The Witch Elm

While much of the story dragged and was repetitive, I kept reading, hoping it would get better, and surprise me. It didn’t. I was hoping the story would really get into Toby’s memory and what had become of it, but it turned into another feminist “I had every right to kill this man who assaulted me” story. What a let down. And the whole ending with Rafferty was completely unnecessary, as were so many other ancillary stories. Too much going on. And to think after all that hoping, I found the easiest theories I had to be the right ones. Could have been so much better.

This book started out slow then grabbed me by the neck and never let go. I spent a few nights not able to put my phone down, good and unexpected twists and turns. I always enjoy Tana French's storytelling and writing style.

Started out great. Half way through it started getting implausible and stupid and then it just seemed to me like it was written by 2different writers. Towards the end it started getting interesting again but too late.

This book just went on and on and on without any payoff. The main character was implausible, obtuse and unlikeable. The narrative suffered from the same qualities. I would warn everyone I know not to waste their time with this book.

•WARNING! SPOILERS ahead•I have read all French’s books. Her earlier ones were utterly mesmerizing. This one - very engrossing and I couldn’t put it down BUT the ending…it left me feeling unsatisfied. It’s almost like French had this all thought out but then she couldn’t quite get the ending she wanted so instead she kept writing and writing and when she still couldn’t wrap it up neatly she just gave up and ended it. It was all very depressing and confusing. Hugo was the glue and how he was treated in the end was so sad. Susanna was an evil person who let Hugo take the fall so all the good he did was erased and he was a killer in perpetuity to everyone who didn’t know the whole story. That he died in the hospital instead of at his home was tragic. He fell on the sword for his family members and look how they repaid him. That was very sad. Toby had a great life with Melissa but he ended up broken and alone. That was depressing. All those good memories Toby thought he had with Susanna and Leon turned out to be mostly lies and in the end the house was sold so it didn’t stay in the family. What about the genealogy thing? In hindsight…unnecessary as it didn’t go anywhere. It was this great side story and instead of a big reveal it was wrapped up with an email. That was weird. I don’t understand why Toby had that violent showdown with Rafferty. So bizarre. Why did Rafferty try to kill Toby?! He was a cop so why didn’t he just arrest him for assault? Here’s how I was thinking it was gonna go-as Susanna is telling Toby what she and Leon had done I thought for sure it was leading up to them attempting to kill Toby and then make it look like he killed himself from grief but the cops get there in time to save Toby and Susanna and Leon get arrested. Instead it dragged on way too long and French lost the plot. Also anyone else get the sense that Susanna’s son inherited whatever psychotic killer tendencies from her? That kid was a serial killer in the making…creepy. Also there were two men who attacked Toby but we only found out about one. For such a violent attack I feel we should’ve been given info on the other one even if he was just a random “skanger”. I will say that even though the ending was disappointing I really enjoyed the book pretty much the whole way through until the violent showdown. That’s where it started to fall apart for me. I don’t think you can write a book off completely if the ending is lacking. French wrote a pretty great book overall so I don’t regret reading this. This would make a great movie.

How can this be marketed as a thriller?? I made it to page 283 and nothing has happened. Nothing.

Couldn’t put it down. The writing is lush without being over the top. Pictures and emotions painted so clearly I could see and feel them. Disturbingly human characters.

This novel is certainly well written & I love the way the author describes and paints a scene.. I am a rather sensitive human and that being said, this book was a bit dark and depressing for me. Perhaps that’s the author’s style, so if you’re into that then I highly recommend this book. If you’re looking for resolution and a happy ending, then maybe not so much.

A want-to-be thriller ala Dostoyevsky- but falls way short. The narrative getting into the troubled mind of the protagonist is b-o-r-I-n-g

No twist or big reveal here....they should have paid ME to read this.... So boring....I hate saying that but, a big disappointment