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The Woman in the Library

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At the very end, after Letters-Leo has been arrested, in last section of Freddie’s story, Book-Leo arrives at the hospital to take Freddie and Marigold home, in a weird cliffhanger that fizzled out. Were we supposed to think that was sweet? That Hannah had written in a reliable, kind version of Leo to counteract what her penpal had really turned out to be? Because neither Freddie or Marigold noticed him right away in the elevator, it gave the impression he was purposely trying to blend in and stalk Freddie until he could have his twisted hero moment. But Freddie’s reaction felt like it was the straight up foreboding cliffhanger of a horror movie. Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Gentill has some opinions on writing about the current pandemic in contemporary stories. However, I think her views were more clearly expressed in the author’s note than it was in the context of the story. In the narrative, these views pulled my attention away from the central plot. Also, the author being an aboriginal person, you would think she would pay attention to stereotypes but no that wasn't the case. It was disgusting to read and had no place in the book. I take it as a reflection of her own thoughts and her or anyone making excuses for the "characters' personality" is not a good enough excuse❌ Honestly, it does make me question how y'all chose to ignore that. I will not be reading any books by this author in the future.

The Woman in the Library Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary The Woman in the Library Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary

Ned Kelly Award winner Gentill ( Crossing the Lines) presents a complex, riveting story within a story. The fictional story of an author writing about another writer with messy, complicated friendships and suspicion is an innovative literary mystery." — Library Journal, Starred Review This “story within a story” opens up with a letter from Leo Johnson, a beta reader, to Australian author, Hannah Tigone, a mystery writer, who cannot travel to Boston to research her latest novel, because of Covid restrictions. Although many things can be “googled” there is nothing better than a local who can help with getting the “lingo” right, as well as provide social commentary on current events. Overall, I really enjoyed this book within a book, but it does take a bit of work on the reader's part to puzzle out what is going on and how everything fits together. This is a unique read and I'm glad I took the opportunity to experience it. This was an enjoyable story (perhaps more than one) that held this reader's interest as four people come together in a library after hearing a piercing scream. The four people bond and as our main character, Hannah is writing a book, and she decides to incorporate her newly found friends into the story line. It's something like art imitating life.This thrilling excursion into metafiction from Australian author Gentill ( Crossing the Lines) wittily examines the writing process itself…This elegantly constructed novel is intelligent, funny, and profound. Who could ask for more?" — Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill Editions of The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

The Woman in the Library” by Sulari Gentill is the first novel I’ve ever read by this author as I was excited to see what kind of murder mystery I was jumping into. Now, before I get into my review, I want to let you all know about the trigger warnings I found while reading. In this novel, there are moments of parental abuse, both physical and sexual. If either of these triggers you, please don’t read this novel. Sulari Gentill delivers a sharply thrilling read with The Woman in the Library, an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all. Hannah Tigone is an Australian author living in Sydney, writing about another Australian author Freddie (Winifred), recipient of a fellowship which has her living in Boston for a year. She is in the Boston Public Library trying to gather inspiration and finds herself sharing a table with three other people, whom she dubs Freud Girl, Heroic Chin and Handsome Man. And so the story begins . . .Australian author Winifred ‘Freddie’ Kincaid is in Boston on a writers’ scholarship and is spending time in the reading room of Boston Public Library, seeking inspiration for her next book when a piercing scream shatters the silence and becomes a conversation starter for Freddie and the three other people sharing the table – psychology student Marigold Anastas, law student Whit Metters and published author Cain McLeod (initially dubbed Freud Girl, Heroic Chin and Handsome Man respectively by Freddie, based on her observations). Initially, the source of the scream is not revealed until the next day when it is made public that the body of a young woman, who worked for a local tabloid, had been found. As the story progresses, the four of them become friends and find themselves embroiled in the mystery surrounding the death of the young woman and it is revealed that one of them is connected to the murder. It’s an approach that also filters through her politically shrewd Rowland Sinclair series, the tenth instalment of which was published in January 2022. Set in the 1930s, the charming antics of an amateur detective are underpinned by a subtle exploration of the prevailing issues around fascism, religion and social inequity.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill | Crime Fiction Lover The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill | Crime Fiction Lover

I’m not totally without direction … there is a route of some sort, but who hops on and who gets off is determined by a balance of habit and timing and random chance. There’s no symmetry, no plan, just the chaotic, unplotted bustle of human life.I listened to the audiobook narrated by Katherine Littrell who did a great job with the accents but I found her gender voicing to be a bit off, which is what led to my 'pleasant confusion'. Although, I do love and often prefer audiobook's, I think an e-copy or print copy is the best way to go for this one. Nothing about any of these people is as it seems, except for Hannah/Freddie, the narrator of the story.

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