκληρότητα των εφήβων και την απροθυμία των ανθρώπων από τη φύση τους να δεχτούν την διαφορετικότητα. Μέσα από την ιστορία του πέρασε ότι όσο διαφορετικός και να φαίνεται ο άνθρωπος, στη πραγματικότητα δεν διαφέρει πολύ. Ο κάθε διαφορετικός άνθρωπος δεν παύει να έχει τις ίδιες επιθυμίες, τα ίδια συναισθήματα, μια εύθραυστη ψυχολογία και ψυχή. Και το σημαντικότερο από όλα, διαβάζοντας πίσω από τις γραμμές αντιλαμβανόμαστε πως πολλά δεινά μπορούν να αποφευχθούν αν δείξουμε λίγη καλοσύνη ο ένας απέναντι στον άλλον. Γιατί τα τόσα απλά και αυτονόητα πράγματα να είναι…. Δύσκολα να τα πω; Δεν είναι δύσκολα. Πολύπλοκα; Ούτε.
Πόσο κοστίζει να είσαι καλός άνθρωπος?
Πόσες Κάρυ θα είχαν σωθεί?
Πόσες συνειδήσεις θα εφησύχαζαν?
Πόσες….?
Μπορεί να είναι ένα βιβλίο τρόμου και φαντασίας αλλά στη πραγματικότητα δίνει τροφή για σκέψη και αναθεώρηση αν όχι του κόσμου τότε του ίδιου μας του εαυτού. Κι ο κόσμος όλος ξεκινάει από τον ίδιο μας τον εαυτό. ...more
"Sometimes the right thing to do is wrong, but that’s just life."
Sometimes I lie because I have to. Sometimes I lie because I need to. Sometimes I lie because I want to.
We all lie for multiple reasons. Sometimes the lies are harmless or even essential to heal the ones we love. But, there are some other types of lies that destroy families, careers and lives.
You may wonder which type of liar is the main protagonist of the captivating psychological thriller “Sometimes I Lie”. Well, you have to read the book to find out. #sorrynotsorry
Provided that, let’s stay a little bit on the plot. Amber Reynolds is in comma. She doesn’t remember what happened to her in the past 24 hours. She can’t move, speak or even breathe on her own. The only thing that she is still able to do is to listen what is going on around her. The narrative switches between “Now” where Amber attempts to figure out what led her to comma; “Then” a short period of time prior the accident; and “Before” where the readers are able to track her childhood through the entries of some diaries.
The most compelling evidence of the novel is the introduction. Amber confesses that she lies; we know that we have to do with an unreliable narration. Nevertheless, we also know that she has a partial amnesia, she is under drugs and thus, it is a real struggle to comprehend where the illusion ends and where the truth starts.
On the one hand, I caught myself multiple times considering that I’m into a mind of a psychopath. On the other hand, I could trust no one since they all gave me vibes of sociopath. As a result, after a certain point I gave up attempting to conceive a reasonable explanation. I just dissolved into the narrative.
There were some lines that drove me completely insane as I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. It was like being into a dream.
"…but nightmares are dreams too…"
And then came the reveals and the twists and I was completely mind blown. I was like that:
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And then like that:
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And at the end I was completely demented as the story came to the end and I have been left with so many questions.
"… X told me to do it…"
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Feeney plays with our minds skillfully through her well plotted, addictive, awe-inspiring, and creepy story. She is not afraid to sketch her characters by giving them the freedom to get lost into illusions and mind traps and at the same time to find their way back to the reality and truth in order to declare that:
The story has a promising beginning. The plot is evolving quickly, bringing theReview was originally published on Through the Chapters|Blog
*2.5 stars*
The story has a promising beginning. The plot is evolving quickly, bringing the readers to the core of the narrative.
Being said that, Iris and Will is a happily married couple, for seven years now, and they still seem madly in love. But their safe heaven has been destroyed when Iris finds out that her husband was a victim of the plane crush, which he wasn’t supposed to take. As a result, Iris launches her own investigation to discover the reasons that led her spouse to his intimidating death. She deals with some unexpected and disturbing secrets of Will’s past.
To my humble opinion, it was a mediocre read. It wasn’t a mind-blowing or a captivating thriller. In contrast, it was quite a predictable one and sometimes even boring.
Regarding Iris character, I found her nagging for crying throughout the story and telling everyone that her husband was alive. She gave me the impression of a clinging and a weak-willed wife as she was over depended on her spouse. She also can be characterized as a gullible for comforting herself with the lies Will told her over the years. She didn’t know hell lot things about her husband and she was OK with that?
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Seriously? And she was a psychologist? Like seriously? She didn’t notice something was wrong after seven year of marriage? She either was a shitty psychologist or a shitty and an easily manipulative wife.
Or both.
Finally, I would prefer a totally different ending, something really shocking to compensate me for the lack of great twists. All in all, this ending was as mediocre as the whole story.
Have you heard about the ironic process theory which deals with the attempts to sReview was originally published on Through the Chapters|Blog
*3 stars*
Have you heard about the ironic process theory which deals with the attempts to suppress certain thoughts and by this means make them more likely to surface?
For example, imagine a situation where someone tells you not to think about pink elephants. So, what are you doing? You are thinking about those pink elephants. You picture them in your mind in all their glory and even when you try to think of something else they invade into your thoughts again. Ironic, isn’t it?
[image] So, when I’ve read the synopsis of “The Wife Between Us” and have been warned to
Assume nothing
What did I do? I was assuming, I was wondering, I was guessing, non-stop, throughout the story. Guess what. I figured out the first plot twist which had to blow my mind away. But it just didn’t happen since I was warned to assume nothing. See? The ironic process theory.
