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sarahshaiman's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
zofiaspiegel's review against another edition
What Touch of Jen wishes it had been
bradurdaynitelive's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
samsamsam7's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
exlibrissoph's review against another edition
4.0
I never would have done any of that but go off Meggie
gleefarts999's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
the ending felt rushed
thegrimtidings's review against another edition
3.0
Intriguing novel, not far off a 4* and I would rate my reading experience highly.
A great boon to enjoying this story is personal experience of the 'female obsession' at the heart of Meggie and Sabine's relationship, or psychosexual obsession as I believe it's called in the novel. As a woman I could sort of understand the protagonist's draw to Sabine's mystique femininity and the allure of the strong friendship they built, but at other times Meggie's fixation felt quite foreign. Perhaps, you may say, on purpose - but as I said, if you take the novel as an exploration of obsessive friendships in general, it's far more interesting than a simple retelling of these characters' lives.
One of the reviews on the front compares Nightshift to Highsmith's Mr Ripley novels, and it is a fair comparison (I should think readers of one would enjoy the other), but compared to Highsmith's interpretation of same-sex obsession, I felt Nightshift lacked a little depth.
That said the prose was good - readable and relaxed. The story is well-paced though as it's one of those plotless books, it did slump a bit in the middle. The ending was great though, painting Sabine as the tragic character she needed to be. I also enjoyed the meta final paragraph, which doesn't always work in books but it did here - leaving it to reader interpretation if the story is the author's fiction or not, but believing it to be a true retelling adds a lot to its depth/tragedy.
A great boon to enjoying this story is personal experience of the 'female obsession' at the heart of Meggie and Sabine's relationship, or psychosexual obsession as I believe it's called in the novel. As a woman I could sort of understand the protagonist's draw to Sabine's mystique femininity and the allure of the strong friendship they built, but at other times Meggie's fixation felt quite foreign. Perhaps, you may say, on purpose - but as I said, if you take the novel as an exploration of obsessive friendships in general, it's far more interesting than a simple retelling of these characters' lives.
One of the reviews on the front compares Nightshift to Highsmith's Mr Ripley novels, and it is a fair comparison (I should think readers of one would enjoy the other), but compared to Highsmith's interpretation of same-sex obsession, I felt Nightshift lacked a little depth.
That said the prose was good - readable and relaxed. The story is well-paced though as it's one of those plotless books, it did slump a bit in the middle. The ending was great though, painting Sabine as the tragic character she needed to be. I also enjoyed the meta final paragraph, which doesn't always work in books but it did here - leaving it to reader interpretation if the story is the author's fiction or not, but believing it to be a true retelling adds a lot to its depth/tragedy.
hennershenners's review against another edition
3.0
Breakfast at Ketamines!
C'mon, that is flipping witty!
This tale of obsession never quite got gritty enough, Ladner could do with reading Ottessa Moshfegh and bingeing Fleabag.
It was never quite gross enough!
Good ending though, just when you thought it had dropped its bombs and moved on we were treated to a third act.
And the last sentence.
My advice, write it again, make it more....
C'mon, that is flipping witty!
This tale of obsession never quite got gritty enough, Ladner could do with reading Ottessa Moshfegh and bingeing Fleabag.
It was never quite gross enough!
Good ending though, just when you thought it had dropped its bombs and moved on we were treated to a third act.
And the last sentence.
My advice, write it again, make it more....
chxilynn's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
sarah_horner's review against another edition
2.0
maybe this would’ve been better if the main character wasn’t named meggie