Author: Marisa Pessl
Pages:765 (I read an eBook and my version had these many pages! The hardback version has 602 pages I think.)
How Long it Took Me to Read: 1 day- I was hooked and couldn't bear to put this book down!
Plot Summary: On a damp October night, beautiful young Ashley Cordova is found dead in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. Though her death is ruled a suicide, veteran investigative journalist Scott McGrath suspects otherwise. As he probes the strange circumstances surrounding Ashley’s life and death, McGrath comes face-to-face with the legacy of her father: the legendary, reclusive cult-horror-film director Stanislas Cordova—a man who hasn’t been seen in public for more than thirty years.
For McGrath, another death connected to this seemingly cursed family dynasty seems more than just a coincidence. Though much has been written about Cordova’s dark and unsettling films, very little is known about the man himself.
Driven by revenge, curiosity, and a need for the truth, McGrath, with the aid of two strangers, is drawn deeper and deeper into Cordova’s eerie, hypnotic world.
The last time he got close to exposing the director, McGrath lost his marriage and his career. This time he might lose even more.
General Thought and Review:
From the moment I heard of this book I wanted to read it. It's one of those strange book intuition things where I knew I'd love it even before I had the book in my hands. Thankfully, this book didn't disappoint. The first thing that pulled in and peaked my interest was the amazing plot. The very sound of this book seems amazingly dark, murky and full of mystery. The idea of this master craftsman of gory horror films who has been living underground for decades and all the mystery that surrounds him, is just brilliant. As I was reading this book I wanted this to be true or I wanted to see a scary movie version of this book soon.
I loved the plot and I loved the mystery and I loved the way we kept delving into the dark world of the Cordova family. Ashley Cordova, is many ways the central figure of this book. Her death and life were both equally intriguing. The more we learn about her the more it makes me wonder what happened to her and what is the truth behind her life/death. The Cordova family in general, their past, their lives and the strangeness surrounding them makes for an incredibly engaging read. I wish there was more about them and their lives.
Another thing I absolutely adored was the little details in the book. There are screen shots, web pages, News clipping all re-produced in the book. So whenever the investigators see something, we the reader get to see it too. Which makes reading so much more enjoyable! I love little details like this and I know they are gimmicky but I am a sucker for books with such details.
The book is a long read. For most part, when it comes to thrillers and mysteries, I prefer a quick and lean read, meaning I prefer books under 300 pages. But I didn't mind the length of this book. I was enjoying it a bit too much. However, by the end I wished this book were a little trimmer.
The only thing that I did find a slight let down were the three main characters who were investigating the Cordova clan. McGrath- the disgraced journalist and his two helpers in the form of Norma- a homeless but spunky and resourceful 19 year old aspiring actress and a twenty-something year old boy who knew Ashley. All of these characters were pretty flat and we didn't really get to know them. And also why would a professional journalist, who works alone want to randomly team up with two random people he barely knows and doesn't really trust?
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I will recommend it to anyone who wants to read a book that sucks you in and takes you for a scary ride.
Rating: 4/5
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