The Ghostwriter

This story opens with an unlikeable character - a writer- which of course, I love. In short order she manages to become rather grudgingly likable. In dual timelines, she takes us on a mournful retelling of her experiences with young love, and naïveté, then early parenting trouble. But then the story morphs into one of lies and secrets and eventually tragedy. All of this done with one of my favorite techniques- the book within a book. And wow did it work. It pulled me in and wound me up. The last 30 pages were so unexpected, so surprising, so intense. Great read.

Whew. I was expecting a standard thriller and this was decidedly NOT that. It was really devastating and I got way more emotionally invested in the characters than I expected to. I'd def recommend it because it's super compelling, just heavier/more heartbreaking than I'd have expected.

3,75 stars for this unlovable grief stricken main character whose pain is awfully real and involves tou until the very last page.

4,5 **
Não costumo ler muito os livros de mistério/thrillers, mas este despertou a minha atenção. Adicionei a minha lista um pouco naquela de “vamos ver onde isso nos vai levar”.

Os primeiros capítulos foram um pouco lentos, mas de certo modo a história prende! Não quero contar muito sobre o livro, porque acho que estraga um pouco o impacto inicíal, mas posso dizer que este livro é sobre uma escritora - Helena, em que a sua vida mudou de um dia para o outro com a morte do marido. E ela decide escrever o seu último livro, mas com ajuda de um ghost writer, onde vai contar a história da sua vida e o que levou à morte do marido.

Não dei a classificação total ao livro, porque não gostei muito da troca de pontos de vista em que são escritas em primeira pessoa e depois em terceira. Também não gosto muito da maneira como acabam os capítulos e como estava construida a história em si. E também achei desnecessários algumas cenas que a meu ver não contribuíram muito para história.

I'm completely blown away by this one. I love Alessandra Torre and wow this one is amazing. So many emotions are stirred up while reading The Ghostwriter. At this point I'm a sobbing mess. It's beautiful and yet heart wrenching all at the same time. This is a book that will take you on such an emotional journey that you can't help but scream and cry and just want to hug Helena tight. You feel her anguish, her grief, her acceptance and most of all peace. Helena is making amends not only with herself but with Kate, Mark (Marka) and to an extent in her own way with her mother. It is a beautiful sight to see writing enemies come together. That's what Mark aka Marka and Helena do. They needed each other one to push to be better and the other a means to an end. Be prepared to have box of Kleenex on hand because you are so going to need it. These words have touched me in such a way I never knew I needed. I am still in awe of the power The Ghostwriter has. I have read a few books by this author and have to say this is the only one I can say is a must read.