Here's a surprise: another thriller I didn't enjoy.

Before I go to sleep tonight I have to tell you about the utterly disappointing reading experience that I had with S. J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep.

This novel's been getting a lot of buzz, and I understand that the author is being heralded as a prodigious talent (who was accepted into the new Faber Academy Writing a Novel course, where this novel was completed). I think it's being marketed as a thriller, although whether it should actually be called a thriller or a suspense novel is a fight I'll leave up to people who do more reading in those genres.

This novel worked in that I had to finish it for some closure, and in that it was a quick read, which seems to be what most people desire in a thriller. Christine is a middle-aged woman who wakes up every morning not remembering any of her life that came after her "accident," which her husband Ben, with whom she lives, tells her happened when she was twenty-nine. Each day, therefore, is a similar one of getting up, being told who she is and what happened, and then whiling away the day at home until Ben comes home and they spend time together. Until, that is, Christine starts secretly meeting with a doctor who has some ideas for how to help her regain her memory, including the suggestion that she start a journal (which he will call her about every day, to remind her of their treatment and to read the journal).

So far so good. And for about 50 pages I was actually interested. But then it slowed down and I started to get the inkling that the solution to the suspense part of the novel was going to be pretty simple. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: if I'm figuring out the mystery, the mystery is TOO EASY. I then shot myself in the foot and read the last ten pages, which I do a lot with mysteries*, but which pretty much confirmed what I already knew. In all the only feeling I can sum up about this one is "meh."** But that's largely the way I feel about thrillers anyway, so no news there.

*I know you're not supposed to do that with mysteries, but it's just habit now. And if it's a good mystery I'm reading, I don't mind...I read the end, then just go back to whatever page I was on and finish the whole thing with no less enjoyment. It's too late to change now--once I read all the Agatha Christies that way the habit was formed.

**Mr. CR read this one too, even though I tried to warn him off about it. He was liking it for a quite a while, but last night when I was reading something else he came into the room to discuss what he thought were a few of the gaping plot holes and the abrupt ending. I agreed with him completely, and also couldn't help reminding him that I tried to spare him the time of reading the whole thing, he just didn't listen. Because that's just the super-special wifely way I roll.

Comments

[Dan]

I thought you might appreciate this article. It's a study that shows people enjoy books more when they know the ending in advance. :-)

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/spoilers-dont-spoil-anything/

[Citizen Reader]

Dan,
Hey, thanks for the link! I enjoyed the article a lot (I wouldn't say Jonah Lehrer's one of my favorite authors, but he does do some interesting stuff) and am going to re-read it a bit more carefully later. Although I do think he should have put a spoiler of some kind in a last paragraph of his own article--I do this type of reading with articles too, skipping to the end (to see how long they are and where the author ends up).
Good validation. I'm going to keep reading the ends first, although it makes Mr. CR nuts when he sees me doing it.

[Beth]

i very much enjoyed this book. i dont normally read thriller fiction and while it's not a masterpiece, i thought it was particularly good as a debut novel. it's far from perfect, but the experience did not disappoint me. just throwing my two cents out there in case anyone is curious ;)

[Tripp]

Hmmm, given that you don't love thrillers, not sure what to think about this! I do have a copy waiting at the library though, and I wonder if should try it or not.

[Citizen Reader]

Beth, Tripp,
As you both know, thrillers really aren't my thang. If they are, I can see this book working for you. If nothing else, Tripp, you should read it and tell me what you think of the ending. (DO read it--it's a fast read, anyway.) I'm curious. The writing was good enough, and arguably, it was suspense, not mystery, so maybe it didn't really need to keep you guessing. I just kind of wanted one good twist somewhere, and didn't think the climax provided a twist with sufficient kick.
I should go easier on debut novelists, too. But I'm so used to reading and liking almost all nonfiction that I pick up that I no longer have the patience for caveats like "good for a debut novelist." I'm spoiled!

[Beth]

If you want something with a twist, you might want to try Sister by Rosamund Lupton. Also debut, also British, but much twistier.

[Katharine]

I felt exactly the same about the book. I much preferred another amnesiac thriller this summer, The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey, Mr. CR might even like that one too.

[mary]

I read this book in about 12 hours, as part of an airplane flight. It was perfect for that, no need to think too much, I agree though that it was very easy to figure out how it would end, so easy that in fact I think the author wanted us to see it, and she intended the amnesia to be a factor. And I also wanted to know why someone waited so long to get her to write down her day to day experiences. I did not think of any of these things while I was reading it though, and must say that for an escapist and suspenseful read it was perfect at the time. Just don't think too much when you are reading it.

[Citizen Reader]

Beth,
Ooh, another Brit author. Thanks for the suggestion--I'm going to get that one.

Katharine,
You too, thank you for the suggestion (love the recommendations--I don't read enough thrillers to know what's out there). I'll be in touch re: coffee and then you can tell me what you thought was "meh" about this book.

Mary,
Yes, I can see it helping a plane ride to fly by (and/or an airport wait). Airport reading is tricky because you have time to kill and yet you're kind of on edge (at least that's the way I often feel in airports). So having something to read that you turn your brain off for might be perfect. Last time I took a plane ride I took George RR Martin's first book and it was awesome.
I had lots of questions about this book, similar to yours (re: writing stuff down). Hopefully this isn't too SPOILER-ific, but also--like the other people in her life previously never ever checked up on her again after a certain point? I still say, about that: lame.

[Nancy Wilson]

I felt the same about this book. I read a lot of thrillers, have pretty discerning tastes, and this was NOT a good example of the genre. I skipped to the end and rolled my eyes, glad I hadn't wasted my time finishing it.

[Citizen Reader]

Nancy,
Ha, I enjoyed the eye roll. That's exactly how I felt, although I'm still willing to admit it's not my genre. What IS a good thriller, in your opinion?

[Nancy Wilson]

I'm glad you asked! Last Child by John Hart is just about perfect. What the Dead Know by Laura Lipppman, a stand-alone thriller, not part of her regular series (saw her and husband, David Simon, speak at ALA--fabulous!). The Snowman by Jo Nesbo saved my life when a six hour airplane trip turned into 13 hours. Those are three that don't insult your intelligence!

[Ruthiella]

I second "What the Dead Know" by Laura Lipppman. It was very good, IMHO.

[christa @ mental foodie]

I read a lot of thrillers. And I wouldn't call it really a thriller. It was more of a character study in my eye... that's why it said "A Novel" after its title, and not "a Thriller"!

Here's my review if you are interested:
http://mentalfoodie.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-review-before-i-go-to-sleep-by-sj.html