Pines (Wayward Pines #1)by Blake Crouch
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads
Synopsis:
Haha, NO. Don't read the blurb.
► Fast-paced, gripping, Pines let me begging for more – I am in awe. READ IT. READ IT. READ IT. This book is fabulous.
▩ The plot… fascinated and surprised me. The male lead (let’s call him “he”) wakes up in an unknown town, badly bruised, penniless, and without any memories of his life.
Now, this is a situation that would scare the shit out of anyone, don’t you agree? From page one my brain was reeling, faced with so many unanswered questions that I couldn’t help but strongly sympathize with him : what defines who you are? Who would you be if every knowledge about yourself had been ripped off your mind? To what degree can you trust your instincts? Can they be right? Or are you going completely out of line? And even if your memories come back, how can you survive when you’re surrounded by secrets?
“Are you losing your mind?
I sometimes think I’m still in that torture room. I never left.
Are you losing your mind?
You tell me.
I can’t.
Why?
Because I am you.”
Who is to be believed? Who is to be trusted?
▩ The characters… are interesting and intriguing. When it comes to thrillers, I’ve drawn this conclusion : more the author keeps us in the dark, characters wise, more my interest is piqued, because the lack of knowledge adds tension to the story and you know what? I NEED TENSION. He isn’t a likeable character, not flawless by any means, but I cared for his quest of answers, even more because the layers of his life aren’t immediately unraveled. I won’t say much about him… Because obviously : if my enjoyment was linked to the fact that I had no idea of what I could expect, I won’t be the person that screw your read^^ As for the other characters we meet…
What, though?
▩ The settings … are quite ominous.
Imagine a little town lost between mountains, with no escape in sight. Creepy, right? I mean, probably wonderful if you’ve planned a trip with friends, but to wake up there alone and in a bad shape? I’d probably turn hysterical. Nobody wants to see that, trust me. Even more when we realize, along the male-lead, that something isn’t quite right there… The people… The places… Everything appears intriguing and yes, more and more frightening…
▩ The writing… is all kinds of amazing : indeed the alternative use of short and long sentences compelled me to read more and more and more, not to mention that some vivid descriptions (including smells! Thank you!) are straight on beautiful. I know many readers complained about the fragmented sentences and I can understand their struggles but… I think it’s only a matter of taste : I love that kind of writing when it’s well-done and it was perfect to express the changes in the rythm in my opinion.
From start to finish, Pines never gets dull and ends with a punch, leaving me eager for more.
► So, Anna, you’re telling us that this book is perfect ?
Huh, NO. Plot holes, anyone? Obviously, I won’t talk about them because spoilers, but know that there are several of them and I. Don’t. Care. I don’t want to analyze : I was mesmerized, I was surprised, I am in love and I don’t give a damn if some things don’t quite make sense. You’ve been warned.
