I admittedly could not put this book down and it kept me company on a sick day. Despite that, I almost gave a lower rating because I firmly believe there was a way to achieve a similar end

without using violent rape as a plot device, particularly one that vilified and retraumatized the survivor. If the point was to highlight how people who experience rape are often not believed and retraumatized after the fact, that could be an interesting story, but the execution requires a particular care I didn’t see come through. If the point was to highlight how trauma can make one act in ways that are not in their best interest, that also could have been handled with more care, particularly around the survivor’s healing

. 

The premise drew me in, particularly now that I’ve seen Cate Blanchett begin to bring the main character to life. I always appreciate an unreliable narrator, and I believe that piece was executed well. 

At it’s core, this felt like a story about love and trauma, and how both can lead to choices that are misguided at best and harmful at worst. It’s messy. Consequences aren’t always a clear path. We don’t always see people for who they really are through love and trauma. All of that came through clearly in many threads of the book. 

Like many other reviewers, I found myself not having much sympathy for any of the characters, but ultimately sadness for one whom I believe deserved so much better than they got. While I ultimately think they got to a place of growth and healing, that part felt quite rushed given the character’s trauma and treatment throughout. The former (not feeling sympathy for any of the character) didn’t actually bother me, because I was most curious about the plot. I did think that character deserved better, though, and consequences could have been clearer.  

Ultimately, I gave this rating because although I would have preferred a different plot device had been used for the twist, I did stay engaged up to that point. Also, I will be watching the show to the end despite my feelings because I’m curious about how the excellent cast will bring the story to life and perhaps tackle some of the nuance I felt was missing, so I feel I must give credit to the core concept of the work for that reason.