It’s almost ridiculous how easy she makes it look, writing a book this good. I don’t even know what to say anymore about her books. They are all just so, so good. And the way she jumps from character to character each book gives her room to play around with different structures and themes, and yet still stay within the framework of a murder mystery novel.
I love murder mystery novels, but I don’t love these books because of the mysteries (although I don’t think her style would work as well in any other genre). I love them for the characters, and the way French writes her way into their heads. She makes them so human it hurts.
This one features Antoinette Conway, who we met last book. Conway is a hard lady to get to know, and she doesn’t make it easy for you to be in her head. She assumes the worst about people, and lets her own issues color her judgments of the victim whose murder she’s trying to solve. She’s also untrusting and contemptuous of people who show their vulnerability. It’s at times infuriating. But she’s good at her job, and she’s a fighter. It’s a fascinating portrait of a complex mind.
Ultimately, this is a book about how the stories we tell ourselves shape the way we see the world. It’s a theme that works ridiculously well in the context of a murder. The Trespasser isn’t my favorite of her books, others have hit harder and more deeply for me, but I can find no fault with it.
I waited too long to write this review, of course, so I’ve forgotten almost everything I had to say after finishing it two months ago. All that remains now is that I loved it, and I’ll be reading it again, and I can’t wait for the next book to be released in (hopefully, if she holds to pattern) 2018.
*’Triple Cannonballing with Tana French’ sounds like the name of a cool show on Food Network or something. I would totally watch that show.
Whoo! Congrats
Thanks!
Yay! TRIPLE Congratulations!!!
https://media.giphy.com/media/qI27fRqr1vsEE/giphy.gif
(I’m having a Scrubs theme this evening, apparently)
Thank you :) Scrubs had some top notch dancing going on. Perfect for gifs.
Congratulations!!!
Thank you!
Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Congrats! You’ve convinced me that 2017 will be the year that I finally read some Tana French. I have In The Woods ready to go.
Oh my gosh, yes. Do it. Do it do it do it.
Congradulations!
Thanks :)
Happy triple Cannonball! I really need to read more Tana French. I kind of stopped after book two, probably because sometimes mystery and murder just gets too much for me. Hence my reading pretty much only romance all of December.
Yeah, these book are great, but they’re not exactly walks in the park.
Weren’t you sure you weren’t going to read as many books this year? Has that turned out to be true?
Anyway, congrats!!!
Yeah, I did 208 last year, and I’m working on 172 and 173 right now. I’m hoping to make it an even 175 by Saturday. Fingers crossed!
I’ll probably read even less next year. I really need to make time for writing.
(There is going to be a blizzard of review posting on Friday night, I tell you what. Although, I have most of them written already, it’s just a couple I’ve been putting off that are holding me up.)
Congratulations! I’m very impressed. I’ve read In The Woods, but I haven’t gotten around to French’s other books yet. I definitely need to.
Thank you! I hope you get to them soon.
Congratulations!!
Thank you!
Congratulations!!! You are a badass and an inspiration. So, let me ask: is Tana French scary or gruesome? I’m curious, but I don’t do scary or paranormal, so I would be glad of your expert opinion.
Ha ha, thanks. I don’t think I’ve ever been called a badass before . . .
Honestly, I think you should read them. They aren’t scary. I don’t know what you mean by gruesome. Like blood and guts? She deals with some tough things, particularly in the first one, but I don’t think they would put most people off. If yoh can watch SVU, you can read this. It’s on the literary side of the genre, but it’s not bloodless like some I’ve read, Case Histories comes to mind. (And I mean bloodless not literally, but in terms of the emotion of it, if that makes sense.)
Good to know! I think I will give it a try. If it’s not beyond SVU, then I can do it.