The Woman in the Window is a book that everyone I know has read and reviewed already. So when my book club chose this one as our March BOTM I knew I had to read it. And having been focusing on the classics until now this year, I loved the chance of reading a contemporary thriller. So let us check how that turned out shall we?
About the book
Book Name: The Woman in the Window
Author: Finn A J
Genre: Fiction – Thriller
Characters: Dr. Anna, Ed and Olivia Fox, Alistair, Jane and Ethan Russell, Dr Fielding
The plot
Dr. Anna Fox, a child psychologist suffering from agoraphobia, has not left her house for almost a year now. Her daily routine includes drinking a lot of wine while being highly medicated, watching retro movies and peeking into her neighbours’ house through their respective windows. Her life is fairly “usual” until the Russells move into her neighbourhood.
Soon they become her new obsession, especially their young son, Ethan. But when she sees something untoward happening at her nieghbours’ she has no grounds to report about it. How she proves that she did not hallucinate and finds out the culprit form the rest of the story in The Woman in the Window.
My initial thoughts
Though a little long winded in the first half of the book, The Woman in the Window kept me fully entertained. The author takes a lot of time to get us into her world but once you get past the draggy first 100 pages, the pace fastens and the book turns unputdownable.
If you have read as many thrillers as I have done or more, you will find the twists coming a mile away. Anna is not a protagonist that I liked or related to, but I think that is what the author was going for – an unreliable narrator with ‘the whole should I believe or not’ vibe. And maybe that is why there are a lot of comparison with the Girl on the Train, and rightly so.
Things that worked for me
- Despite the predictability, The Woman in the Window kept me hooked with its short chapters and fast pace (the second part).
- Like me if you had a special interest in the unreliable narrator category, you are in for a treat.
- There are quite a number of twists to keep the readers on their toes sprinkled all through the book.
Things that didn’t work for me
- As I already mentioned, The Woman in the Window is totally predictable and it takes quite a while for something to actually happen.
- I didn’t relate to any of the characters in the story, and the narrator was borderline annoying.
Bottom-line
The Woman in the Window might be old wine in a new bottle but will keep you occupied in a pinch, and might even turn to be unputdownable. With the movie version coming before the end of the year, you might wanna read it already.
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Let us chat
Have you read this one? Does predictability spoil the fun for you in a thriller? If not, what turns you off in a thriller? Let us talk.
Sounds like a Rear Window retelling! How fascinating. I’m sorry it was so predictable but I find mysteries are for me too. Still I enjoy them when the journey and the character are elements I really connect with, ❤️
sounds very hitchcocky! and one i am sure i will enjoy and my kids do not enjoy me spoiling the mystery for them as i tend to solve it pretty early in the watching.. am learning to keep my thoughts to myself for now 🙂
Ha ha I can understand that totally!
I’ve seen a lot of reviews on this book. I think I need to add it to my TBR.
I hope you like it as well.
Great Review!!! I’ve heard of this one. Sounds good
Thank you!
Awesome review❤️ sounds like one i might enjoy
I hope you do!
[…] Book review: The Woman in the Window […]
I think I’ve read at least 5 different stories watched twice that many movies with the same plot 😉
I agree it was not really anything new or special.
Hmm, but I’ve read so much that sounds like this one.
It has become quite too normal right?
Great review! This looks like one I might enjoy.
Let me know if you ever tried this one.
Great review!
Wow, a movie already? Geez…
It is on the pipeline apparently.
I don’t think I will read this one because it sounds too predictable for me! As well as that, I read an article about some horrible lies this author has told so I no longer really want to support his work either :/ But great review nonetheless!
Yes I read that article too and I am thoroughly disappointed with him as well.
Great review, Gayathri! This is a book I haven’t read yet but keep seeing people talking about and I am glad that the pacing picked up for you in the second half of the book. I read/watch a lot of mysteries and thrillers, so it is rare that I don’t see a twist coming or guess who the killer is in the first chapter. Because of this, predictability doesn’t necessarily ruin my reading experience so long as everything makes sense and the rest of the narrative is engaging.