I SEE YOU

Written by Clare Mackintosh, I See You starts like every other psychological thriller I’ve read lately. Vague character details? Check. Swapping narrators? Check. Tone changes in italics? Check. So I figured it would be similar in tone and in narrative. I was still looking forward to the read, but didn’t expect much.

Not my copy. Found this picture on google. Same cover art, though.

I was wrong. The writing and character development was so intensely realistic and I actually had a nightmare about it last night, and I had only read the first fourth of the book. I know that sounds bad, but it’s actually a really good sign that the book is engaging and feels like real life. I don’t live in London, so other than some of the wording and processes that don’t necessarily make sense to a Midwestern girl from Ohio, I felt like I could be the main character.

The dueling narrators didn’t bother me like it has before — I think because they were telling two distinct but connected stories. I didn’t have to worry about keeping the characters straight because they didn’t have equal time. Zoe was the main character of this story.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot I want to praise about the book’s story line, but I can’t without giving away the ending. And it’s a surprise, I promise. I watched out for several clues along the way, but didn’t find many. This book would make an amazing movie — better than Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train because this feels more modern and less convoluted than those stories. This could conceivably happen in real life, and it isn’t about a private complicated marriage, it’s about taking advantage of people because they let you by having a routine and finding comfort in that routine where they should find complacency.

I’ll just say this. The gender roles and assumptions and technology were all spot on and compelling. Clare Mackintosh really did her research and knows what she’s talking about. And she knows how to write characters that average readers like me can relate to and can envision their thought processes throughout the story.

The best part for me was that Mackintosh didn’t rush the ending or the reveal, like other psychological thrillers that are WAY too eager to get it over with and the reader then has to wade through pages and pages of post-climax dialogue and pointless banter. Not this time. The author gets you really excited for the reveal and it’s a payoff that’s definitely worth it. And then doesn’t spend any time trying to wrap up the story because she knows we don’t care. Perfection.

I am embarrassed to say the deciding factor for buying this book wasn’t the description, it was the quote on the dust jacket from Ruth Ware, of The Woman in Cabin 10 fame. Shame on me, for judging books literally by their covers and also for not trying out new authors. I hope this taught me a lesson. Next up for me is anything else Mackintosh wrote. And wow, talk about the perfect book for a book club.