Annotation #1: THRILLER
2020
Harper Collins
368 pages
Synopsis:
After a grisly divorce, Sydney has recently returned to the rapidly changing Brooklyn neighborhood of her childhood where her sick mother’s illness looms over her. Theo, a mediocre white man, has just purchased a house across the street with his hyper-privileged girlfriend, which effectively sounds the death knell on his relationship. In alternating chapters Theo and Sydney narrate the story from their different points of view as they grapple with trusting themselves as much as they struggle to trust each other. Together they investigate the neighborhood’s history while the truth behind a truly sinister process of gentrification creeps up around them.
Thriller Appeal:
When No One is Watching has several classic elements to appeal to fans of the Thriller subgenre. Our protagonists are every-day sorts who come up against something much larger than themselves. Cole takes on a contemporary “hot topic from the news” where readers “meet conspiracy, corruption, and nefarious machinations of every sort” (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 12). The experts we encounter are regular individuals whose expertise lies in the story of their community, making them capable of sniffing out conspiracies.
Pacing: This book moves at an intensifying pace but won’t thrill fans of the adrenaline genre who like rapid twists. The action is more cerebral than physical and in my opinion nothing really exciting happens for about 80 pages. The last 80 pages showcase the real action followed by an abrupt ending. The plot twists were minor and hardly unexpected, taking the edge off the thrills. Personally, I wasn't on the edge of my seat.
Tone: True to the genre, the tone throughout No One is gritty, emotionally intense, and pessimistic. This is accomplished, however, without too many gruesome descriptions or violent details, making it a safe read for those who shy away from the graphic. While there is some romance in the book, including one explicit sex scene, there is nothing romantic about the tone or mood of this title.
Language: Cole’s conversational, stream-of-consciousness writing utilizes slang, pop-culture references, and the occasional flash of dark humor; for example, when Sydney reflects on her temper, “I feel the urge to snap at her, but catch myself before stepping on that particular Lego of regret” (p. 57). A sprinkling of F-bombs throughout (including in the first sentence) will turn off readers sensitive to swear words.
Read-Alikes:- not a thriller, but shares similar themes and a compelling plot that will keep readers turning pages and wondering who to trust
Leave the World Behind, by Rumaan Alam
- a new book getting rave reviews; suspenseful with flawed and culturally diverse characters, according to Novelist
And Now She’s Gone, the latest in the Detective Elouise Norton Series, by Rachel Howzell Hall
- a twisty thriller set in L.A. and recommended by Alyssa Cole (via crimereads.com) as a book that uses genre to explore social issues
Hi Abigail,
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've seen the cover of this book around a lot lately. The blue building with the white lettering is really memorable. Thrillers are not a genre I normally choose, so it was interesting to read your annotation on this title. I especially appreciated how you noted that the book wasn't too graphic or violent. I tend to shy away from books with content that is too graphic because I don't enjoy them.
Your review did a nice job of giving an overview of the story without giving away any spoilers in the plot. I'm wondering if you would recommend any non-fiction titles to pair with this book? Maybe something about neighborhoods changing over time?
Thanks for sharing about this title!
Actually, it's worth mentioning that this book includes a list of "Additional Reading Material" that the author used in her research that would be a good place to start a non-fiction search. "How to Kill a City: gentrification, inequality, and the fight for the neighborhood" by Peter Moskowitz would be good for a view of gentrification across the country, not just specific to Brooklyn.
DeleteOn our prompt assignment I found it the hardest to discover if a book contained a lot of swearing or sex scenes but I think this is important to many people.
Abigail, I think you did a great job with this annotation! Your synopsis and the characteristics you reviewed are very thorough. When you wrote about the pacing of the novel, I like how you mention that there is not much physical action until the conclusion. I felt similarly with the book I read--The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. The Woman in the Window seemed to focus solely on cerebral action going on in the protagonist's mind. It's not until the end that things really sped up action-wise, which seems to be what happened in When No One is Watching, too. I feel like the thriller subgenre has characteristics of both action and suspense novels, but differs in the author's execution of these elements.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually choose thriller so I was kind of excited and steeled myself for high suspense, but then I was kind of disappointed. I was expecting more physical threats throughout.
DeleteHi Abigail,
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to read this, even though I don't usually read books in the thriller genre. I've read some of Alyssa Cole's romance books and really enjoyed them. It sounds like this wasn't really a fast paced read, but I'm very interested in the gentrification theme. I also like that the author includes further reading about gentrification, thanks for mentioning that! Your annotation was very well done. You provide a good description of what to expect from this read and you provide information for readers who may not want a read that is too gritty or violent or that has sexual content. Great job.
Fantastic annotation! Full points! I know it's always hard to do an annotation in the first week - but you really set the tone for how to write an excellent annotation! You broke down the appeals and gave an excellent summary without giving too much away. Great job!!
ReplyDelete