The Guest List

“In my experience, those who have the greatest respect for the rules also take the most enjoyment in breaking them.”

― Lucy Foley

Why I’m Reading this Book?

I first came to know about this book when it was announced as a Goodreads choice award winner in Mystery and Thriller section for 2020. Then I signed up for Omaha public library challenge for 2021 and one of the categories was to read a book from ‘The book drop podcast’ hosted by OPL. This book was listed as one of the books. I like reading mystery, so I thought why not?

Synopsis

Jules, a very rich and successful editor, hosts her marriage with an equally successful TV actor Will on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. Very few chosen ones are included in their guest list. Everyone has a mysterious past and then a body is found…

My Review…

Story progresses from multiple point of view of characters. Every character is immersed in their life story and their struggles while maintaining the façade of being happy for the wedding. Even bride and groom have a lot of baggage and thus the story continues.

I was actually disappointed by this novel. It’s an award winner and garnered so much attention, I had slightly high hopes with this one. But according to me, it was a very mediocre story.

Different stories of all these characters were like rivulets finally merging into the big river. Climax was perfectly packed with a neat bow on the top. I don’t think real life goes like that, it’s messy, it’s unclean and sometimes ambiguous. Or may be I’m reading too many books which usually leave me with unanswered questions and then I keep thinking about them. This is one of those books which would give you all the answers, whodunnit, why and how everyone had perfect opportunity to carry out everything with no obstacles in their way.

May be some people will like it (Actually most of them liked it, hence the award winner), but it was too simple for my taste. Halfway through I guessed the plot and another half was chore to be done with this and some hope that it might not be so simple.

My Rating — 2

On the scale of: (1- Hate , 2- Neither like nor dislike, 3- Like, 4- Love, 5- Gaga)

Although I didn’t like it much, I didn’t hate it either. This book for me comes under the category where I don’t feel like exercising my brain muscle and still want to read something , in short, guilty pleasure . 🙂

Why anyone else should read this Book?

Book is fast paced, I finished it in 2 days.

If you like mystery and thriller, you may like it. It’s simply written and you wont have to flex too many brain muscles.

Stay home, Stay Safe!!!

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What are your views of this book? How did you like it? Or are you planning to read it? Share them here. Till next time, Happy Reading Folks!!!

Love, Richa