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The Girl Before
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2017)An enthralling psychological thriller that spins one woman's seemingly good fortune and another woman's mysterious fate through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death, and deception.
Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.
The request seems odd, even intrusive - and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
Emma
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant - and it does.
Jane
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street, she is instantly drawn to the space - and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home's previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror as the girl before.
Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.
The request seems odd, even intrusive - and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
Emma
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant - and it does.
Jane
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street, she is instantly drawn to the space - and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home's previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror as the girl before.
341 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2017
About the author
J.P. Delaney
7 books4,847 followersJ. P. Delaney is the pseudonym of a writer who has previously published best-selling fiction under another name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 13,177 reviews
February 6, 2017
"Yes, daddy. Yes."
No. Please no.
I feel like somebody noted the success of books like Gone Girl and the success of Fifty Shades of Grey and thought: wouldn't it be great if we had a book that combined the two? No, actually. No, it wouldn't.
The Girl Before failed on so many levels, and I say that as a reluctant fan of these "domestic thrillers". I've enjoyed everything from The Girl on the Train to last year's ridiculous but fast-paced Behind Closed Doors. I expected I'd like this one too, but all I got was a weird relationship with "rules", another guy called Edward, and transparent twists.
The book alternates between the perspectives of Emma (Before) and Jane (After) as they move into the techno-minimalist apartment at One Folgate Street. Though beautiful, there is almost no furniture, absolutely everything is digital, and most bizarre of all - the landlord and famous architect, Edward Monkford, requires that his tenants follow some very strict rules. Both women soon find themselves caught up in a love affair with Edward, but when Jane discovers that Emma died in the apartment, she can't help investigating further.
Jane's digging uncovers some disturbing facts about Emma - she expressed concern over Edward's controlling ways to her psychiatrist, her death may not have been an accident, and strangest of all, she looked eerily like Jane herself.
Firstly, I don't know what is wrong with these women. Without giving away twists, their behaviour is often outright ridiculous. Warning bells are going off left, right and centre, and they're completely oblivious. At worst, Edward is a murderer, but even at best, he's a creepy weirdo. It's almost comical how much he resembles Christian Grey - not just sexually dominant and prone to "losing control" but also strict about Emma and Jane's eating and exercise habits. Ick. Get out. Also, lots of people have a "type", but it's just plain weird if your "type" are all women who look virtually identical.
Secondly, there is no atmosphere. I feel like the author tried to create a "creepy house with a dark history" feeling, but it didn't come through because so much of the book was nothing more than a weird romance. I also see how Delaney was trying to create a "ghost of past lovers" vibe, but this ain't no Daphne du Maurier. The writing wasn't strong enough to make you scared for the characters, to keep you metaphorically looking over your shoulder.
It is often really difficult to distinguish between the two perspectives. I had to keep flicking to the beginning of the chapter to find out whether I was on Emma or Jane. This is partly because the style is impersonal and doesn't deeply connect you with the characters, but also partly because their stories are very similar. As we soon see, Edward takes them to the same places, gives them the same food, treats them the same ways - it was like reading the same perspective twice.
And there's a whole bunch of subtle racism going on, as well as a bunch of other distasteful issues. If you insist on only writing about white, middle class people, don’t make the criminals/rapists black and working class. How do you not see what's wrong with that? And casual comments like this (made by a psychiatrist): "In any relationship there are two repetition compulsions at work - his and hers." I can think of a whole lot of relationships where that definitely isn't true.
Plus, there's a really poor and insensitive use of rape as a plot device. Without giving away spoilers, someone who was seen to be orally raped is then making jokes about preferring human sperm sacs (to fish sperm sacs - it's a long story, Japanese restaurant, blah blah). Firstly... gross. And secondly... gross.
But maybe, even after all of this, I could have been persuaded to up my rating if the ending had provided us with an interesting and satisfying reveal. Unfortunately, I saw it coming from a mile away. The list of suspects is too short; the list of suspects who we'd actually care about it being is even shorter. I'm sorry, but I can't even find anything good to say about it.
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December 31, 2016
I’m tossing this one on the heaping pile of books that led me to believe they were worthy of comparisons to Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, but left me disappointed instead. Is this madness ever going to end? Why can’t a book be left to stand on it’s own merits? I guess it’s my fault for giving in and picking up yet another ‘Girl’ book. Have no fear though, once again, I’ve landed in the minority, as the reviews I’ve seen have been overwhelming positive and apparently it’s being made into a movie. So, take this review with a grain of salt. It’s just one reader’s thoughts and feelings, after all.
Point blank - I don’t get it. This whole scenario is strange. Odd. Completely ridiculous. What sane person would agree to live in this situation? Forget sane - why would anybody sign up for this?
Maybe I’m the crazy one, but there is no way I would ever agree to give up most of my belongings to move in to a minimalistic stone box of a house that comes with over 200 stipulations. Restrictive and ridiculous rules. Not to mention, answering a bizarre questionnaire and having my “amenities” shut down every time the perfectionistic control freak of a landlord feels like I need to answer yet another series of questions. All in an effort to gauge my “growth” or acceptance of the lifestyle the house demands. I don’t care how good looking or how famous of an architect the owner is; I wouldn’t do it. The author sells the idea by garnering sympathy from the reader for the two women and the excitement of top of the line technology - it's the ultimate smart house. Both women have recently experienced tragedies and need a fresh start. And, of course, the rent for this pseudo stone cell is quite cheap. Hmm . . . I wonder why?
The story unfolds through the eyes of the two women - Emma, the previous tenant, and Jane, the current tenant. The story flip-flops between then and now, which takes place two years apart, at a pretty rapid pace. We get to see how their stories mirror each other and it’s a little convoluted at times. More than once, I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose head I was in because I was kind of lost. I liked the whole notion of getting caught up in a story or your past and recreating or reliving that same story over and over. But that’s were the likes kind of ended for me.
The entire plot felt like a tangled mess and not one I particularly enjoyed unraveling. Albeit, there was something about it that kept me turning the pages. I can’t say I was wowed though - not by the characters, the scenario or even the twist. I failed to see what so many others have found exceptional about this one.
*THANK YOU to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Point blank - I don’t get it. This whole scenario is strange. Odd. Completely ridiculous. What sane person would agree to live in this situation? Forget sane - why would anybody sign up for this?
Maybe I’m the crazy one, but there is no way I would ever agree to give up most of my belongings to move in to a minimalistic stone box of a house that comes with over 200 stipulations. Restrictive and ridiculous rules. Not to mention, answering a bizarre questionnaire and having my “amenities” shut down every time the perfectionistic control freak of a landlord feels like I need to answer yet another series of questions. All in an effort to gauge my “growth” or acceptance of the lifestyle the house demands. I don’t care how good looking or how famous of an architect the owner is; I wouldn’t do it. The author sells the idea by garnering sympathy from the reader for the two women and the excitement of top of the line technology - it's the ultimate smart house. Both women have recently experienced tragedies and need a fresh start. And, of course, the rent for this pseudo stone cell is quite cheap. Hmm . . . I wonder why?
The story unfolds through the eyes of the two women - Emma, the previous tenant, and Jane, the current tenant. The story flip-flops between then and now, which takes place two years apart, at a pretty rapid pace. We get to see how their stories mirror each other and it’s a little convoluted at times. More than once, I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose head I was in because I was kind of lost. I liked the whole notion of getting caught up in a story or your past and recreating or reliving that same story over and over. But that’s were the likes kind of ended for me.
The entire plot felt like a tangled mess and not one I particularly enjoyed unraveling. Albeit, there was something about it that kept me turning the pages. I can’t say I was wowed though - not by the characters, the scenario or even the twist. I failed to see what so many others have found exceptional about this one.
*THANK YOU to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2018
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
4.5 Stars!!
The Girl Before is a psychological thriller that is getting a lot of attention. The movie rights have even been sold to Universal with Ron Howard to direct. I didn't know any of that when I first read the description for the book. I just thought it sounded like an entertaining read.
"Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life."
One Folgate Street in London, is a high-tech minimalist house with so many cool amenities and features that you would figure the rent would be sky-high. But the rent is actually very reasonable.
So what's the catch? Well there's no catch really...
Except for THE RULES!!
Tenants are required to follow very a list of very strict rules. Things like no pets, paying rent on time, no loud noise after 11pm, take out the garbage. You know, things like that...
NOPE...not at all like that.
There are over 200 rules that tenants MUST be abide by in order to live in the house.
To say that the owner/landlord of One Folgate Street is picky about who lives in the house is an understatement. To say that he's a bit particular about his rules for the tenants is putting it mildly. The rental application is extremely long and includes many bizarre (and impossible) questions.
"A person close to you confesses in confidence that they ran someone over while drunk. As a result they have given up drinking for good. Would you feel obliged to report it to the police?"
Is it worth it to live in such a beautiful high-tech home? This home with its awesome hidden gadgets. A house cleaner comes weekly. The lights, heat and cooling will set to tenants personal preferences. The shower will also adjust to their personal settings. Even the air in the house makes you feel better with its ultrasonic - mood enhancing waveforms.
"Imagine a hospital where the structure itself becomes part of the healing process, or a home for dementia sufferers that actually helps them to remember. This house might be simple, but it's ambition is extraordinary."
Just don't forget.....the RULES. The main one? NO CLUTTER! Everything has its place, usually out of sight. So no pictures, no plants, no ornaments, no books....wait NO BOOKS???? (OMG!!! that's just wrong!)
The owner, Edward Monkford is the architect who built the house. He also lives a minimalist lifestyle. He will not rent unless he finds the perfect tenant. But his need for control goes so much farther than that. And yet... some people are drawn to the "tormented genius". But who is Edward really? What happens if someone does break the rules?
Emma and her boyfriend, Simon are looking for a safe place to live after a recent break-in. However, their budget is a bit tight and everything is either horrible or too expensive. Then the agent shows them One Folgate Street. She explains the lengthy process for application. Simon is hesitant but Emma feels like the place might be exactly what they need. The rules make her feel secure. She wants to reinvent herself, bring order to her life, to change and be a better person.
The house may change her, but will it be for the better?
We then meet Jane. After a devastating loss, Jane is looking for new place to live. She wants to make a new start and hopes that One Folgate Street is the place to do it. But it's not long before some strange things start happening. Jane learns some of the dark history of the house and is determined to find out more, especially what happened to the previous tenant.
The house may be inexpensive and full of high-tech gadgets, but the walls of the house are also full of secrets. Where is the previous tenant? and is Jane in any danger?
"That's all anyone's looking for really, isn't it? Someone to take care of the mess inside our heads?"
This book may not be for everyone. There is a lot of sex. I will definitely say that some of the characters "turn-ons" may be "turn-offs" for some readers. It wasn't really my thing and I could have done without those parts. However, it didn't really interfere with my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
The chapters alternate between THEN and NOW and are narrated by Jane (NOW) and Emma (THEN). I flew through the pages. Occasionally I had to flip back to double-check whether it was Emma or Jane but most of the time I was able to keep up. The story may have been hard to believe and far-fetched at times, but I decided to try to go with the flow and enjoy it...
In the end I really liked this novel. I was pulled and it got right inside my head. I had to know what was going to happen! A thrilling story about a house I would NEVER want to live in, (seriously I could not handle any of the rules) but I sure enjoyed reading about it.
P.S Put your shampoo away
Thank you, Ballantine Books for providing an advanced copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
4.5 Stars!!
The Girl Before is a psychological thriller that is getting a lot of attention. The movie rights have even been sold to Universal with Ron Howard to direct. I didn't know any of that when I first read the description for the book. I just thought it sounded like an entertaining read.
"Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life."
One Folgate Street in London, is a high-tech minimalist house with so many cool amenities and features that you would figure the rent would be sky-high. But the rent is actually very reasonable.
So what's the catch? Well there's no catch really...
Except for THE RULES!!
Tenants are required to follow very a list of very strict rules. Things like no pets, paying rent on time, no loud noise after 11pm, take out the garbage. You know, things like that...
NOPE...not at all like that.
There are over 200 rules that tenants MUST be abide by in order to live in the house.
To say that the owner/landlord of One Folgate Street is picky about who lives in the house is an understatement. To say that he's a bit particular about his rules for the tenants is putting it mildly. The rental application is extremely long and includes many bizarre (and impossible) questions.
"A person close to you confesses in confidence that they ran someone over while drunk. As a result they have given up drinking for good. Would you feel obliged to report it to the police?"
Is it worth it to live in such a beautiful high-tech home? This home with its awesome hidden gadgets. A house cleaner comes weekly. The lights, heat and cooling will set to tenants personal preferences. The shower will also adjust to their personal settings. Even the air in the house makes you feel better with its ultrasonic - mood enhancing waveforms.
