Search This Blog
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (3)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (4)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (25)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge
2024 52 Club Reading Challenge
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge
2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Friday, February 24, 2012
Before I Go To Sleep A Riveting Story, Brilliantly Told
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)"I know I'll go to sleep tonight, and then tomorrow I will wake up and not know anything again, and the next day, and the day after that, forever. I can't imagine it. I can't face it. It's not life, it's just an existence, jumping from one moment to the next with no idea of the past, and no pan for the future. It's how I imagine animals must be. The worst thing is that I don't even know what I don't know. There might be lots of things, waiting to hurt me. Things I haven't even dreamed about yet" (194).
your possessions, not even your husband. Imagine having to relearn everything, every single day. Imagine relying on other people to explain who you are, where you've been, and what you've done in a life you can no longer recall. This is reality for 47-year-old Christine Lucas, who's suffered from amnesia ever since an accident knocked out her memory. Now, she must rely on a man she doesn't know—despite the fact that she's been married to him for 22 years—to help her remember herself. Even if it's just for one day.
When Christine finds the diary she's been secretly keeping—and forgetting—every day, she discovers that things are not exactly what they seem. As she combs through both the diary entries and the blurry memories floating through her damaged mind, Christine realizes she can trust nothing, no one, maybe not even herself. Trapped in a terrifying world where nothing makes any sense, she must figure out who she is and who she's not, what is true and what is not, what really happened to her and what did not. And she has to do it now, today, before she goes to sleep and forgets everything ...
As you can tell, it's difficult to describe Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson without giving away too much. The book doesn't even have a real back cover blurb. I'm not sure how to discuss it in a way that's spoiler-free, so I'll just say that I loved this taut psychological thriller. Watson builds the story slowly, almost painstakingly, making sure the reader feels Christine's confusion, fear and helplessness. As she puts her life together, piece by piece, the suspense grows, exploding into a tense, thrilling conclusion. Before I Go To Sleep is, quite simply, a riveting story, brilliantly told. Only two words more: Read it.
(Readalikes: I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade: A-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, sexual content and violence
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Before I Go To Sleep from the generous folks at Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours.
10 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Listening
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
-
One For the Murphys6 hours ago
-
-
-
First Lines Fridays: November 22, 202411 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Favorite and go to meals?14 hours ago
-
-
The Listeners1 day ago
-
A Couple of short(ish) reviews1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
A Quiet Teacher by Adam Oyebanji2 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela2 weeks ago
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20241 month ago
-
Ten Characters Who Redeemed Themselves2 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I3 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus3 months ago
-
Sunday Post4 months ago
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q24 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ▼ 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
We liked this book too--really good and what an ending!
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to our review of it:
http://ourstack.blogspot.com/2011/08/before-i-go-to-sleep-by-s-j-watson.html
So I haven't read it. But the write-up you did reminds me of one of my favorite scary movies (which is saying a lot, because I DO NOT like scary movies) Gaslight starring the gorgeous Ingrid Bergman and the nefarious Charles Boyer. Netflix it. You'll be glad. And I'll read this. Then we'll both be scared. :)
ReplyDelete(Oh, Blogger. I hate the new Word-veri. So much.)
K & G - I'm glad you enjoyed it, too. It really is creepy and suspenseful, isn't it? And SO hard to discuss without giving away all its secrets!
ReplyDeleteBecca - It's a deal! I love old movies, so I'll definitely check out Gaslight. Oh, and I just found out - via K & G's blog - that BEFORE I SAY GOODBYE is being made into a movie. Yay!
I recently picked this one up from the library. I'm looking forward it - even more now that I've read your review!
ReplyDelete(I don't understand why I can't ever get the word verification right the first time!)
I thought this was good but not great. I couldn't get passed going sleep every day. I also figured out the big wow.
ReplyDeleteGood debut I would read more by author.
Alison - Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMarce - Really? I liked this one a lot, but the thing about psychological thrillers is that usually, no matter how obvious the "truth" is, I NEVER see it. Afterward, I always say, "Duh. I should have seen that coming." But, while I'm reading/watching? Nope!
Wow, this appeals to me....what a terrifying malady to have to endure. But...I do love a book with a twist and an unexpected ending....you temptress, you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
I read this and LOVED IT.
ReplyDeleteI feel you that it's so hard to write about without giving anything away - because the reveals within the plot are everything.
Between the unreliable narrator and Christine not being the perfect person, I ADORED this book. So much. It did cause me to cringe at points, but so worth it.
Yay! So glad you loved it! I really liked it too, and I'm SO PUMPED for the movie! Even knowing the ending I think I'm still going to be on the edge of my seat!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on this tour!
Oh my goodness I just finished the audio on this one. I definitely cannot handle Thrillers. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.Felt as anxious as Christine every time I turned it on. And did NOT see that end coming.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest complaint is on how many F-words were used. Would be too embarrassed to recommend this book to my friends.