A few days ago, I was scrolling through X (Twitter) when I came across a tweet asking for movie recommendations with plot twists (which I love), I decided to check the comment section, hoping to find a good movie to watch
I noticed that people were recommending “Behind Her Eyes”, and it sounded so familiar like I might already have it in my book library. Since I’d rather read a book before watching its movie adaptation, I decided to check if I had it. Sure enough, I found two books with the same title—one by Sarah Pinborough and the other by Lynn Hammond. To confirm which was the adaptation, I Googled the movie and also looked up the book while at it- the genre, themes, and online ratings.
Since psychological thrillers are my favourite genre, I didn’t hesitate to start reading. It took me about three days to finish and here’s my personal review.
ABOUT THE BOOK
”Behind Her Eyes” by Sarah Pinborough is a psychological thriller with a touch of paranormal, published in 2017. The novel delves into the complexities of relationships, obsessions, love, manipulation, and mental health, while also exploring themes of trust, betrayal, and the darker side of human nature.
The story centres on a love triangle ‘tangled web of relationships’ involving Louise, a single mother who works as a secretary; David, her new boss; and his seemingly perfect wife, Adele. It begins with Louise, an over-thinker who feels stuck in her life, sharing a spontaneous kiss with David at a bar, and now develops feelings for him, only to later find out he is her new boss and married.
Soon after, Louise unexpectedly becomes friends with Adele, which entwines her deeper into the couple’s mysterious and unsettling relationship. Louise is forced to question everything she knows about David, who seems mentally stressed and secretive, and Adele, who appears isolated and fragile. As Louise’s involvement in their marriage deepens, shocking secrets begin to unravel.
The layers of Adele’s past gradually emerge, including her time in a psychiatric facility after a traumatic incident, where she met her best friend, Rob, a fellow patient. These experiences add layers to Adele’s character, and introduce a sense of mystery, leaving lingering questions about Rob, who is no longer part of Adele’s life. What happened to him?
The author uses alternating perspectives, switching between Louise’s present-day experiences and Adele’s present and past, providing insight into their personalities, strengths, and true selves. The multi-layered story gradually reveals the secrets that bind the characters together, creating a plot filled with suspense, shifting perspectives, and escalating tension.
The book takes an unusual approach by introducing paranormal elements, which play a crucial role in the story’s progression, leading to a shocking twist that will leave readers questioning what is real.
As the plot unfolds, the reader is left to wonder: What secrets do David and Adele hide? Who is manipulating whom? How far will each character go to protect their secrets? How will Louise extricate herself from this unsettling marriage? Where is Rob? And, most importantly, can you trust anyone?
MY THOUGHTS
One thing I always appreciate in a book is its uniqueness and plot twists, Behind Her Eyes delivers on that front. The novel delivers a blend of suspense, psychological tension, mystery, and unusual thriller aspect.
Sarah Pinborough’s writing style is captivating, utilising dual perspectives that provide insights into Louise’s, Adele’s, and even David’s lives. Each character is portrayed with their own voice and distinct personality. I enjoyed how the book peeled back layers of the characters’ experiences, offering clues that kept me guessing..
The pacing is well-executed, and I liked how it explores beyond typical relationships, it goes into the darker sides of love and relationships, where trust becomes a dangerous gamble.
However, one thing that really annoyed me was how it shifted from psychological thriller to paranormal!! Why wasn’t the paranormal aspect mentioned as part of the genre? I felt cheated, because when I googled the book before reading it, and I didn’t see any indication of paranormal elements.
I also didn’t really like the ending to some extent, well, because it wasn’t psychologically based!!! Yes, it was a very big twist that left my mouth open for seconds, The ending was like two big twists, the first twist would have been enough, and the second twist was wild and it felt somewhat unnecessary.
Okay, I admit, I might be biased I didn’t know it was more than a psychological thriller, so it felt like a ‘supernatural game card’ was thrown in just to make a big-twist plot. I don’t know if you understand what I mean ): I don’t want to say the aspect of paranormal, so you can enjoy the big twist, because if I knew, I would have predicted it, ha
With all these in mind, I think knowing about the paranormal twist beforehand might help others enjoy the book more.
Overall, Behind Her Eyes is a great thriller that explores beyond the usual. It is more than just relationship and friendship, it’s a haunting exploration of the mind and the extremes people will go to in order to fulfil their desires. If you enjoy reading a psychological thriller with a supernatural edge, it is definitely worth it.
I would rate this book a 3.9 out of 5, mainly because of the unexpected genre shift.Although, It could be a 5 under different circumstances
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