"Imagine a hospital where the structure itself becomes part of the healing process, or a home for dementia sufferers that actually helps them to remember. This house might be simple, but it's ambition is extraordinary."
Just don't forget.....the RULES. The main one? NO CLUTTER! Everything has its place, usually out of sight. So no pictures, no plants, no ornaments, no books....wait NO BOOKS???? (OMG!!! that's just wrong!)
The owner, Edward Monkford is the architect who built the house. He also lives a minimalist lifestyle. He will not rent unless he finds the perfect tenant. But his need for control goes so much farther than that. And yet... some people are drawn to the "tormented genius". But who is Edward really? What happens if someone does break the rules?
Emma and her boyfriend, Simon are looking for a safe place to live after a recent break-in. However, their budget is a bit tight and everything is either horrible or too expensive. Then the agent shows them One Folgate Street. She explains the lengthy process for application. Simon is hesitant but Emma feels like the place might be exactly what they need. The rules make her feel secure. She wants to reinvent herself, bring order to her life, to change and be a better person.
The house may change her, but will it be for the better?
We then meet Jane. After a devastating loss, Jane is looking for new place to live. She wants to make a new start and hopes that One Folgate Street is the place to do it. But it's not long before some strange things start happening. Jane learns some of the dark history of the house and is determined to find out more, especially what happened to the previous tenant.
The house may be inexpensive and full of high-tech gadgets, but the walls of the house are also full of secrets. Where is the previous tenant? and is Jane in any danger?
"That's all anyone's looking for really, isn't it? Someone to take care of the mess inside our heads?"
This book may not be for everyone. There is a lot of sex. I will definitely say that some of the characters "turn-ons" may be "turn-offs" for some readers. It wasn't really my thing and I could have done without those parts. However, it didn't really interfere with my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
The chapters alternate between THEN and NOW and are narrated by Jane (NOW) and Emma (THEN). I flew through the pages. Occasionally I had to flip back to double-check whether it was Emma or Jane but most of the time I was able to keep up. The story may have been hard to believe and far-fetched at times, but I decided to try to go with the flow and enjoy it...
In the end I really liked this novel. I was pulled and it got right inside my head. I had to know what was going to happen! A thrilling story about a house I would NEVER want to live in, (seriously I could not handle any of the rules) but I sure enjoyed reading about it.
P.S Put your shampoo away
Thank you, Ballantine Books for providing an advanced copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars
Really fast paced and captured my attention from beginning to end, but it tried a little hard to be too many different things. I kept getting whiplash over all the "But this! And this! Now this! Jk this! Look at me; I'm being shocking and twisty!" Unfortunately, this took away from what could have been a 5 star read for me. Still enjoyable and would still recommend to the right reader. Full review to come.
Really fast paced and captured my attention from beginning to end, but it tried a little hard to be too many different things. I kept getting whiplash over all the "But this! And this! Now this! Jk this! Look at me; I'm being shocking and twisty!" Unfortunately, this took away from what could have been a 5 star read for me. Still enjoyable and would still recommend to the right reader. Full review to come.
December 16, 2016
1 Folgate Street is no ordinary house, it is cutting edge and won the Stirling Prize. It is an example of extreme minimalism and incorporates the latest home technology. It was originally designed by the techno-architect Edward Monkton as his family home but his wife and son died there which means its now available for others to live. Only there is the slight problem of over 200 conditions that have to be adhered to by whoever lives there. And they have to be interviewed and approved by Monkton personally.
The narrative focuses on Emma from the past, and Jane in the present. Both are troubled women. Emma was held at knife point by burglars and she is struggling to come to terms with this. This event drives her decision to apply to live in the house, despite her boyfriend, Simon's reservations. The conditions for residing there will turn her into a new person with more control, Jane has had a stillborn baby and grieving. This house will be her new start and she just happens to fancy the architect. She is receiving a flower delivery of gentians which she assumes is from the architect until she reads the card....and realises there is more to the house than she thought. Emma died in the house.
A concerned Jane begins to investigate Emma, the girl before to ascertain whether she was murdered, and if so by whom. There are uncomfortable similarities between her and Emma. From both resembling Edward's wife, to having a no strings attached affair with him which runs a similar if not identical course, to both having risque sex. Jane meets the people in Emma's life including Simon, the aggrieved boyfriend, and Carol, the therapist. Meanwhile, the house appears to develop an entity of its own as strange and random things happen. Is the controlling and manipulative Edward a killer? Is Emma a reliable narrator? An air of menace hangs over the house as danger begins to close in around Jane.
The writing is lucid, sparse and beautiful. Pretty much like the house, and there is an air of claustrophobia in the story. This is a house with tragic beginnings and a strong character that is destined to trouble those who live there, you can just feel this. It is a good psychological thriller that keeps you reading without ever losing interest. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
The narrative focuses on Emma from the past, and Jane in the present. Both are troubled women. Emma was held at knife point by burglars and she is struggling to come to terms with this. This event drives her decision to apply to live in the house, despite her boyfriend, Simon's reservations. The conditions for residing there will turn her into a new person with more control, Jane has had a stillborn baby and grieving. This house will be her new start and she just happens to fancy the architect. She is receiving a flower delivery of gentians which she assumes is from the architect until she reads the card....and realises there is more to the house than she thought. Emma died in the house.
A concerned Jane begins to investigate Emma, the girl before to ascertain whether she was murdered, and if so by whom. There are uncomfortable similarities between her and Emma. From both resembling Edward's wife, to having a no strings attached affair with him which runs a similar if not identical course, to both having risque sex. Jane meets the people in Emma's life including Simon, the aggrieved boyfriend, and Carol, the therapist. Meanwhile, the house appears to develop an entity of its own as strange and random things happen. Is the controlling and manipulative Edward a killer? Is Emma a reliable narrator? An air of menace hangs over the house as danger begins to close in around Jane.
The writing is lucid, sparse and beautiful. Pretty much like the house, and there is an air of claustrophobia in the story. This is a house with tragic beginnings and a strong character that is destined to trouble those who live there, you can just feel this. It is a good psychological thriller that keeps you reading without ever losing interest. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
February 1, 2018
Review was originally published on Through the Chapters|Blog
This book was on my TBR for almost a year. I expected it to be a very good psychological thriller since it was compared to the “Gone Girl” one of the most mind-blowing books I have ever read. Unfortunately, I wasn’t only disappointed. I was frustrated, and let me explain why.
This story follows two women Emma and Jane, who wanted to escape the tragic events of their past, in order to begin a new life in a new apartment. The narration rotates between those two ladies, to show us the events of past (Emma) and present (Jane). They were presented to the audience so desperate, that they agree to move to an apartment, at One Folgate Street with weird and ridiculous rules, as tenants. They were so deep into their grief and post traumatic syndrome that they were completely ok by signing a contract with 200 rules such as:
No carpets. No curtains. No books – What???
No pets. No kids. No mess – I beg your pardon? Who are you to tell me if I have to clean my apartment or not. No, sir no. What if, I want to keep it like that?
Punish me then. I bet Jane, the girl who lived there before, would love to be punished.
Those rules were not just warning bells, they were warning bombs that had to make those women to run away. But of course they didn’t. No. They preferred to stay in a high-tech apartment and to fall for, – a perfectionist, a control freak and a creepy owner of this minimalistic apartment -, who have buried his late wife and son in this same apartment. Who knows maybe this minimalistic freak was the same person who killed his family. It was like I was watching a bad version of the Saw movies when the owner of One Folgate Street appeared with all those weird rules and proclaimed that a kind of game has begun. And may the odds be ever in your favour.
Then again, leaving in a super-clever-high-technological-environment was quite original and I wanted to enjoy the story but I just couldn’t especially after some crucial moments and messages of the book.
One of the most distasteful moments, especially after the events one of the main characters had to go thorough, was:
Seriously?
This was neither an erotic story nor a thriller. It was an attempt to combine those two genres. Therefore, if you go into this don’t expect those two components.
Secondly, both women were presented as weak-willed, indecisive, and obsessive personalities. I can’t stand when books present women as highly dependable individualities, who need a man, in order to change their lives. No. Women are strong, self-sufficient, courageous, and independent. They are responsible for their own fate.
The girl before, was exactly this type of book, where both women preferred to be involved in an unhealthy sexual relationship just to feel what? Alive? A bad girl? What I want to say is that they could do a load of things in order to get relieved from the unfortunate events of their past. To demonstrate, they could be involved in voluntary organization to help the women with the same problems. There was an attempt to present one of the main characters in those patterns but I didn’t find it adequate. Identically, they could travel, meet people, learn to play piano, help the planet to become more sustainable. Anything. On the contrary, they assumed it would be more “reliable” to play with a rich, handsome, manipulative-daddy to get rid of their memories, pain and even all those traits that made them the people they were.
Besides, there were a lot of racism issues all over the story. I just don’t want to give away the plot so please forgive me if the following won’t make any sense. The bad boys of the story were black and working class. Come on.
Seriously?
Likewise, there was a controversial issue about people with a Down Syndrome and whereas they have to be born or not. This was one of the main reasons which made me highly disapprove this controlling freak, whose name I don’t even remember.
Consequently, this book wasn’t for me. I would prefer a different ending just to be able to say
This book was on my TBR for almost a year. I expected it to be a very good psychological thriller since it was compared to the “Gone Girl” one of the most mind-blowing books I have ever read. Unfortunately, I wasn’t only disappointed. I was frustrated, and let me explain why.
This story follows two women Emma and Jane, who wanted to escape the tragic events of their past, in order to begin a new life in a new apartment. The narration rotates between those two ladies, to show us the events of past (Emma) and present (Jane). They were presented to the audience so desperate, that they agree to move to an apartment, at One Folgate Street with weird and ridiculous rules, as tenants. They were so deep into their grief and post traumatic syndrome that they were completely ok by signing a contract with 200 rules such as:
No carpets. No curtains. No books – What???
No pets. No kids. No mess – I beg your pardon? Who are you to tell me if I have to clean my apartment or not. No, sir no. What if, I want to keep it like that?
Punish me then. I bet Jane, the girl who lived there before, would love to be punished.
Those rules were not just warning bells, they were warning bombs that had to make those women to run away. But of course they didn’t. No. They preferred to stay in a high-tech apartment and to fall for, – a perfectionist, a control freak and a creepy owner of this minimalistic apartment -, who have buried his late wife and son in this same apartment. Who knows maybe this minimalistic freak was the same person who killed his family. It was like I was watching a bad version of the Saw movies when the owner of One Folgate Street appeared with all those weird rules and proclaimed that a kind of game has begun. And may the odds be ever in your favour.
Then again, leaving in a super-clever-high-technological-environment was quite original and I wanted to enjoy the story but I just couldn’t especially after some crucial moments and messages of the book.
One of the most distasteful moments, especially after the events one of the main characters had to go thorough, was:
"Yes, daddy. Yes"
Seriously?
This was neither an erotic story nor a thriller. It was an attempt to combine those two genres. Therefore, if you go into this don’t expect those two components.
Secondly, both women were presented as weak-willed, indecisive, and obsessive personalities. I can’t stand when books present women as highly dependable individualities, who need a man, in order to change their lives. No. Women are strong, self-sufficient, courageous, and independent. They are responsible for their own fate.
The girl before, was exactly this type of book, where both women preferred to be involved in an unhealthy sexual relationship just to feel what? Alive? A bad girl? What I want to say is that they could do a load of things in order to get relieved from the unfortunate events of their past. To demonstrate, they could be involved in voluntary organization to help the women with the same problems. There was an attempt to present one of the main characters in those patterns but I didn’t find it adequate. Identically, they could travel, meet people, learn to play piano, help the planet to become more sustainable. Anything. On the contrary, they assumed it would be more “reliable” to play with a rich, handsome, manipulative-daddy to get rid of their memories, pain and even all those traits that made them the people they were.
Besides, there were a lot of racism issues all over the story. I just don’t want to give away the plot so please forgive me if the following won’t make any sense. The bad boys of the story were black and working class. Come on.
Seriously?
Likewise, there was a controversial issue about people with a Down Syndrome and whereas they have to be born or not. This was one of the main reasons which made me highly disapprove this controlling freak, whose name I don’t even remember.
Consequently, this book wasn’t for me. I would prefer a different ending just to be able to say
January 13, 2018
3.5
The perfect home to lease. Custom-designed and built by a world renowned architect. Every modern amenity one could possibly dream up… some even beyond your imagination! What’s not to like?
Just one small hitch. You must agree to the terms set forth by the architect. Rules covering seemingly everything from A – Z, regarding what may be brought into the apartment. Not the least of which includes no pets or even children.
Emma is looking for a safe haven. Her last flat was broken into and ransacked while she was home. Still terrified, she feels no place is safe until she happens upon One Folgate Street.
