Skip to main content

Sister Reads | Review: In the Woods by Tana French


Book: In the Woods

Author: Tana French

Pages: 429

I read this in: 5 odd hours (in one sitting)

Plot Summary: As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

What I Liked: This seemed like a really interesting book! I mean, the protagonist is someone who has a traumatic past and was a part of a crime that he remembers nothing about- that in itself gives his character and the way he approaches this particular case a whole new dimension! 
The crime itself was very intriguing, though I did expect the body count to rise because I was hoping this would be a serial killer case, but even that notwithstanding, the crime was intriguing. 
There was a good mix between the events of Ryan's past and the present case, which is always a good thing. 
Also, there was this whole thing about an archaeological dig and an element of mystery and other-worldliness about the woods where Ryan's friends went missing when he was a kid and where this new body was found. 
There was a twist-in-the-tale type ending, which was interesting but not satisfying! 

What I Didn't Like: I didn't like the way Cassie and Ryan's relationship evolves (or rather devolves) as the case goes on. I also didn't like the big mystery and how the story ended. I would have preferred to see some punishment because the crime (it involved the death of a twelve year old!) was so heinous! 
The book could have been crisper, though. There was too much time spent on trying to get inside Ryan's head and dealing with his past and associated feelings. In the end, all of this was kind of pointless because (spoiler alert!) his past had nothing to do with this new crime. So, it seemed a waste of pages to have so much context about his past and his life before and after the disappearance of his friends. 

Will You Like It?: I am not sure, really. This is a well-written book. The mystery is pretty decent and there is a twist-in-the-tale aspect, which is nice. So, if you come across this book and want to give it a try, please do. 

Rating: 2.5/5 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Magic of the Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy.

Book: The Magic of the Lost Temple Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 163 Read On: Paperback How Long it took Me To Read: 1 day Plot Summary:   City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents' village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends. Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable. General Thoughts: Ah! A happy little Children's Book! I wanted it the minute I spotted it in the bookshop. And I started reading it pretty much immediately. :)  I read it after reading a beyond dull and boring and soulless book. This book just cured my bookish blues. I l

Book Review: The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond.

Some snippets of the stunning art inside the book!  Book: The Room on the Roof Author: Ruskin Bond Illustrator: Ahlawat Gunjan Pages: 171 Read On: Hardback How Long It Took Me To Read: 3 days or so. Plot Summary:   Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, is orphaned and has to live with his English guardian in the claustrophobic European part in Dehra Dun. Unhappy with the strict ways of his guardian, Rusty runs away from home to live with his Indian friends. Plunging for the first time into the dream-bright world of the bazaar, Hindu festivals and other aspects of Indian life, Rusty is enchanted … and is lost forever to the prim proprieties of the European community.  General Thoughts: This book is super special. Not only this 60th anniversary edition an absolute beauty. This is also a signed copy I picked up from Mussoorie when I was in Landour earlier in the year. This is perhaps one of Ruskin Bond's most well kn

Review: Grandma's Bag of Stories by Sudha Murthy.

Book: Grandma's Bag of Stories Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 176 Read On: Paperback How Long It Took Me Read: 2 hours Plot Summary:   When Grandma opens her bag of stories, everyone gathers Around. Who can resist a good story, especially when it’s being told by Grandma? From her bag emerges tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and gods. Here comes the bear who ate some really bad dessert and got very angry; a lazy man who would not put out a fire till it reached his beard; a princess who got turned into an onion; a queen who discovered silk, and many more weird and wonderful people and animals. Grandma tells the stories over long summer days and nights, as seven children enjoy life in her little town. The stories entertain, educate and provide hours of enjoyment to them. So come, why don’t you too join in the fun? General Thoughts: I've read quite a few Sudha Murthy books this year and really enjoyed them. I find them soothing, simple a