Let’s put first things firsts. I was craving to read this book the first time I saw it on Goodreads. The cover was intriguing; the reception of my Goodreads friends astonishing, and the synopsis made me assuming theories even before I had the change to read the first line.
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Generally speaking, the story deals with two young women, an ex-wife and a bride to be. Vanessa and Nellie. They both are in love with Richard, an accomplished man who can protect the woman of his life. Vanessa, the jealous ex-wife, is not ready to let him continue with his life and marry Nellie. As a result, she’s trying to prevent this marriage no matter the cost and the consequences. I won’t tell something else on the plot as I don’t want to spoil you. You’d better go into it, knowing as less as possible.
To continue with my reading experience, some may thing that the first part of the story was a little bit dragged but it was essential for the writers to construct the background of the main characters and lead to the main plot twist. The same plot twist that I figured out in the early stage of my reading. Needless to say, I was disappointed; I didn’t have the chance to feel this turmoil that good turns of events produce.
Nonetheless, I was still yearning for the development of the story and was waiting for the next plot twist in order to compensate myself. I have to confess that some lines in the novel such as…
I never been the woman he thought he’d married.
and…
They say the wife is always the last to know.
…made me eager to keep reading, to keep turning the pages, just to learn what happens next, where the story will lead me, but at the same time I was assuming again. And again I was somehow right. What is the problem with me?
Still, I was waiting for the great plot twist until the very last page, till the very last sentence. Unfortunately, I wasn’t struck with amazement. There were another one plot twist but I was completely uninterested in that one. To tell more, it was unnecessary as it didn’t change anything in my already thorough opinion. The only thing I wanted to do was:
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I have to acknowledge some positive aspects of the novel. The writing was flawless; the characters were multidimensional with past and secrets that made me to continue reading. It was a generator of controversial emotions. I felt compassion, anger, happiness and even malice. I cannot also omit the message that the story provides us with. You will understand after reading the book.
That’s why I love reading. A book is not only a good story or a shocking plot twist; it is a journey, a message, a lesson, a life, a powerful and deep gift which speaks a different truth to each and every one of us.
With those in mind, if you decide to read “The Wife Between Us”, do not stay at the “assume nothing”, cause you will activate your mind to assume everything and in all likelihood to guess the main twist or a part of it. But if we’ll take under consideration the theory, you have already arguably aroused your mind to assume, guess and judge. So, I’m the one to blame here…
This book was on my TBR for almost a year. I expected it to be a very good psychological tReview was originally published on Through the Chapters|Blog
This book was on my TBR for almost a year. I expected it to be a very good psychological thriller since it was compared to the “Gone Girl” one of the most mind-blowing books I have ever read. Unfortunately, I wasn’t only disappointed. I was frustrated, and let me explain why.
This story follows two women Emma and Jane, who wanted to escape the tragic events of their past, in order to begin a new life in a new apartment. The narration rotates between those two ladies, to show us the events of past (Emma) and present (Jane). They were presented to the audience so desperate, that they agree to move to an apartment, at One Folgate Street with weird and ridiculous rules, as tenants. They were so deep into their grief and post traumatic syndrome that they were completely ok by signing a contract with 200 rules such as:
No carpets. No curtains. No books – What???
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No pets. No kids. No mess – I beg your pardon? Who are you to tell me if I have to clean my apartment or not. No, sir no. What if, I want to keep it like that?
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Punish me then. I bet Jane, the girl who lived there before, would love to be punished.
Those rules were not just warning bells, they were warning bombs that had to make those women to run away. But of course they didn’t. No. They preferred to stay in a high-tech apartment and to fall for, – a perfectionist, a control freak and a creepy owner of this minimalistic apartment -, who have buried his late wife and son in this same apartment. Who knows maybe this minimalistic freak was the same person who killed his family. It was like I was watching a bad version of the Saw movies when the owner of One Folgate Street appeared with all those weird rules and proclaimed that a kind of game has begun. And may the odds be ever in your favour.
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Then again, leaving in a super-clever-high-technological-environment was quite original and I wanted to enjoy the story but I just couldn’t especially after some crucial moments and messages of the book.
One of the most distasteful moments, especially after the events one of the main characters had to go thorough, was:
"Yes, daddy. Yes"
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Seriously?
This was neither an erotic story nor a thriller. It was an attempt to combine those two genres. Therefore, if you go into this don’t expect those two components.
Secondly, both women were presented as weak-willed, indecisive, and obsessive personalities. I can’t stand when books present women as highly dependable individualities, who need a man, in order to change their lives. No. Women are strong, self-sufficient, courageous, and independent. They are responsible for their own fate.
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The girl before, was exactly this type of book, where both women preferred to be involved in an unhealthy sexual relationship just to feel what? Alive? A bad girl? What I want to say is that they could do a load of things in order to get relieved from the unfortunate events of their past. To demonstrate, they could be involved in voluntary organization to help the women with the same problems. There was an attempt to present one of the main characters in those patterns but I didn’t find it adequate. Identically, they could travel, meet people, learn to play piano, help the planet to become more sustainable. Anything. On the contrary, they assumed it would be more “reliable” to play with a rich, handsome, manipulative-daddy to get rid of their memories, pain and even all those traits that made them the people they were.
Besides, there were a lot of racism issues all over the story. I just don’t want to give away the plot so please forgive me if the following won’t make any sense. The bad boys of the story were black and working class. Come on.
Seriously?
Likewise, there was a controversial issue about people with a Down Syndrome and whereas they have to be born or not. This was one of the main reasons which made me highly disapprove this controlling freak, whose name I don’t even remember.
Consequently, this book wasn’t for me. I would prefer a different ending just to be able to say
I'm not sure I'm gonna write a review for this one. I still have to write one for the previous book ooops...I'm not sure I'm gonna write a review for this one. I still have to write one for the previous book ooops......more
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