Jane is busy putting her life back together after losing her baby. She’s drawn to the beauty and originality of this incredible home. Of course she can handle a few bizarre rules! No problem.
Told through both Emma and Jane’s POV in 2 separate timelines.
Personal anecdote: My husband and I rented a cabin for a weekend vacation. As we checked-in, we were handed a ridiculously large book of rules and regulations. We were expected to read and abide by them! (Can’t make this stuff up!) Needless to say we checked out the next day. Early! That was several years ago...but we still chuckle about it!
This book brought back those wacky memories for me. Although this contract went way above and beyond our rule book! I still think Emma and Jane should have hightailed it out of there as soon as they poured over the rules!
If it sounds too good to be true...well you know...
A great premise for a book and engaging writing quickly drew me in. Though it did veer off and become a little too fifty shades(ish) at times. I’m a little torn and maybe disappointed in the ending. I think a few of the final chapters could have been skipped to stay on point just a bit better. Though overall, I did enjoy it.
The perfect home to lease. Custom-designed and built by a world renowned architect. Every modern amenity one could possibly dream up… some even beyond your imagination! What’s not to like?
Just one small hitch. You must agree to the terms set forth by the architect. Rules covering seemingly everything from A – Z, regarding what may be brought into the apartment. Not the least of which includes no pets or even children.
Emma is looking for a safe haven. Her last flat was broken into and ransacked while she was home. Still terrified, she feels no place is safe until she happens upon One Folgate Street.
Jane is busy putting her life back together after losing her baby. She’s drawn to the beauty and originality of this incredible home. Of course she can handle a few bizarre rules! No problem.
Told through both Emma and Jane’s POV in 2 separate timelines.
Personal anecdote: My husband and I rented a cabin for a weekend vacation. As we checked-in, we were handed a ridiculously large book of rules and regulations. We were expected to read and abide by them! (Can’t make this stuff up!) Needless to say we checked out the next day. Early! That was several years ago...but we still chuckle about it!
This book brought back those wacky memories for me. Although this contract went way above and beyond our rule book! I still think Emma and Jane should have hightailed it out of there as soon as they poured over the rules!
If it sounds too good to be true...well you know...
A great premise for a book and engaging writing quickly drew me in. Though it did veer off and become a little too fifty shades(ish) at times. I’m a little torn and maybe disappointed in the ending. I think a few of the final chapters could have been skipped to stay on point just a bit better. Though overall, I did enjoy it.
January 10, 2017
I am in the minority with my feelings about The Girl Before--this book has received excellent reviews, but it just didn’t work for me.
The premise is intriguing: What if you had the opportunity to live in the perfect house designed by a famous architect for a low price? The only catch is that the house will record data, and track your every move. Also, the lease will have over 200 clauses, including such things as not leaving anything on the floor and no books allowed! There will be the occasional quiz, and if you don’t comply or do well, appliances will stop working. Some would run for the hills, but to others, it sounds like a dream come true! The perfect house will help people reach levels of perfection they never thought they could achieve. This is the house located on One Folgate Street.
The Girl Before tells the stories of Emma and Jane, two occupants who lived in One Folgate.. Emma died under mysterious circumstances while living in One Folgate Street, and Jane is the current occupant. Both women look alike, and both were involved with Edward Monkton, the architect and mastermind behind One Folgate Street--both also happen to bear an eerie resemblance to Edward’s deceased wife. Jane begins to investigate Emma’s death, and by doing so, puts herself in danger.
While the premise was interesting, it felt like the author was trying to cram pieces into a puzzle that didn’t fit. As a result, everything unraveled and it all became a little ridiculous. The Girl Before was just not my cup of tea.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The premise is intriguing: What if you had the opportunity to live in the perfect house designed by a famous architect for a low price? The only catch is that the house will record data, and track your every move. Also, the lease will have over 200 clauses, including such things as not leaving anything on the floor and no books allowed! There will be the occasional quiz, and if you don’t comply or do well, appliances will stop working. Some would run for the hills, but to others, it sounds like a dream come true! The perfect house will help people reach levels of perfection they never thought they could achieve. This is the house located on One Folgate Street.
The Girl Before tells the stories of Emma and Jane, two occupants who lived in One Folgate.. Emma died under mysterious circumstances while living in One Folgate Street, and Jane is the current occupant. Both women look alike, and both were involved with Edward Monkton, the architect and mastermind behind One Folgate Street--both also happen to bear an eerie resemblance to Edward’s deceased wife. Jane begins to investigate Emma’s death, and by doing so, puts herself in danger.
While the premise was interesting, it felt like the author was trying to cram pieces into a puzzle that didn’t fit. As a result, everything unraveled and it all became a little ridiculous. The Girl Before was just not my cup of tea.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2022
المثالية فيها لمحة لا انسانية
و بيوت ألفيتنا الثالثة ذكية؛ تسابق احلامنا و لكن
:يا بياع البيوت عندك
بيت بانذار ضد الكذب؟ضد الخسة؟
بيت ينذرنا قبل المكاره؛ قبل الغياب؛ قبل الرحيل؟
بيت ضد تقلب القلوب؟
*تبدأ حقوق الإنسان في البيت *
و لكن مهندسنا البريطاني العبقري ادوارد مونكفورد لا يؤمن الا بحقوق الحجر فقط"هل قلت لكم اني من عشاق الحجر؟"فيصمم بيت ذكي منحوت من حجر لؤلؤي ابيض صافي؛
مينيمالي؛ لا يعكره زر و لا مصباح ليسكنه مع زوجته و ابنه لكنهما يرحلا في حادث قبيل السكن
ينال تصميمه جائزة عالمية و يقرر تأجيره بسعر رمزي لمن يحتمل شروطه الكابوسية الخمسين
بأسلوب نفسي مشوق نتابع على التوازي و عبر زمنين؛ امراتين :ايما و جين؛ كل منهما تدخل البيت محمّلة بمأساة و تنشد الأمان في ادوارد و بيت ادوارد؛ الذي يجب أن تتعلم الاستغناء لتفوز به فتتخلى عن كل ممتلكاتك عند دخوله لا كتب لا صور؛ لوحات؛ اثاث او حتى أكواب و اكيد ممنوع الأطفال و الحيوانات
*انطباعاتنا قد تكون أكثر ما يعمينا عن الحقيقة*
في الغرب هناك مقياس ثابت للجمال المثالي و هو اودري هيبورن لذلك أخذها ادوارد كنموذج شكلي لمن تفوز ببيته المثالي /الذي يجبرك على الاستقامة؟
و بطلتينا يشبهانها رغم اختلاف طباعهما البيّن
و ما ان تستقر كل منهما و تتشبع برقى ��لبيت و َمفاجاته حتى تبدأ في البحث عن أسرار فتاة الأمس التي تداريها الجدران اللؤلوية و لكن هل الفوز بالحقيقة من أفواه الآخرين بهذه السهولة؟
هل بحثهن مجرد فضول انثوي ام محاولة للسيطرة على بيت صار يسكنهن بدلا من أن يسكنوه؟ يربيهن و يغير صورتهم و سلوكهن ..هل هناك بيت يغيرك حقا؟
هل كانتا امرأتان؟ام كن دوما ثلاثة؟
لماذا اذن ثلاث نجوم فقط رغم سلاسة الأسلوب اللافتة؟
الرواية تنويعة على تيمة التشويق المنزلي المستخدمة في روايات" فتاة القطار"و" الزوجة المفقودة" بحبكة طبقات البصلة و تويست وراء تويست و شخصيات من الصعب التعاطف معهم أجمعين؛ و رغم ان الطابع البوليسي هو لعبة البريطانيين؛ لكنك حتما ستخلط فصول ايما بجين مع الوقت
فهل هو مقصود من الكاتب ؟ان البيت يلغي تفردهن الشخصي و يحولهم لالعاب ادوارد؟
الا ان المفاجأت التي يغمرنا بها الكاتب قرب النهايةو يثبت بها
هشاشة التكنولوجيا و ضياع النفوس رغم التقدم الغربي نجدها مبالغة نوعا و تتناقض مع فكرة سيطرة البيت
و هناك شخصية المهندس ادوارد مونكفورد لم تقنعني البتة؛ المهندس المسيطر بهيمنته الذكورية و ساديته الغير مبررة الذي يلتهم الأسماك الحية و القريدس يتقافز من الحساء لفمه..
القاسي الموسوس المتناقض ؛ الذي يفرك حائط الحمام لينظفه عقب استحمامه فورا؛ و يجبرك على حل اسئلة صعبة يوميا قبل أن ينعم عليك بالكهرباء و الماء و الغاز؛ و اذا سمنت او لم تغسلي الأطباق فالطرد مصيرك الحتمي
ينتمي ادوارد بالطبع حرفيا لعالم بطل"النوم مع العدو"ا
مع فتاة الأمس ندرك ان الكلب في بيته:أسد ؛و ان السيطرة غريزة بدائية كلنا لنا حظ منها؛ و ان بيننا و بين الامان باب نغلقه خلفنا و نقذف خلفه ماضينا؛ و ان الصراع الابدي بين الجسد و الروح هو ما يفرق البيوت عن القبور
و بيوت ألفيتنا الثالثة ذكية؛ تسابق احلامنا و لكن
:يا بياع البيوت عندك
بيت بانذار ضد الكذب؟ضد الخسة؟
بيت ينذرنا قبل المكاره؛ قبل الغياب؛ قبل الرحيل؟
بيت ضد تقلب القلوب؟
*تبدأ حقوق الإنسان في البيت *
و لكن مهندسنا البريطاني العبقري ادوارد مونكفورد لا يؤمن الا بحقوق الحجر فقط"هل قلت لكم اني من عشاق الحجر؟"فيصمم بيت ذكي منحوت من حجر لؤلؤي ابيض صافي؛
مينيمالي؛ لا يعكره زر و لا مصباح ليسكنه مع زوجته و ابنه لكنهما يرحلا في حادث قبيل السكن
ينال تصميمه جائزة عالمية و يقرر تأجيره بسعر رمزي لمن يحتمل شروطه الكابوسية الخمسين
بأسلوب نفسي مشوق نتابع على التوازي و عبر زمنين؛ امراتين :ايما و جين؛ كل منهما تدخل البيت محمّلة بمأساة و تنشد الأمان في ادوارد و بيت ادوارد؛ الذي يجب أن تتعلم الاستغناء لتفوز به فتتخلى عن كل ممتلكاتك عند دخوله لا كتب لا صور؛ لوحات؛ اثاث او حتى أكواب و اكيد ممنوع الأطفال و الحيوانات
*انطباعاتنا قد تكون أكثر ما يعمينا عن الحقيقة*
في الغرب هناك مقياس ثابت للجمال المثالي و هو اودري هيبورن لذلك أخذها ادوارد كنموذج شكلي لمن تفوز ببيته المثالي /الذي يجبرك على الاستقامة؟
و بطلتينا يشبهانها رغم اختلاف طباعهما البيّن
و ما ان تستقر كل منهما و تتشبع برقى ��لبيت و َمفاجاته حتى تبدأ في البحث عن أسرار فتاة الأمس التي تداريها الجدران اللؤلوية و لكن هل الفوز بالحقيقة من أفواه الآخرين بهذه السهولة؟
هل بحثهن مجرد فضول انثوي ام محاولة للسيطرة على بيت صار يسكنهن بدلا من أن يسكنوه؟ يربيهن و يغير صورتهم و سلوكهن ..هل هناك بيت يغيرك حقا؟
هل كانتا امرأتان؟ام كن دوما ثلاثة؟
لماذا اذن ثلاث نجوم فقط رغم سلاسة الأسلوب اللافتة؟
الرواية تنويعة على تيمة التشويق المنزلي المستخدمة في روايات" فتاة القطار"و" الزوجة المفقودة" بحبكة طبقات البصلة و تويست وراء تويست و شخصيات من الصعب التعاطف معهم أجمعين؛ و رغم ان الطابع البوليسي هو لعبة البريطانيين؛ لكنك حتما ستخلط فصول ايما بجين مع الوقت
فهل هو مقصود من الكاتب ؟ان البيت يلغي تفردهن الشخصي و يحولهم لالعاب ادوارد؟
الا ان المفاجأت التي يغمرنا بها الكاتب قرب النهايةو يثبت بها
هشاشة التكنولوجيا و ضياع النفوس رغم التقدم الغربي نجدها مبالغة نوعا و تتناقض مع فكرة سيطرة البيت
و هناك شخصية المهندس ادوارد مونكفورد لم تقنعني البتة؛ المهندس المسيطر بهيمنته الذكورية و ساديته الغير مبررة الذي يلتهم الأسماك الحية و القريدس يتقافز من الحساء لفمه..
