Day: September 7, 2021

This has to be one of the most interesting books I have read in recent memory.

Not only did it have twists and turns, and a feeling of foreboding, but it has one of the most anti-heroine protagonists I’ve ever “met.”

It’s quite the strange feeling to know that a character really isn’t nice and is in fact a diagnosed psychopath bent on revenge…and still root for her.

That’s the genius of Chloe. We know from the beginning that she is no good as she tells us right off what her plans are. But then the plot continues, and things get more involved, you can’t help but root for her.

So weird.

Anyway, that’s another remarkable aspect of this book. I mean, where else does a murder plot take second and third fiddle to the plight of a group of psychopaths?

I’m probably not doing a good job of talking this book up, but it’s difficult because I loved experiencing it on my own, without thinking about what other people thought. And I want others to have this experience.

That being said, there’s a lot that goes on that I can’t even begin to relate accurately because the plot is twisted. It’s part cat and mouse, part revenge, part college-life…and all of the parts work together to make one page-turner of a plot.

I thought that the interactions between Andre, Charles, and Chloe were intriguing because they all approached the issues from different perspectives and with varying amounts of fervor.

I also found Andre to be an interesting character. I don’t want to give anything away, but in some ways, I think he was possibly the most psychopathic of all. But I can’t say why. And I wish the author had done a little bit more with his character.

I did think there were a few missed moments, such as the Halloween party. The catalyst for the major twist came late in the story and felt very rushed. I would have loved a bit more detail and more hints about it earlier on. And I’m not quite sure about the end. It felt abrupt.

Regardless, the book still held me enthralled, and I would certainly recommend it. Just be prepared to root for someone who you probably should be rooting against.

Vera Kurian is a psychologist and writer and a longtime resident of Washington DC. She has a doctorate in social psychology, specializing in intergroup relations, political ideology, and quantitative methods. She has studied fiction at Breadloaf, Sewanee, VONA, and attended juried workshops at LitCamp, Colgate, Juniper, and the Marlboro Summer Writing Intensive. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and was a semifinalist for the Mark Twain Royal Nonesuch Humor Writing Contest.