Out of Her Depth by Lizzy Barber is a thriller that slow-burns its way through the plot. It recounts past events at a pace that builds dread to the point where I almost wanted to cover my eyes and read through my fingers because I couldn’t bear to see what was going to happen next.
Yes, it really was that good.
The reader knows from the start that there was a tragic accident that set Rachel’s life on a course of self-destruction. Rachel herself tells us that in the beginning. But the author wisely builds the backstory before getting to the actual event.
I don’t think I’ve ever waited so long for the payoff. I mean, once a certain character was introduced, I had a feeling I knew what the event was. But I still had to wait until almost the very end for confirmation.
THAT is the way to keep a reader hooked.
The chapters are set up in a fairly uniform manner, alternating consistently between then (the buildup to the event) and now (how Rachel is dealing with everything in the present).
No spoiler alert: Rachel is not dealing well at all.
One of the things that I liked most about this book is that it was difficult to tell if Rachel was reliable or not. She was certainly in awe of the situation that she found herself in. But was she to blame for the events, or was she used?
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That question comes up more often than you think, especially as Diana’s true attitudes come to light.
It really is a case study of how manipulation can occur on many different levels.
However, it also made it difficult to see who the true villain was in the story. Diana because of her machinations? Rachel for allowing herself to repeatedly fall into traps? Sebastian because of his general cluelessness and willingness to be a pawn?
They all have equal parts – although given the way the story ends (and no, you will NOT see it coming) I would say that Diana knew what she was doing even way back in the past. She just didn’t care.
Rachel truly was out of her depth all along; she just didn’t know how much until it was too late.
As I mentioned at the outset, this is a slow burn, so there are times when it might feel like it is dragging but trust me – those parts are important. Reading between the lines should be your mantra for this thriller.
Author Bio: Lizzy Barber studied English at Cambridge University. Her first novel, A Girl Named Anna, won the Daily Mail and Random House First Novel Prize. She lives in London with her family.
Social Links:
Twitter: @ByLizzyBarber
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