القاسي الموسوس المتناقض ؛ الذي يفرك حائط الحمام لينظفه عقب استحمامه فورا؛ و يجبرك على حل اسئلة صعبة يوميا قبل أن ينعم عليك بالكهرباء و الماء و الغاز؛ و اذا سمنت او لم تغسلي الأطباق فالطرد مصيرك الحتمي
ينتمي ادوارد بالطبع حرفيا لعالم بطل"النوم مع العدو"ا
مع فتاة الأمس ندرك ان الكلب في بيته:أسد ؛و ان السيطرة غريزة بدائية كلنا لنا حظ منها؛ و ان بيننا و بين الامان باب نغلقه خلفنا و نقذف خلفه ماضينا؛ و ان الصراع الابدي بين الجسد و الروح هو ما يفرق البيوت عن القبور
February 7, 2017
*3.5 STARS*.
One Folgate Street is a state of the art award winning property. The rent is pretty reasonable too, but it's tenants must be prepared to give up all their possessions - no books, throws, cushions, photos, no personal effects, nothing except the bare minimum of clothes. Then there are the other rules - hundreds of them, seemingly waiting to trip you up, catch you unawares. There are also regular questions to answer, very personal and intrusive questions. The fact is, whoever becomes this property's tenant must be willing to be completely controlled.
Emma needs to find a new place to live after a traumatic break-in. She can't find anything that is affordable, that is until she finds One Folgate Street. She loves it on sight but Edward the architect, insists on complete control in order to transform his tenants to suit the space in which they're living, and he certainly manages to do that.
Jane also needs a new start after a personal tragedy - she too loves the property but is also drawn to Edward, its creator. She soon discovers that Emma met an untimely death in the house, and begins investigating just what really happened there.
The narrative certainly kept my attention, I really wanted to know what happened to Emma, but I found it hard to believe in Edward, AND his rules, so really that stopped me from rating this one any higher.
*Thank you to Netgalley & Quercus for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review*
One Folgate Street is a state of the art award winning property. The rent is pretty reasonable too, but it's tenants must be prepared to give up all their possessions - no books, throws, cushions, photos, no personal effects, nothing except the bare minimum of clothes. Then there are the other rules - hundreds of them, seemingly waiting to trip you up, catch you unawares. There are also regular questions to answer, very personal and intrusive questions. The fact is, whoever becomes this property's tenant must be willing to be completely controlled.
Emma needs to find a new place to live after a traumatic break-in. She can't find anything that is affordable, that is until she finds One Folgate Street. She loves it on sight but Edward the architect, insists on complete control in order to transform his tenants to suit the space in which they're living, and he certainly manages to do that.
Jane also needs a new start after a personal tragedy - she too loves the property but is also drawn to Edward, its creator. She soon discovers that Emma met an untimely death in the house, and begins investigating just what really happened there.
The narrative certainly kept my attention, I really wanted to know what happened to Emma, but I found it hard to believe in Edward, AND his rules, so really that stopped me from rating this one any higher.
*Thank you to Netgalley & Quercus for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review*
November 8, 2016
Would you move into a house that has pages and pages of rules? Where the questions ask you things that you couldn't live without? Questions about everything person? Also, you can't have kids/pets/make a mess?
Don't be so sure, because those rents are expensive. This house, however has the latest and greatest gadgets going for it. Like lights that automatically adjust to you, the water temps remember those perfect settings, and lots of little stuff like an app for your phone that controls the house.
You just have to agree to be tested. To be monitored. Then there is that rich, super good looking architect landlord.
Told from two different viewpoints, Emma from before and Jane from now..you see that certain things have a way of following just what has happened before.
This was sooooo readable, I wanted to know so badly how the heck old lover/hot landlord was going to end up being the biggest baddie of all time so badly. (I'm not giving any secrets away for this one)
And it is decent. I got a little yicked out with some "Daddy talk." Bleck.
And the ending. Why can't authors keep up the momentum's in books? Why do they just get tired of writing at the end and throw whatever in? I want what I want!
*sighs*
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
Don't be so sure, because those rents are expensive. This house, however has the latest and greatest gadgets going for it. Like lights that automatically adjust to you, the water temps remember those perfect settings, and lots of little stuff like an app for your phone that controls the house.
You just have to agree to be tested. To be monitored. Then there is that rich, super good looking architect landlord.
Told from two different viewpoints, Emma from before and Jane from now..you see that certain things have a way of following just what has happened before.
This was sooooo readable, I wanted to know so badly how the heck old lover/hot landlord was going to end up being the biggest baddie of all time so badly. (I'm not giving any secrets away for this one)
And it is decent. I got a little yicked out with some "Daddy talk." Bleck.
And the ending. Why can't authors keep up the momentum's in books? Why do they just get tired of writing at the end and throw whatever in? I want what I want!
*sighs*
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
October 17, 2016
Update: I just read that Ron Howard is going to direct the movie adaptation of this book. I can't wait!
Wow! Book slump averted! A thriller has not made me this excited since Megan Miranda's All the Missing Girls.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Emma, the girl before, and Jane, the current tenant of a very unique flat. While both women are searching for a living situation within their budgets in expensive London, their brokers both mention a possible solution. One Folgate Street has been designed by an architectural genius, Edward Monkford, but in order to live there, one must pass a series of vetting including a multi paged questionnaire and interview. This is where things just begin to get weird. I fear saying much more will give away the twists and turns within these pages.
(As an aside, Emma's chapters are told without any quotation marks in the dialogue. While it takes some time to getting used to, it is very effective in differentiating between the two women's chapters. However I am completely curious as to why the author chose to use this device, if anyone knows, fill me in.)
I thoroughly enjoyed how the author portrayed One Folgate - the apartment itself takes on a life of its own and becomes a central character in the story.
There are multiple triggers within this book. I feel if I mention them here, they would be spoilers. So. Pretty much, if it's a trigger you can think of, it's here. Reader be warned!
I've heard this author is writing under a pseudonym, and I am completely curious as to who masterminded this intricate story.
If you need to have likable characters to enjoy a book, pass on this one. If you are very sensitive in nature and have some triggers, pass. If you want a wild roller coaster ride of ups and downs and rights and lefts, pick this one up! You won't be able to put it down.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! Book slump averted! A thriller has not made me this excited since Megan Miranda's All the Missing Girls.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Emma, the girl before, and Jane, the current tenant of a very unique flat. While both women are searching for a living situation within their budgets in expensive London, their brokers both mention a possible solution. One Folgate Street has been designed by an architectural genius, Edward Monkford, but in order to live there, one must pass a series of vetting including a multi paged questionnaire and interview. This is where things just begin to get weird. I fear saying much more will give away the twists and turns within these pages.
(As an aside, Emma's chapters are told without any quotation marks in the dialogue. While it takes some time to getting used to, it is very effective in differentiating between the two women's chapters. However I am completely curious as to why the author chose to use this device, if anyone knows, fill me in.)
I thoroughly enjoyed how the author portrayed One Folgate - the apartment itself takes on a life of its own and becomes a central character in the story.
There are multiple triggers within this book. I feel if I mention them here, they would be spoilers. So. Pretty much, if it's a trigger you can think of, it's here. Reader be warned!
I've heard this author is writing under a pseudonym, and I am completely curious as to who masterminded this intricate story.
If you need to have likable characters to enjoy a book, pass on this one. If you are very sensitive in nature and have some triggers, pass. If you want a wild roller coaster ride of ups and downs and rights and lefts, pick this one up! You won't be able to put it down.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2017
3 stars
For a book that is centered on a minimalist approach to life in a spare, modern home--this story is a bit messy! Oh, the irony. Marie Kondo, where are you? Clean up on aisle 5!!
I was immediately sucked in to the plot. Most readers will identify with the depressing search for an affordable place to live that is also stylish and meets all of our must-haves. It doesn’t exist.
What if you find out that there is a gorgeous modern home available for very little moolah? It has everything. State of the art technology is hidden within the pale gray stone walls. Everything you could ever want in high end luxury is available at your fingertips in this smart house.
The famous architect, Edward Monkford, is the owner and creator of this modernistic miracle. But, there is a catch to scoring the rental deal of the century. Of course.
You must take a lengthy personality assessment quiz. You must be personally approved by Monkford himself. You MUST SIGN A CONTRACT that states you will never leave a dirty glass out on the kitchen counter, or leave anything out anywhere in the house at anytime. You may not move in anything but your essentials. NOT EVEN BOOKS! Yes, you heard me right, books are not essential according to Monkford. (insert crying laughing face) And, while you’re signing this contract so fast, hoping Monkford won’t change his mind about you, watch out! You may be literally signing your life away.
Emma and Jane are our alternating narrators, Emma is THEN and Jane is NOW, so that makes Emma THE GIRL BEFORE. Except, not really. There was a girl before Emma, Monkford’s wife, Elizabeth. Uggggghhhhh. Got all that?
Co-winky-dink alert: The three women look just alike. They all fall in love with the starchitect (at different points in time). They are all struggling with personal crises in their lives. Three people have actually died there. Will Jane be next?
Monkford is a controlling narcissist. The damaged women all fall under his commanding spell. Gag. GETTING VERY TIRED OF THESE WIMPY FEMALE CHARACTERS! C’mon fiction writers!
The story just wasn’t compelling enough to keep me hooked after the first few chapters. It lingers on with the biggest challenge keeping Emma and Jane separate in your mind. Although the audio book is very well done by the narrator, the chapters are way too confusing to listen and follow. I ended up reading the book on Kindle.
A minor stylistic point, but what the heck with the way this author writes dialogue? The pseudo named JP Delaney uses the word "go" instead of "said". No quotation marks either. I’m okay with that, although it puts the action in a passive present tense. Weird. I truly hate reading sentences like this:
I don’t know, I go. Welcome Emma and Simon, she goes.
English teachers will want to stab themselves in the eye when they read this. Please, please don't let this be a new writing trend!
The novel is slick and mildly interesting. There is a twist at the end, thank goodness, but it misses the mark and tries too hard to be cool. Hoping Ron Howard will ratchet up the coolness factor in his new movie version.
For a book that is centered on a minimalist approach to life in a spare, modern home--this story is a bit messy! Oh, the irony. Marie Kondo, where are you? Clean up on aisle 5!!
I was immediately sucked in to the plot. Most readers will identify with the depressing search for an affordable place to live that is also stylish and meets all of our must-haves. It doesn’t exist.
What if you find out that there is a gorgeous modern home available for very little moolah? It has everything. State of the art technology is hidden within the pale gray stone walls. Everything you could ever want in high end luxury is available at your fingertips in this smart house.
The famous architect, Edward Monkford, is the owner and creator of this modernistic miracle. But, there is a catch to scoring the rental deal of the century. Of course.
You must take a lengthy personality assessment quiz. You must be personally approved by Monkford himself. You MUST SIGN A CONTRACT that states you will never leave a dirty glass out on the kitchen counter, or leave anything out anywhere in the house at anytime. You may not move in anything but your essentials. NOT EVEN BOOKS! Yes, you heard me right, books are not essential according to Monkford. (insert crying laughing face) And, while you’re signing this contract so fast, hoping Monkford won’t change his mind about you, watch out! You may be literally signing your life away.
Emma and Jane are our alternating narrators, Emma is THEN and Jane is NOW, so that makes Emma THE GIRL BEFORE. Except, not really. There was a girl before Emma, Monkford’s wife, Elizabeth. Uggggghhhhh. Got all that?
Co-winky-dink alert: The three women look just alike. They all fall in love with the starchitect (at different points in time). They are all struggling with personal crises in their lives. Three people have actually died there. Will Jane be next?
Monkford is a controlling narcissist. The damaged women all fall under his commanding spell. Gag. GETTING VERY TIRED OF THESE WIMPY FEMALE CHARACTERS! C’mon fiction writers!
The story just wasn’t compelling enough to keep me hooked after the first few chapters. It lingers on with the biggest challenge keeping Emma and Jane separate in your mind. Although the audio book is very well done by the narrator, the chapters are way too confusing to listen and follow. I ended up reading the book on Kindle.
A minor stylistic point, but what the heck with the way this author writes dialogue? The pseudo named JP Delaney uses the word "go" instead of "said". No quotation marks either. I’m okay with that, although it puts the action in a passive present tense. Weird. I truly hate reading sentences like this:
I don’t know, I go. Welcome Emma and Simon, she goes.
English teachers will want to stab themselves in the eye when they read this. Please, please don't let this be a new writing trend!
The novel is slick and mildly interesting. There is a twist at the end, thank goodness, but it misses the mark and tries too hard to be cool. Hoping Ron Howard will ratchet up the coolness factor in his new movie version.
August 7, 2020
Overhyped and underwhelmed.
Honestly, I should've known better. I mean, first of all, it had the word "Girl" in the title, which was a clue that it would be bandwaggoning the tail end of a trend. And then, once I finished reading it, I found Emily May's review that made the connection between this book and Fifty Shades of Grey.
