The Surrogate – Louise Jensen
This novel had a dated feel to it, with landlines and similar featuring large. It is a coming-of-age vis-a-vis coming to terms with teenage death and first love combined with psychological thriller. There is so much going on, it is all almost too much. Lisa's twin brother, Jake is killed is a car accident (not a spoiler as that is how the novel begins as a scene setter). Lisa's best friend from school Kat - the main narrator - is desperate for a baby, being infertile (you'll find out why) and Lisa offers to be the surrogate.
The characters are all pretty stock, as are the love scenes, although I thought the character of Nick was particularly well drawn. He was the only character I cared about.
Louise Jensen tries hard to build up tension with a lot of rather clichéd 'panic rising' under the skin or within the breast. Kat is very over dramatic, having a full fledged nervous breakdown at every shadow in the garden or foot step in the dark alley. Jensen also overdoes the detail, as in supplying what brand of wine Kat pours herself (to calm her ever-jangling nerves) although the British setting is great and the description of a toddler's head smelling of Johnson's shampoo is aptly effective on that occasion.
However, I kept turning the pages and was almost bored two-thirds of the way through, but then genuine tension picked up and by the end, I could hardly put the book down, so well done! Saving the book from being only two stars.
I am rather long in the tooth and have thus read many of these chick-lit-meets-psychological-thrillers and this is as good as any of them, if you are just looking for an enjoyable read on the beach.
--
This novel had a dated feel to it, with landlines and similar featuring large. It is a coming-of-age vis-a-vis coming to terms with teenage death and first love combined with psychological thriller. There is so much going on, it is all almost too much. Lisa's twin brother, Jake is killed is a car accident (not a spoiler as that is how the novel begins as a scene setter). Lisa's best friend from school Kat - the main narrator - is desperate for a baby, being infertile (you'll find out why) and Lisa offers to be the surrogate.
The characters are all pretty stock, as are the love scenes, although I thought the character of Nick was particularly well drawn. He was the only character I cared about.
Louise Jensen tries hard to build up tension with a lot of rather clichéd 'panic rising' under the skin or within the breast. Kat is very over dramatic, having a full fledged nervous breakdown at every shadow in the garden or foot step in the dark alley. Jensen also overdoes the detail, as in supplying what brand of wine Kat pours herself (to calm her ever-jangling nerves) although the British setting is great and the description of a toddler's head smelling of Johnson's shampoo is aptly effective on that occasion.
However, I kept turning the pages and was almost bored two-thirds of the way through, but then genuine tension picked up and by the end, I could hardly put the book down, so well done! Saving the book from being only two stars.
I am rather long in the tooth and have thus read many of these chick-lit-meets-psychological-thrillers and this is as good as any of them, if you are just looking for an enjoyable read on the beach.
--
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire