Into the Water

Into the Water
By: Paula Hawkins

Just okay. And my lack of enthusiasm isn’t even mainly for the long character list as was with a lot of people or comparing it to Girl on the Train because I can’t even remember my thoughts on that one.

I didn’t really mind the switching of POVs to tell the story-I didn’t find that too confusing. Though within each perspective it wasn’t always clear whether they were referring to current or past events.

The worst parts for me were the language (that much swearing just isn’t necessary- I find it cumbersome, unhelpful, and annoying), the constant reference to the river and the water (which, I get it, the plot revolves around it, but it just got old and repetitive. Not even poetic. Just tiresome), and that all the characters were unlikable and completely dysfunctional (I didn’t even know how I wanted it to end. I just wanted it to be done. I didn’t care what happened to any of them).

Oh and I also had to roll my eyes a lot at all the ‘talking to the dead’ stuff. It takes away from the authenticity of the story. I don’t like cases that are ‘solved’ through premonitional means.

There was a bit of mystery to unravel but it was fairly predictable and uncreative in my opinion. She teased the aha!-moments enough that they lost their punch. Nothing felt surprising, shocking, or intelligent.

On a lighter note: I’ve read 3 British books recently and I am now very familiar with what an Aga, solicitor, and torch are, and where Devon is. Reading British books is kind of fun with the different vocabulary.