Here is a list of all of the things I hated about this book:
1. Edward. His character was completely unconvincing. I haven't read FSoG and I have no plans to do so. However, that book has permeated the pop culture to the level that even I was able to draw the parallels between his character and Christian Grey. "I don't do traditional relationships," he purred, smoothly. "I'm coming over, and I'm going to take you to bed," he told her (completely out of the blue, by the way). If a man said that to me, I'd meet him at the door with a sledgehammer and a restraining order. Not that Jane would have a sledgehammer, since it's probably a violation of the preposterous rules that she agreed to before moving into the house to have a sledgehammer.
2. BDSM. Never have I been so unconvinced of spanking in a book. Never.
3. BDSM (again). When Emma called him "daddy" it literally came out of nowhere. The ultimate sexual non sequitur. Where in the hell did that come from?
4. Emma. Shut your fucking face you lying liar who lies. Honestly, she was one of the most unlikeable female characters in any book ever. She lied about everything. Everything that made her sympathetic turned out to be entirely false. There were three sociopaths in this book, and she was one of them. Are we supposed to like her? I'm unclear on this point.
5. Jane. She is basically the equivalent of that dumb blonde in a horror movie who hides behind the wall of whirling knives instead of running the fuck away while she can.
6. It's treatment of trauma was totally surface and entirely based on the author's idea of what some one who has experienced trauma might do.
7. The house itself was entirely creepy and no one would ever live there. People who are alive, and who are not wax statues, do things that create clutter and mess. Even the tidiest house will have, at a minimum, a family photo displayed. Living in that house would be like living in a mausoleum. No one would voluntarily live in a mausoleum before they had actually become a corpse.
8. The twist. I figured it out. Go away.
9. The dual narrations in opposing chapters. Tired. Trite. Been done.
10. The ending. Nice gimmick.
So, yeah, there really wasn't anything I liked about this book. I should've known better, really, than to buy it. But can this trend of unrealistic characters and their behaviors in "realistic" fiction be over now, please?
Honestly, I should've known better. I mean, first of all, it had the word "Girl" in the title, which was a clue that it would be bandwaggoning the tail end of a trend. And then, once I finished reading it, I found Emily May's review that made the connection between this book and Fifty Shades of Grey.
Here is a list of all of the things I hated about this book:
1. Edward. His character was completely unconvincing. I haven't read FSoG and I have no plans to do so. However, that book has permeated the pop culture to the level that even I was able to draw the parallels between his character and Christian Grey. "I don't do traditional relationships," he purred, smoothly. "I'm coming over, and I'm going to take you to bed," he told her (completely out of the blue, by the way). If a man said that to me, I'd meet him at the door with a sledgehammer and a restraining order. Not that Jane would have a sledgehammer, since it's probably a violation of the preposterous rules that she agreed to before moving into the house to have a sledgehammer.
2. BDSM. Never have I been so unconvinced of spanking in a book. Never.
3. BDSM (again). When Emma called him "daddy" it literally came out of nowhere. The ultimate sexual non sequitur. Where in the hell did that come from?
4. Emma. Shut your fucking face you lying liar who lies. Honestly, she was one of the most unlikeable female characters in any book ever. She lied about everything. Everything that made her sympathetic turned out to be entirely false. There were three sociopaths in this book, and she was one of them. Are we supposed to like her? I'm unclear on this point.
5. Jane. She is basically the equivalent of that dumb blonde in a horror movie who hides behind the wall of whirling knives instead of running the fuck away while she can.
6. It's treatment of trauma was totally surface and entirely based on the author's idea of what some one who has experienced trauma might do.
7. The house itself was entirely creepy and no one would ever live there. People who are alive, and who are not wax statues, do things that create clutter and mess. Even the tidiest house will have, at a minimum, a family photo displayed. Living in that house would be like living in a mausoleum. No one would voluntarily live in a mausoleum before they had actually become a corpse.
8. The twist. I figured it out. Go away.
9. The dual narrations in opposing chapters. Tired. Trite. Been done.
10. The ending. Nice gimmick.
So, yeah, there really wasn't anything I liked about this book. I should've known better, really, than to buy it. But can this trend of unrealistic characters and their behaviors in "realistic" fiction be over now, please?
July 7, 2023
Two intricately intertwined stories featuring two women experiencing similar events in the past and present. The psychological aspect is an understatement!
August 18, 2018
If I am rating this solely on my review rating system this book gets no more than 2 stars from me. It was just okay and for the most part it wasn’t an enjoyable read for me. I listened to the audio version of this book and what I did really like though was the narrators as it was performed very well by Emilia Fox, Finty Williams, and Lisa Aagaard Knudsen.
While the premise of THE GIRL BEFORE by J.P. DELANEY did sound quite intriguing to me and there was definitely something about this book that did hold my interest enough to keep me wanting to listen to the end. There were just way too many things included in this storyline that just didn’t work for me and just seemed ridiculous. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. At one point I wasn’t even going to finish listening to it as I was so turned off and it had a 50 shades kind of feel to it which is just not my kinda thing. However I continued as I did need to know how this was going to play out. I am glad I am finished.
What I did like was the format of the storyline as it was delivered in alternating short chapters between then and now mirroring the points of view of our two main characters; Emma the previous tenant and Jane the current tenant. Which I found to be an enjoyable way to listen to this story.
All of Brenda’s and my reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
While the premise of THE GIRL BEFORE by J.P. DELANEY did sound quite intriguing to me and there was definitely something about this book that did hold my interest enough to keep me wanting to listen to the end. There were just way too many things included in this storyline that just didn’t work for me and just seemed ridiculous. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. At one point I wasn’t even going to finish listening to it as I was so turned off and it had a 50 shades kind of feel to it which is just not my kinda thing. However I continued as I did need to know how this was going to play out. I am glad I am finished.
What I did like was the format of the storyline as it was delivered in alternating short chapters between then and now mirroring the points of view of our two main characters; Emma the previous tenant and Jane the current tenant. Which I found to be an enjoyable way to listen to this story.
All of Brenda’s and my reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
December 11, 2016
I received a copy of The Girl Before through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Ballantine Books and to J.P. Delaney for the opportunity.
To control or to be controlled?......now that is the question.
The Girl Before has more wicked cogs in the wheel than a jacked-up Monster truck in high gear. And that wheel keeps turning and turning throughout the entire story. Some days that wheel grinds in the down and dirty. Some days it revs up speed and gains relentless traction.
Emma Matthews lives in the "once upon a gruesome time". Her spin in the wheel is entitled "Then". Emma and her boyfriend, Simon, are desperate for a safe haven after Emma is attacked in their present apartment. Fear makes you snap at quick decisions. Desperately, they apply for residency at a slick, state-of-the-art building. Even all the mind-blowing questionaires and restrictions don't deter them. No books (Ah, c'mon now!), no cushions, no placemats, no personal items left out. And they sign on the dotted line.
Edward is the award winning architect and owner of this granite luxury edifice. He lost his wife and young son in a freak accident not long before. Living in Japan for a time afterwards, Edward returns to manage his property. And manage he does......quite to the nth degree.
Jane Cavendish resides in the time slot entitled "Now". She will be the latest occupant of One Folgate Street. She recently gave birth to a stillborn little girl and has been devastated by the loss. Jane, too, is seeking solace behind the walls of this highly efficient building. Although this "covenant" seems highly imposing and limiting, Jane signs on the dotted line as well.
Soon Jane begins to connect occurrences in her present situation to those of Emma in the past. Things just don't seem to add up. What actually happened to Emma?
The Girl Before will be made into a movie by Ron Howard. It brings to mind a Julia Roberts movie (1991) called Sleeping With the Enemy. Remember how the canned goods and spices had to be stacked just so and the towels primly arranged on the rack? Oh, sweetheart, this is just the beginning......
The Girl Before is one sharp-ended story that reaches deeply into the slightly tilted minds of its characters. Not everyone has a solid handle on their secrets in this one. Appearances can be deceiving. "No one who lives in this house should expect privacy." And privacy was left on the curb just footsteps from the entrance of that solid front door.
To control or to be controlled?......now that is the question.
The Girl Before has more wicked cogs in the wheel than a jacked-up Monster truck in high gear. And that wheel keeps turning and turning throughout the entire story. Some days that wheel grinds in the down and dirty. Some days it revs up speed and gains relentless traction.
Emma Matthews lives in the "once upon a gruesome time". Her spin in the wheel is entitled "Then". Emma and her boyfriend, Simon, are desperate for a safe haven after Emma is attacked in their present apartment. Fear makes you snap at quick decisions. Desperately, they apply for residency at a slick, state-of-the-art building. Even all the mind-blowing questionaires and restrictions don't deter them. No books (Ah, c'mon now!), no cushions, no placemats, no personal items left out. And they sign on the dotted line.
Edward is the award winning architect and owner of this granite luxury edifice. He lost his wife and young son in a freak accident not long before. Living in Japan for a time afterwards, Edward returns to manage his property. And manage he does......quite to the nth degree.
Jane Cavendish resides in the time slot entitled "Now". She will be the latest occupant of One Folgate Street. She recently gave birth to a stillborn little girl and has been devastated by the loss. Jane, too, is seeking solace behind the walls of this highly efficient building. Although this "covenant" seems highly imposing and limiting, Jane signs on the dotted line as well.
Soon Jane begins to connect occurrences in her present situation to those of Emma in the past. Things just don't seem to add up. What actually happened to Emma?
The Girl Before will be made into a movie by Ron Howard. It brings to mind a Julia Roberts movie (1991) called Sleeping With the Enemy. Remember how the canned goods and spices had to be stacked just so and the towels primly arranged on the rack? Oh, sweetheart, this is just the beginning......
The Girl Before is one sharp-ended story that reaches deeply into the slightly tilted minds of its characters. Not everyone has a solid handle on their secrets in this one. Appearances can be deceiving. "No one who lives in this house should expect privacy." And privacy was left on the curb just footsteps from the entrance of that solid front door.
February 14, 2017
2.5 stars. What a let down this book was and its being made into a movie!?! I don't get it. The most intriguing part of this book was the creepy "techy" house!!!
December 20, 2020
First Read (Chapter Sampler), November 2016, Rating: 5/5 stars
Second Read: March 2017, Rating : 4/5 stars
Second Reading
This is my first time reading the entire book, as I had only previously read a sampler. The sampler measured in as 17% of the total book, which is quite lengthy portion and definitely had my intrigue piqued.
There are so many physiological thrillers available today that sell themselves as in the style of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins. Very few actually come close to living up to the powerhouses in this genre. This book, however, deserves to sit beside them.
This dark and brooding tale was alive with emotion and drew the reader into the tension of the tale. The story wasn't set out in chronological order and this provided room for the tale to slowly unfurl, and share its secrets with the reader at its own pace. The telling of the tale, as well as the setting of it, were as alive as the characters, and all three worked together to provide something suspenseful, shocking and totally unique!
First Reading
I have never read a sample of a book before and, to be honest, have never been interested in doing so. When I received an email proclaiming that I was eligible for a portion of this book I downloaded it to my Kindle without any real idea of when or if I would get to it. One day, however, I found myself short of time and eager for a quick read to finish, which is how I ended picking this up.
I was hooked from the very first page! This sample contained a considerable quantity of the book, containing approximately twenty short chapters, and I flew through all of it in one sitting.
Told from the split perspectives of Emma, in the past, and Jane, in the present, this chronicles the similar paths both their lives took once they became the occupant of the infamous 1 Folgate Street. Designed by cutting-edge architect, Edward Monketon, this house is unlike any other. And Monketon required his tenants to live their life unlike any other, as well.
This is the absolute definition of spine-tingling! This managed to make a modern house, full of straight lines and futuristic technology feel like a chilling, Gothic mansion, full of shadowed corners and ghosts of homeowners past. And all without dwelling on any of the melodrama associated with that genre.
The no-nonsense style of writing mirrored the architect of the house and became just as much a function of the tale as the characters and the setting. I am so eager to uncover the mysteries concerning this unique and compelling thriller and can't wait until I can get the rest of the book in my hands!
I received this in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, J.P. Delaney, and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for this opportunity.
Second Read: March 2017, Rating : 4/5 stars
Second Reading
This is my first time reading the entire book, as I had only previously read a sampler. The sampler measured in as 17% of the total book, which is quite lengthy portion and definitely had my intrigue piqued.
There are so many physiological thrillers available today that sell themselves as in the style of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins. Very few actually come close to living up to the powerhouses in this genre. This book, however, deserves to sit beside them.
This dark and brooding tale was alive with emotion and drew the reader into the tension of the tale. The story wasn't set out in chronological order and this provided room for the tale to slowly unfurl, and share its secrets with the reader at its own pace. The telling of the tale, as well as the setting of it, were as alive as the characters, and all three worked together to provide something suspenseful, shocking and totally unique!
First Reading
I have never read a sample of a book before and, to be honest, have never been interested in doing so. When I received an email proclaiming that I was eligible for a portion of this book I downloaded it to my Kindle without any real idea of when or if I would get to it. One day, however, I found myself short of time and eager for a quick read to finish, which is how I ended picking this up.
I was hooked from the very first page! This sample contained a considerable quantity of the book, containing approximately twenty short chapters, and I flew through all of it in one sitting.
Told from the split perspectives of Emma, in the past, and Jane, in the present, this chronicles the similar paths both their lives took once they became the occupant of the infamous 1 Folgate Street. Designed by cutting-edge architect, Edward Monketon, this house is unlike any other. And Monketon required his tenants to live their life unlike any other, as well.
This is the absolute definition of spine-tingling! This managed to make a modern house, full of straight lines and futuristic technology feel like a chilling, Gothic mansion, full of shadowed corners and ghosts of homeowners past. And all without dwelling on any of the melodrama associated with that genre.
The no-nonsense style of writing mirrored the architect of the house and became just as much a function of the tale as the characters and the setting. I am so eager to uncover the mysteries concerning this unique and compelling thriller and can't wait until I can get the rest of the book in my hands!
I received this in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, J.P. Delaney, and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for this opportunity.
October 6, 2017
"You can make your surroundings as polished and empty as you like. But it doesn't really matter if you're still messed up inside."
3.5 // Though it did have it's twists and turns it wasn't as good as Gone Girl or Girl on the Train to me.
3.5 // Though it did have it's twists and turns it wasn't as good as Gone Girl or Girl on the Train to me.
October 28, 2016
The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney is a 2017 Ballantine publication.
I’m just loving these imaginative psychological thrillers coming out recently!!
While this appears to be a debut novel, this author apparently has some experience with crime writing, having written this book under a pseudonym. I wish I knew who the ‘crime writer’ is- but I suppose that’s a mystery for another day.
In the meantime, I hear this book might be the basis for a movie, and Ron Howard would be the director! So, if that isn’t enough to peak your interest, I don’t know what will.
While this is yet ANOTHER book for ‘fans of ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘The Girl on the Train’, and yes, it does have the requisite ‘Girl’ in the title, this book stands on its own merits and needs no other comparison.
Two very different women, both having suffered emotional traumas, move in, at different times, into a very affordable, unique, technologically advanced apartment that stresses a minimalist lifestyle. The apartment’s owner screens his tenants by having them fill out a lengthy questionaire, and insists they sign a contract promising to adhere to a strict set of rules… around two hundred of them,(!!!) and if they are not obeyed there will be conseqences.
The story alternates between the first person perspectives of Emma and Jane as they describe their time living in Edward Monkford’s apartment building. As the story progresses, we learn the two women bear a striking resemblance to one another, are both attracted to Edward, despite his OCD tendencies, but, Jane discovers that the previous tenant… Emma, died in the apartment, an apparent victim of suicide.
Jane becomes somewhat obsessed with Emma and her backstory, while her own personal relationship with Edward begins to deepen. But, her investigation into Emma’s death could come back to haunt her….
While it may seem obvious who ‘the girl before’ is, and some may guess correctly, I admit I didn’t see the twist coming and was completely surprised by the way the story developed.
The suspense is low key initially, with just a mild creepy feeling permeating the sterile environment the two women live in. But, as the story develops, a feeling of dread begins to grow, and before too long, I found myself immersed in these women’s lives, wanting to send out a warning signal, to advise caution, but didn't know who or what the main threat was.
The writing is superb, as the author drew me in, held my attention, managing to evoke feelings of concern for the tenants, on top of creating the feeling of foreboding and dread, that kept me turning those pages.
Of the two women, one is more controversial and the other is mildly bland, and were not necessarily people I related to or felt a kinship with, but I did feel sympathy for them and worried on their behalf, despite feeling frustrated with them at times.
I was slightly conflicted by the ending, which was somewhat anticlimactic, in my opinion. Other than that, I thought this was a pretty solid thriller, with a unique set up, and kept me interested from beginning to end.
4 stars
I’m just loving these imaginative psychological thrillers coming out recently!!
While this appears to be a debut novel, this author apparently has some experience with crime writing, having written this book under a pseudonym. I wish I knew who the ‘crime writer’ is- but I suppose that’s a mystery for another day.
In the meantime, I hear this book might be the basis for a movie, and Ron Howard would be the director! So, if that isn’t enough to peak your interest, I don’t know what will.
While this is yet ANOTHER book for ‘fans of ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘The Girl on the Train’, and yes, it does have the requisite ‘Girl’ in the title, this book stands on its own merits and needs no other comparison.
Two very different women, both having suffered emotional traumas, move in, at different times, into a very affordable, unique, technologically advanced apartment that stresses a minimalist lifestyle. The apartment’s owner screens his tenants by having them fill out a lengthy questionaire, and insists they sign a contract promising to adhere to a strict set of rules… around two hundred of them,(!!!) and if they are not obeyed there will be conseqences.
The story alternates between the first person perspectives of Emma and Jane as they describe their time living in Edward Monkford’s apartment building. As the story progresses, we learn the two women bear a striking resemblance to one another, are both attracted to Edward, despite his OCD tendencies, but, Jane discovers that the previous tenant… Emma, died in the apartment, an apparent victim of suicide.
Jane becomes somewhat obsessed with Emma and her backstory, while her own personal relationship with Edward begins to deepen. But, her investigation into Emma’s death could come back to haunt her….
While it may seem obvious who ‘the girl before’ is, and some may guess correctly, I admit I didn’t see the twist coming and was completely surprised by the way the story developed.
The suspense is low key initially, with just a mild creepy feeling permeating the sterile environment the two women live in. But, as the story develops, a feeling of dread begins to grow, and before too long, I found myself immersed in these women’s lives, wanting to send out a warning signal, to advise caution, but didn't know who or what the main threat was.
The writing is superb, as the author drew me in, held my attention, managing to evoke feelings of concern for the tenants, on top of creating the feeling of foreboding and dread, that kept me turning those pages.
Of the two women, one is more controversial and the other is mildly bland, and were not necessarily people I related to or felt a kinship with, but I did feel sympathy for them and worried on their behalf, despite feeling frustrated with them at times.
I was slightly conflicted by the ending, which was somewhat anticlimactic, in my opinion. Other than that, I thought this was a pretty solid thriller, with a unique set up, and kept me interested from beginning to end.
4 stars
February 25, 2017
I enjoyed the format of the storyline--short paragraphs--alternating between "then" and "now"/"Emma" and "Jane." It was a clever way to keep the reader focused. I thought the plot was very creative and, of course, the ending was a total surprise. Also, after being officially named a "Cover Girl," how about that beautifully intriguing cover? That, alone, makes you want to buy it.
This book is going to make a fabulous movie. While reading it, I kept visualizing the sleek, totally automated house and all the characters playing out their roles to the point of hearing the background music and the sound effects. Most of all, I could feel the uneasy periods of controlled silence. JP Delaney was very successful in bringing this story to life.
I'd definitely recommend "The Girl Before" to all those who love a good suspense novel.
This book is going to make a fabulous movie. While reading it, I kept visualizing the sleek, totally automated house and all the characters playing out their roles to the point of hearing the background music and the sound effects. Most of all, I could feel the uneasy periods of controlled silence. JP Delaney was very successful in bringing this story to life.
I'd definitely recommend "The Girl Before" to all those who love a good suspense novel.
February 7, 2017
A unique house with a particular landlord, they say. A restrictive covenant, but affordable. A lot of rules, a harrowing application process. Only if you think it is worth it.
One Folgate Street. It was built by a techno-minimalist architect named Edward Monkford. There is an intense 200-question application, a face-to-face interview with the ones Edward personally approves, and even then..they rarely get the lease. And if you do, you have to live by strict rules and adapt to this minimalist lifestyle. It is all in the contract. Things like no children or pets, no curtains or rugs, everything must be put away at all times (including dishes, clothes, etc), no books, nothing left out on floors, no flatbed furniture, etc. Plus you’re required to keep the same cleaning service on, must open the house to visitors for architecture tours, and must take assessments every month to see how you change throughout your stay at One Folgate Street.
Not my cup of tea to live under such a strict lifestyle. The two women in this story both went through a trauma before needing to find somewhere new to live on a budget. And One Folgate Street is a house that allows for people to live beyond their means (in terms of rent). Emma and Simon recently had a break in, so Emma needs to feel safe. Emma is the girl from then.
And Jane’s chapters are marked now. Jane gave birth to a stillborn and is reeling from the loss. For Jane the house feels like it could be a fresh start. It doesn’t take long for her to learn about the previous tenant that died in the house who looked eerily similar to herself. And slowly, she becomes a woman obsessed and caught up in the girl before.
But is the girl before who we think it is? Get ready for some twists.
Now re-read my first paragraph. If you have issue with that being dialogue and not having quotation marks, you may not enjoy Emma’s chapters as that is how they are written. This does help to differentiate them Jane’s, but it takes some getting used to.
There is a lot more sex than I would’ve expected because it wasn’t exactly necessary. I’m no prude. I’m just looking at how it worked into the plot and some scenes felt like added length as they added nothing to the story.
The ending felt somewhat tame, though it was still satisfying. I guess it wasn’t as explosive as I was hoping. I liked the random application questions that were thrown in the story sporadically. It got me thinking what my answers would be and what kind of person I am compared to the characters in the book. Overall, I was hoping for a bit more of a fast-paced, twisty thriller. :/
One Folgate Street. It was built by a techno-minimalist architect named Edward Monkford. There is an intense 200-question application, a face-to-face interview with the ones Edward personally approves, and even then..they rarely get the lease. And if you do, you have to live by strict rules and adapt to this minimalist lifestyle. It is all in the contract. Things like no children or pets, no curtains or rugs, everything must be put away at all times (including dishes, clothes, etc), no books, nothing left out on floors, no flatbed furniture, etc. Plus you’re required to keep the same cleaning service on, must open the house to visitors for architecture tours, and must take assessments every month to see how you change throughout your stay at One Folgate Street.
Not my cup of tea to live under such a strict lifestyle. The two women in this story both went through a trauma before needing to find somewhere new to live on a budget. And One Folgate Street is a house that allows for people to live beyond their means (in terms of rent). Emma and Simon recently had a break in, so Emma needs to feel safe. Emma is the girl from then.
And Jane’s chapters are marked now. Jane gave birth to a stillborn and is reeling from the loss. For Jane the house feels like it could be a fresh start. It doesn’t take long for her to learn about the previous tenant that died in the house who looked eerily similar to herself. And slowly, she becomes a woman obsessed and caught up in the girl before.
But is the girl before who we think it is? Get ready for some twists.
Now re-read my first paragraph. If you have issue with that being dialogue and not having quotation marks, you may not enjoy Emma’s chapters as that is how they are written. This does help to differentiate them Jane’s, but it takes some getting used to.
There is a lot more sex than I would’ve expected because it wasn’t exactly necessary. I’m no prude. I’m just looking at how it worked into the plot and some scenes felt like added length as they added nothing to the story.
The ending felt somewhat tame, though it was still satisfying. I guess it wasn’t as explosive as I was hoping. I liked the random application questions that were thrown in the story sporadically. It got me thinking what my answers would be and what kind of person I am compared to the characters in the book. Overall, I was hoping for a bit more of a fast-paced, twisty thriller. :/
April 25, 2019
Review can be found at: https://booknerdtan.wordpress.com/201...
This book had me hooked from the very first page and I found it near enough impossible to put down. Definitely one of those books that will keep you up all night. I have been meaning to read this book ever since it was released and I really am regretting letting it take me so long!
The plot was like nothing I have read before. If anyone knows of any similar plot lines in other books please let me know because I am ready to read more! A very calculating, manipulative and tentative read, it keeps you on the edge all the way through.
I found all the characters intriguing in their own ways with the exception of Jane. For some reason all her chapters just fell a little short for me and I wanted to get back to other people’s points of view.
I’m a lover of short, snappy chapters that keep you continuously hooked and this had that down to a tee. I loved the way the chapters were broken up by the questions that the house was asking them, such a good touch.
The way in which this story was written made me feel claustrophobic as if I was the resident in the house; the imagery was so vivid and the atmosphere created was dark and creepy and I loved it. I probably shouldn’t have, but I totally fell in love with Emma’s character. Her story was so interesting and personality was wild.
I have to give credit to the author for not giving away too much until the right point in the book; I’m pretty good at guessing the plot early on and spoiling the book for myself, but this kept me guessing for the majority of the time.
To anyone who enjoys their dark and twisted thrillers, I cannot recommend this enough!
This book had me hooked from the very first page and I found it near enough impossible to put down. Definitely one of those books that will keep you up all night. I have been meaning to read this book ever since it was released and I really am regretting letting it take me so long!
The plot was like nothing I have read before. If anyone knows of any similar plot lines in other books please let me know because I am ready to read more! A very calculating, manipulative and tentative read, it keeps you on the edge all the way through.
I found all the characters intriguing in their own ways with the exception of Jane. For some reason all her chapters just fell a little short for me and I wanted to get back to other people’s points of view.
I’m a lover of short, snappy chapters that keep you continuously hooked and this had that down to a tee. I loved the way the chapters were broken up by the questions that the house was asking them, such a good touch.
The way in which this story was written made me feel claustrophobic as if I was the resident in the house; the imagery was so vivid and the atmosphere created was dark and creepy and I loved it. I probably shouldn’t have, but I totally fell in love with Emma’s character. Her story was so interesting and personality was wild.
I have to give credit to the author for not giving away too much until the right point in the book; I’m pretty good at guessing the plot early on and spoiling the book for myself, but this kept me guessing for the majority of the time.
To anyone who enjoys their dark and twisted thrillers, I cannot recommend this enough!
December 17, 2016
The Girl Before is a psychological thriller from JP Delaney, a pseudonym for a writer who has previously written bestselling fiction under other names. A film version is being brought to the screen by Academy Award–winning director Ron Howard and I am sure this will prove to be one of the hits of 2017.
The story focuses on the property 1 Folgate Street,this is no ordinary house, it is state of the art and won the Stirling Prize. It has the latest home technology and was designed by architect Edward Monkton who insists on extreme minimalism which is bordering on the obsessive. Edward Monkton designed the property for his family but made it available for lease following the death of his wife and son. With a list of over 200 conditions that have to be strictly adhered to by whoever lives there and a very thorough interview process for would be tenants it is proving difficult to lease. The story focuses on two troubled women who live at 1 Folgate Street, Emma from the past, and Jane in the present.
For the first half of the book I was totally hooked and read the novel at every possible opportunity. It was easy to see why this book was getting so much positive attention and plans to bring to the big screen so far advanced. I was already thinking this book was going to get a high rating off me but then I don't know what exactly changed but my interest suddenly dwindled. I totally understand why other reviewers are raving about it and I am pretty sure I will watch the film when released but unfortunately I didn't find the second half of the novel anywhere as powerful as the opening.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Quercus books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story focuses on the property 1 Folgate Street,this is no ordinary house, it is state of the art and won the Stirling Prize. It has the latest home technology and was designed by architect Edward Monkton who insists on extreme minimalism which is bordering on the obsessive. Edward Monkton designed the property for his family but made it available for lease following the death of his wife and son. With a list of over 200 conditions that have to be strictly adhered to by whoever lives there and a very thorough interview process for would be tenants it is proving difficult to lease. The story focuses on two troubled women who live at 1 Folgate Street, Emma from the past, and Jane in the present.
For the first half of the book I was totally hooked and read the novel at every possible opportunity. It was easy to see why this book was getting so much positive attention and plans to bring to the big screen so far advanced. I was already thinking this book was going to get a high rating off me but then I don't know what exactly changed but my interest suddenly dwindled. I totally understand why other reviewers are raving about it and I am pretty sure I will watch the film when released but unfortunately I didn't find the second half of the novel anywhere as powerful as the opening.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Quercus books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2017
I went into this book with a very open mind. It didn't gel with a lot of people and I respect that!
This book is as much about a house from its history to its construction to the contract to live in it as it is about the characters. In alternating viewpoints from Emma(then) and Jane(now) it's an unraveling of what mysteries and secrets this house holds. It was a suspenseful read with the loose ends tied up in the end. But as long as the house stands, this will be a never ending story.
This book is as much about a house from its history to its construction to the contract to live in it as it is about the characters. In alternating viewpoints from Emma(then) and Jane(now) it's an unraveling of what mysteries and secrets this house holds. It was a suspenseful read with the loose ends tied up in the end. But as long as the house stands, this will be a never ending story.
February 6, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Look at here it’s another addition to the category of . . . . .
And when Ron Howard buys the rights to your novel before it even gets published you don’t even have to pussyfoot around. This one gets compared in the blurb to both Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train. (Two stories which have absolutely nothing in common, but who gives a shit right? Those name drops sell themselves!)
Per usual when it comes to these “if you loved ______________, you’ll really love this” comparisons, I found this one to be just aiiiight and absolutely not at all like its predecessors.
The Girl Before is told in the “Now” and in the “Then.” The “Then” focuses on Emma and the “Now” features Jane. Both women had some sort of superbadawful they were trying to get over when an opportunity to reside at One Folgate Street presented itself. While each woman’s first instinct was to be wary of a landlord who made them answer an invasive questionnaire and would still probably turn them down, they each opted to do so for personal reasons – which eventually had them answering the question . . . .
“Do you know what a restrictive covenant is?”
To which I replied . . . .
I deal with that shizz errrry day and it’s boring as hell. Luckily this story wasn’t as boring as my job. One Folgate Street was a home designed to take care of all of your creature comforts via a smart program known as “Housekeeper” . . . .
But it was also a house with some skeletons in the closet . . . or at the bottom of the staircase/buried in the backyard, if you will. The Girl Before definitely isn’t anything that’s going to change your life, but it was an o-kay mystery thriller with some fairly decent twists and turns and it reminded me a bit of a blast from my past . . . .
(A book I’m terrified to read because everyone seems to hate it even more than they do the film.)
In fact, things were going along swimmingly until the point where this happened . . . .
“Yes Daddy. Yes.”
2.5 Stars it is.
So enough about the book, let’s talk about the movie for a second. Dear Ron Howard, even though the leading ladies in this story are described as Audrey Hepburn-esque brunettes, do me a solid and use the fact that these two women are interchangeable to your advantage . . . .
One’s even your own kid so you should be able to sign her up for cheap.
And if you need someone to make a cameo as the dead wife????? Look no further . . . .
(You can send my casting fee to kellyandthebookboar@paypal.com. Thanks in advance.)
Book #10(?????? I think) in the Library Winter Reading Challenge – “Read to Reel.”
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
Look at here it’s another addition to the category of . . . . .
And when Ron Howard buys the rights to your novel before it even gets published you don’t even have to pussyfoot around. This one gets compared in the blurb to both Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train. (Two stories which have absolutely nothing in common, but who gives a shit right? Those name drops sell themselves!)
Per usual when it comes to these “if you loved ______________, you’ll really love this” comparisons, I found this one to be just aiiiight and absolutely not at all like its predecessors.
The Girl Before is told in the “Now” and in the “Then.” The “Then” focuses on Emma and the “Now” features Jane. Both women had some sort of superbadawful they were trying to get over when an opportunity to reside at One Folgate Street presented itself. While each woman’s first instinct was to be wary of a landlord who made them answer an invasive questionnaire and would still probably turn them down, they each opted to do so for personal reasons – which eventually had them answering the question . . . .
“Do you know what a restrictive covenant is?”
To which I replied . . . .
I deal with that shizz errrry day and it’s boring as hell. Luckily this story wasn’t as boring as my job. One Folgate Street was a home designed to take care of all of your creature comforts via a smart program known as “Housekeeper” . . . .
But it was also a house with some skeletons in the closet . . . or at the bottom of the staircase/buried in the backyard, if you will. The Girl Before definitely isn’t anything that’s going to change your life, but it was an o-kay mystery thriller with some fairly decent twists and turns and it reminded me a bit of a blast from my past . . . .
(A book I’m terrified to read because everyone seems to hate it even more than they do the film.)
In fact, things were going along swimmingly until the point where this happened . . . .
“Yes Daddy. Yes.”
2.5 Stars it is.
So enough about the book, let’s talk about the movie for a second. Dear Ron Howard, even though the leading ladies in this story are described as Audrey Hepburn-esque brunettes, do me a solid and use the fact that these two women are interchangeable to your advantage . . . .
One’s even your own kid so you should be able to sign her up for cheap.
And if you need someone to make a cameo as the dead wife????? Look no further . . . .
(You can send my casting fee to kellyandthebookboar@paypal.com. Thanks in advance.)
Book #10(?????? I think) in the Library Winter Reading Challenge – “Read to Reel.”
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
February 6, 2017
3.5 stars
The setting in The Girl Before may be questionable and wholeheartedly ridiculous, but it created a very interesting backdrop to an equally interesting relationship dynamic between the female lead: Jane and her OCD/controlling landlord, along with the mystery of what happened to the girl before: Emma. Both of these women share alternating POV's which allows the reader some insight into the characters and various other elements within the story. The Girl Before has mixed reviews and I can see why. There are components that will be eye-roll worthy for some but intriguing for others...for me it was a tiny bit of both, but more of the latter. I appreciated J.P. Delaney's attention to detail when it came to developing Jane's and Emma's characters, although it was difficult at times to remember who's perspective I was reading. Overall, I liked this psychological thriller and am interested to seeing how it will be adapted to film. Like I said, the reviews are mixed so read a few from both sides and see if this one is right for you.
My favorite quote:
"You can make your surroundings as polished and empty as you'd like but it doesn't really matter if you're still messed up inside."
The setting in The Girl Before may be questionable and wholeheartedly ridiculous, but it created a very interesting backdrop to an equally interesting relationship dynamic between the female lead: Jane and her OCD/controlling landlord, along with the mystery of what happened to the girl before: Emma. Both of these women share alternating POV's which allows the reader some insight into the characters and various other elements within the story. The Girl Before has mixed reviews and I can see why. There are components that will be eye-roll worthy for some but intriguing for others...for me it was a tiny bit of both, but more of the latter. I appreciated J.P. Delaney's attention to detail when it came to developing Jane's and Emma's characters, although it was difficult at times to remember who's perspective I was reading. Overall, I liked this psychological thriller and am interested to seeing how it will be adapted to film. Like I said, the reviews are mixed so read a few from both sides and see if this one is right for you.
My favorite quote:
"You can make your surroundings as polished and empty as you'd like but it doesn't really matter if you're still messed up inside."
June 16, 2017
1.5 stars
"Every woman adores a fascist…"
- Sylvia Plath
Sorry for the incredibly predictable quote at the top there, guys, but I thought you needed a warning: that above quote is basically the entire principle of the novel. The Gone Girl comp is painful for me. That book is my favourite of 2013, and one of my favourite books of all time; I was incredibly excited about this book, not because of that comp, but because of the interesting & exciting premise. Unfortunately, the result is more like 50 Shades of Grey meets a pale, brutally-murdered corpse of Gone Girl.
50 Shades of Grey? Yep, there's a devilishly handsome, accomplished architect that neither of the two (lame, weak, poorly-developed) women are able to resist; there's BDSM; there's even a frigging contract. I'll tell you this, though, guys: I've had more erotic headaches than this book. Seriously, this book is so replete with awful erotica cliches, I was cringing throughout, from such golden lines as:
Yes please, Daddy.
Or Edward, the architect, sticking his finger up some woman's vagina in the middle of a massive society party for famous architects (or something), and causing her to go weak at the knees with the daring & impossibility of this all.
The problem is, there's potential here - real potential. I loved the description of One Folgate Street, and a few of the set pieces, such as when Jane finds Emma's sleeping bag abandoned in a hideaway in the house. I loved the idea, and the continued ideas - especially Edward's interrogation of Jane through his "questions." I thought Jane's final decision was lovely and moving, and pointed towards a wholly different, quieter, but BETTER novel lurking inside the empty, glassy shell of this one: a contemporary novel about one woman's (not two's) impossible choices, longing for a child, and conflict with the control-freak father of that child.
However, this book shows, frankly, what a wonderful success Gone Girl is, and why it's been so hard to repeat (except with The Girl on the Train, which had the luxury of at least being an entirely different novel behind the "Girl" veneer). The characters here are not well-developed; what was so wonderful about Gone Girl was its utterly unique ability to keep the twists within the focus of what we already knew about the characters. When Gone Girl twisted, it felt like whole new possibilities jumped up within the range of what we had already been teased & knew. In The Girl Before, on the other hand, characters are kept ambiguous and dully unlikeable in order for anything to be possible.
Worse than that, though, when The Girl Before runs out of places to go, it lurches haphazardly into cliche and a straight-up Gone Girl ripoff, unfortunately borrowing the worse aspect of it: . This choice, never totally justified by Flynn herself in her far superior novel, is even less convincing here, and in fact feels like complete, straight-up misogyny, leaving "the girl after", Jane's, later rallying cry: what would you do, if you were a woman in my place? feeling even more hollow & unbelievable, as hardly one moment in this both plodding and yet laughably over-the-top thriller suggests that Delany has no idea how women would respond to anything.
I'll admit that it also bothers me that JP Delaney is a pseudonym for Tony Strong, writer of contemporary mysteries frankly not that different from The Girl Before (a false attempt at muddying gender, not wholly a bad thing but when usually a woman faced with institutional prejudice, a la George Eliot, or a false attempt at suggesting a debut author?). Yet the far more damning criticism of this novel is that it flounders between inexplicable, which requires the characters to straight-up lie for no good reason, to the utterly, utterly conventional - perhaps the worst thing for a novel in the post-Gone Girl era. From the psycho ex to the final confrontation, any word of this novel regarding the so-called "mystery" is nothing that ardent psychological-thriller fans won't have seen before.
"Every woman adores a fascist…"
- Sylvia Plath
Sorry for the incredibly predictable quote at the top there, guys, but I thought you needed a warning: that above quote is basically the entire principle of the novel. The Gone Girl comp is painful for me. That book is my favourite of 2013, and one of my favourite books of all time; I was incredibly excited about this book, not because of that comp, but because of the interesting & exciting premise. Unfortunately, the result is more like 50 Shades of Grey meets a pale, brutally-murdered corpse of Gone Girl.
50 Shades of Grey? Yep, there's a devilishly handsome, accomplished architect that neither of the two (lame, weak, poorly-developed) women are able to resist; there's BDSM; there's even a frigging contract. I'll tell you this, though, guys: I've had more erotic headaches than this book. Seriously, this book is so replete with awful erotica cliches, I was cringing throughout, from such golden lines as:
Yes please, Daddy.
Or Edward, the architect, sticking his finger up some woman's vagina in the middle of a massive society party for famous architects (or something), and causing her to go weak at the knees with the daring & impossibility of this all.
The problem is, there's potential here - real potential. I loved the description of One Folgate Street, and a few of the set pieces, such as when Jane finds Emma's sleeping bag abandoned in a hideaway in the house. I loved the idea, and the continued ideas - especially Edward's interrogation of Jane through his "questions." I thought Jane's final decision was lovely and moving, and pointed towards a wholly different, quieter, but BETTER novel lurking inside the empty, glassy shell of this one: a contemporary novel about one woman's (not two's) impossible choices, longing for a child, and conflict with the control-freak father of that child.
However, this book shows, frankly, what a wonderful success Gone Girl is, and why it's been so hard to repeat (except with The Girl on the Train, which had the luxury of at least being an entirely different novel behind the "Girl" veneer). The characters here are not well-developed; what was so wonderful about Gone Girl was its utterly unique ability to keep the twists within the focus of what we already knew about the characters. When Gone Girl twisted, it felt like whole new possibilities jumped up within the range of what we had already been teased & knew. In The Girl Before, on the other hand, characters are kept ambiguous and dully unlikeable in order for anything to be possible.
Worse than that, though, when The Girl Before runs out of places to go, it lurches haphazardly into cliche and a straight-up Gone Girl ripoff, unfortunately borrowing the worse aspect of it: . This choice, never totally justified by Flynn herself in her far superior novel, is even less convincing here, and in fact feels like complete, straight-up misogyny, leaving "the girl after", Jane's, later rallying cry: what would you do, if you were a woman in my place? feeling even more hollow & unbelievable, as hardly one moment in this both plodding and yet laughably over-the-top thriller suggests that Delany has no idea how women would respond to anything.
I'll admit that it also bothers me that JP Delaney is a pseudonym for Tony Strong, writer of contemporary mysteries frankly not that different from The Girl Before (a false attempt at muddying gender, not wholly a bad thing but when usually a woman faced with institutional prejudice, a la George Eliot, or a false attempt at suggesting a debut author?). Yet the far more damning criticism of this novel is that it flounders between inexplicable, which requires the characters to straight-up lie for no good reason, to the utterly, utterly conventional - perhaps the worst thing for a novel in the post-Gone Girl era. From the psycho ex to the final confrontation, any word of this novel regarding the so-called "mystery" is nothing that ardent psychological-thriller fans won't have seen before.
April 21, 2018
The parallel plot lines make this book a suspenseful masterpiece—I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!
The Girl Before by J. P. Delaney is an absolutely fantastic read. I took a break from my ARC reviews to get back to this one, which I had purchased months ago but not had a chance to read yet. With Delaney having a new book out in the fall, I wanted to get a feel for his (I researched this, and was pleasantly surprised to find that J. P. is a male because the female characters are written so authentically) writing before it came out. I absolutely loved this book! The parallel plots and varying chapter lengths were so well done. I was captivated by both story lines and I couldn’t wait to get back to each one. Neither felt like it was taking precedence over the other, which is quite a feat!
Plot
One Folgate Place is a beautiful, tranquil, and state-of-the-art masterpiece designed by enigmatic architect Edward Monkford. The house has a tragic past, though. It was originally to be the home for Edward and his wife and partner Elizabeth, and their son, when his wife and son were tragically killed in a car accident. Unable to live there but unwilling to drop the project, Monkford redesigned the house in the wake of his tragedy, and rents it out at a nominal fee to those who are worthy of its unique character. But there are rules that tenants must follow. Absolutely nothing left out ever; dry the limestone after showering; no photographs or books allowed; take the assessment whenever prompted…
Three years ago…
Emma was home alone when her apartment was broken into by burglars. In the aftermath, Emma can’t escape her nightmares. Unable to shake her fear, Emma and her boyfriend Simon desperately seek out a new place to live within their price range. When their agent brings them to One Folgate Place, Emma feels a security and tranquility that she hasn’t felt anywhere else. Desperate to move in, Emma hopefully completes a psychological questionnaire. Though many are turned down, Emma and Simon are approved. They soon move into the house and even Simon is in awe of the state-of-the-art technology. The shower automatically turns on when entered, and adjusts to the exact preferences of the user. The internet is streamlined by “Housekeeper” to reduce the clutter of the outside world. The house monitors their health and weight, and recommends recipes based on what is stocked in their refrigerator. But after moving to such a restrictive environment, things begin to change for Emma.
Now
Jane has tragically suffered a miscarriage, just three days before her due date. Stuck on a year’s maternity leave from work with no baby to care for, Jane quits her high-paying job and goes to work for a low-paying nonprofit dedicated to preventing medical malpractice contributing to stillbirths. Jane needs a more affordable home and a drastic change in her environment to help move on from her grief. Her agent suggests she consider One Folgate Street. Though it is difficult to be approved, Jane applies anyways and soon finds herself living in her dream home. The rules don’t bother Jane. She finds peace in the structure and tranquility of her new home, and she is fascinated by its elusive architect. But then Jane begins to learn more about the previous tenant, the girl before. Is Jane destined to repeat the same story as Emma?
Reflection
One thing I loved about the parallel plot structures was that, although on the surface Emma and Jane seem similar, they are incredibly different but equally captivating characters. Delaney wrote each of them beautifully, and the way they evolve throughout the book was wonderful. Jane is more aloof, and Emma more connective. Both are drawn to similar things, but for very different reasons. Both needed One Folgate Street at a certain time in their lives. The parallel plot lines kept pace with one another perfectly. Sometimes Delaney uses the exact same phrasing to help you understand how similar their experiences are. And yet, they are so different. Though they are in the same environment, same rules, same characters, they react to the stimuli differently. These subtle differences were quite effective in the story, and you saw how even on the same track heading in the same direction, they may not reach the same destination.
I also loved how Delaney made the house at One Folgate Street itself a character. The house was designed to demand a sacrifice from all who live there, but with rewards paying out in excess to those who are worthy. The technology and design of the house made it almost a living, breathing organism, interacting with the residents as much as the other characters do. The beauty and terror of a house such as One Folgate Street was fascinating. How much of it is the architect, and how much is the house itself?
This book leaves you wondering if you can continue to relive the same story over and over, and yet expect a different ending. And speaking of endings, this one really has an excellent, satisfying conclusion.
Excerpt
In my art history degree course, we did a module on palimpsests—medieval sheets of parchment so costly that, once the text was no longer needed, the sheets were simply scraped clean and reused, leaving the old writing faintly visible through the new. Later, Renaissance artists used the word pentimenti to describe mistakes or alterations that were covered with new paint, only to be revealed years or even centuries later as the paint thinned with time, leaving both the original and the revision on view.
Sometimes I have a sense that this house—our relationship in it, with it, with each other—is like a palimpsest or a pentimento, that however much we try to over paint [her], she keeps tiptoeing back: a faint image, an enigmatic smile, stealing it way into the corner of the frame.
The Girl Before by J. P. Delaney is an absolutely fantastic read. I took a break from my ARC reviews to get back to this one, which I had purchased months ago but not had a chance to read yet. With Delaney having a new book out in the fall, I wanted to get a feel for his (I researched this, and was pleasantly surprised to find that J. P. is a male because the female characters are written so authentically) writing before it came out. I absolutely loved this book! The parallel plots and varying chapter lengths were so well done. I was captivated by both story lines and I couldn’t wait to get back to each one. Neither felt like it was taking precedence over the other, which is quite a feat!
Plot
One Folgate Place is a beautiful, tranquil, and state-of-the-art masterpiece designed by enigmatic architect Edward Monkford. The house has a tragic past, though. It was originally to be the home for Edward and his wife and partner Elizabeth, and their son, when his wife and son were tragically killed in a car accident. Unable to live there but unwilling to drop the project, Monkford redesigned the house in the wake of his tragedy, and rents it out at a nominal fee to those who are worthy of its unique character. But there are rules that tenants must follow. Absolutely nothing left out ever; dry the limestone after showering; no photographs or books allowed; take the assessment whenever prompted…
Three years ago…
Emma was home alone when her apartment was broken into by burglars. In the aftermath, Emma can’t escape her nightmares. Unable to shake her fear, Emma and her boyfriend Simon desperately seek out a new place to live within their price range. When their agent brings them to One Folgate Place, Emma feels a security and tranquility that she hasn’t felt anywhere else. Desperate to move in, Emma hopefully completes a psychological questionnaire. Though many are turned down, Emma and Simon are approved. They soon move into the house and even Simon is in awe of the state-of-the-art technology. The shower automatically turns on when entered, and adjusts to the exact preferences of the user. The internet is streamlined by “Housekeeper” to reduce the clutter of the outside world. The house monitors their health and weight, and recommends recipes based on what is stocked in their refrigerator. But after moving to such a restrictive environment, things begin to change for Emma.
Now
Jane has tragically suffered a miscarriage, just three days before her due date. Stuck on a year’s maternity leave from work with no baby to care for, Jane quits her high-paying job and goes to work for a low-paying nonprofit dedicated to preventing medical malpractice contributing to stillbirths. Jane needs a more affordable home and a drastic change in her environment to help move on from her grief. Her agent suggests she consider One Folgate Street. Though it is difficult to be approved, Jane applies anyways and soon finds herself living in her dream home. The rules don’t bother Jane. She finds peace in the structure and tranquility of her new home, and she is fascinated by its elusive architect. But then Jane begins to learn more about the previous tenant, the girl before. Is Jane destined to repeat the same story as Emma?
Reflection
One thing I loved about the parallel plot structures was that, although on the surface Emma and Jane seem similar, they are incredibly different but equally captivating characters. Delaney wrote each of them beautifully, and the way they evolve throughout the book was wonderful. Jane is more aloof, and Emma more connective. Both are drawn to similar things, but for very different reasons. Both needed One Folgate Street at a certain time in their lives. The parallel plot lines kept pace with one another perfectly. Sometimes Delaney uses the exact same phrasing to help you understand how similar their experiences are. And yet, they are so different. Though they are in the same environment, same rules, same characters, they react to the stimuli differently. These subtle differences were quite effective in the story, and you saw how even on the same track heading in the same direction, they may not reach the same destination.
I also loved how Delaney made the house at One Folgate Street itself a character. The house was designed to demand a sacrifice from all who live there, but with rewards paying out in excess to those who are worthy. The technology and design of the house made it almost a living, breathing organism, interacting with the residents as much as the other characters do. The beauty and terror of a house such as One Folgate Street was fascinating. How much of it is the architect, and how much is the house itself?
This book leaves you wondering if you can continue to relive the same story over and over, and yet expect a different ending. And speaking of endings, this one really has an excellent, satisfying conclusion.
Excerpt
In my art history degree course, we did a module on palimpsests—medieval sheets of parchment so costly that, once the text was no longer needed, the sheets were simply scraped clean and reused, leaving the old writing faintly visible through the new. Later, Renaissance artists used the word pentimenti to describe mistakes or alterations that were covered with new paint, only to be revealed years or even centuries later as the paint thinned with time, leaving both the original and the revision on view.
Sometimes I have a sense that this house—our relationship in it, with it, with each other—is like a palimpsest or a pentimento, that however much we try to over paint [her], she keeps tiptoeing back: a faint image, an enigmatic smile, stealing it way into the corner of the frame.
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