Helpful Score: 1
After a slow start, the story began to draw me in... only to find that the second section was in second person! I hate reading in second person since it makes so many assumptions about me "You feel this way", "You would do this"... when I actually feel entirely different and would act entirely differently. Second person alienates the independent portion of a potential audience and is really a poor idea.
Once I made it through the second part, the third part was interesting and a quick read, but I remain trapped in the fourth part... another second-person chapter that I'm having issues forcing myself to read.
The ending is a vague attempt at a wholesome wrap-up, with almot lyrical text... then the book just kind of ends.
While a great premise, definitely not my kind of book. If you don't mind reading second-person point of view, then it would actually be a very good, interesting read. Unfortunately, second-person just irritates me to no end and probably soured a fairly good book for me.
Once I made it through the second part, the third part was interesting and a quick read, but I remain trapped in the fourth part... another second-person chapter that I'm having issues forcing myself to read.
The ending is a vague attempt at a wholesome wrap-up, with almot lyrical text... then the book just kind of ends.
While a great premise, definitely not my kind of book. If you don't mind reading second-person point of view, then it would actually be a very good, interesting read. Unfortunately, second-person just irritates me to no end and probably soured a fairly good book for me.
Helpful Score: 1
"A Stranger Like You" is the third novel by author Elizabeth Brundage, but my first glimpse into her world as a writer.
The story is about a writer named Hugh Waters who confronts a producer who had nothing, but negative things to say about a script he had written. Obviously, Hugh doesn't take rejection well as this confrontation is escalated by the use of a gun. Combine that with a man who is mentally unstable, and things are sure to go astray.
The producer is Hedda Chase and at first, I disliked her due to the way Hugh described her, but then the author wrote a few chapters of the story from Hedda's perspective which made me realize that the character is human and just trying to survive in the dog eat dog world of Hollywood. Suddenly, I hoped all turn out well for Hedda.
In the first part of the novel, Hugh kind of comes off as a lovable loser and I was hoping he would make it in Hollywood, even though he does a few things in the beginning that aren't morally acceptable. As the novel progresses, I began to see true for who he truly was---a sociopath.
One thing I enjoyed about this book is how the author wrote chapters from different character's perspectives, so you could see how they viewed the different occurrences in the novel. Its interesting to read two different opinions of the same situation, which again, allows the reader to get invested into the characters,
There are few other great characters in this book that are going through their own struggles that add to the storyline. I feel if I go into too much of that, I may give something away, but trust me, they do add to an already great character driven book.
As I had mentioned before, I had never read anything by Elizabeth Brundage prior to reading this, but I have to say, she has greatly impressed me. She can write a thriller par with any other of the mainstream writers out there. "A Stranger Like You" is a top notch thriller. You won't be disappointed.
The story is about a writer named Hugh Waters who confronts a producer who had nothing, but negative things to say about a script he had written. Obviously, Hugh doesn't take rejection well as this confrontation is escalated by the use of a gun. Combine that with a man who is mentally unstable, and things are sure to go astray.
The producer is Hedda Chase and at first, I disliked her due to the way Hugh described her, but then the author wrote a few chapters of the story from Hedda's perspective which made me realize that the character is human and just trying to survive in the dog eat dog world of Hollywood. Suddenly, I hoped all turn out well for Hedda.
In the first part of the novel, Hugh kind of comes off as a lovable loser and I was hoping he would make it in Hollywood, even though he does a few things in the beginning that aren't morally acceptable. As the novel progresses, I began to see true for who he truly was---a sociopath.
One thing I enjoyed about this book is how the author wrote chapters from different character's perspectives, so you could see how they viewed the different occurrences in the novel. Its interesting to read two different opinions of the same situation, which again, allows the reader to get invested into the characters,
There are few other great characters in this book that are going through their own struggles that add to the storyline. I feel if I go into too much of that, I may give something away, but trust me, they do add to an already great character driven book.
As I had mentioned before, I had never read anything by Elizabeth Brundage prior to reading this, but I have to say, she has greatly impressed me. She can write a thriller par with any other of the mainstream writers out there. "A Stranger Like You" is a top notch thriller. You won't be disappointed.
