Trick of the Eye

Rating:
Summary: One smart, savvy, compelling read
Review: This wonderful book is the best evidence ever that works in the mystery genre can transcend the genre stereotype and land full force among the best writers of contemporary literature. I loved the plot, found the characters compelling and extraordinarily well-developed. Jane Hitchcock is a terrific writer and I look forward to reading her a lot more in the future.

Rating:
Summary: What are the other reviewers thinking?
Review: Unfortunately, I didn't read the first page before I bought this book. That alone would have make me reconsider. The narration is never interesting, never grabbing, never anything but repetative plodding, but her style is not the unexcusable part. The worst part is the completely un-shocking twist in the don't-even-tell-me-you-don't-know-whodunit. If you haven't figured out the end after the first third of the book, then I envy you, becaue you're probably satisfied with a lot of the simpler things in life.

Rating:
Summary: Not Your Typical Psychological Thriller
Review: Whether or not being typical would help or harm this novel, I can't begin to hazard a guess. I openly admit picked up this book only because the words "psychological thriller" were used on the cover. As I began to read, I immediately didn't like the novel's use of first-person narrative. For some reason, Faith's comments and utterances seemed forced, expected, and/or just plain flighty. The writing was good overall; I just didn't appreciate the style in this particular setting.

I must allow that I was highly involved in the book, reading it on the train every day and longing to find out what would happen next. In that respect, it was a true page-turner in the literal sense of the expression. But. . .I was rather disappointed with the ending. In fact, as the mystery began to unfold, I was also rather disgusted. Many parts seemed forced and even illogical.

Bottom line: I didn't like the main character. She didn't garner my compassion or my respect. In fact, I feel it wasn't truly a "thriller" at all, merely a twisted and somewhat predictable mystery. I'm not a mystery fan, so perhaps others will enjoy this book more than I did. But don't be misled: I expected a thriller to grab hold and never let go of me; Trick of the Eye merely was a loose tease whose hold was all too easy to escape from.

Rating:
Summary: Not Your Typical Psychological Thriller
Review: Whether or not being typical would help or harm this novel, I can't begin to hazard a guess. I openly admit picked up this book only because the words "psychological thriller" were used on the cover. As I began to read, I immediately didn't like the novel's use of first-person narrative. For some reason, Faith's comments and utterances seemed forced, expected, and/or just plain flighty. The writing was good overall; I just didn't appreciate the style in this particular setting.

I must allow that I was highly involved in the book, reading it on the train every day and longing to find out what would happen next. In that respect, it was a true page-turner in the literal sense of the expression. But. . .I was rather disappointed with the ending. In fact, as the mystery began to unfold, I was also rather disgusted. Many parts seemed forced and even illogical.

Bottom line: I didn't like the main character. She didn't garner my compassion or my respect. In fact, I feel it wasn't truly a "thriller" at all, merely a twisted and somewhat predictable mystery. I'm not a mystery fan, so perhaps others will enjoy this book more than I did. But don't be misled: I expected a thriller to grab hold and never let go of me; Trick of the Eye merely was a loose tease whose hold was all too easy to escape from.