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I’ve finally read my first Sarah Pinborough thriller, and it absolutely won’t be my last. INSOMNIA—available today in the US—is one of the most genuinely unsettling and utterly gripping psychological thrillers I’ve read in ages, and it’s sure to be one of my favorite books of 2022. In this twisty, paranoia-inducing tale, a woman anxiously awaits her 40th birthday—but not for the reason you might think. When Emma’s mother turned 40, she lost her mind…and now, as Emma’s own 40th birthday approaches, she begins to fear the very same thing might be happening to her. INSOMNIA is an “unreliable narrator” thriller done right—Pinborough expertly draws readers into Emma’s increasingly terrifying world, where no one and nothing can be trusted, not even Emma’s own mind. This book will keep you on your toes, never quite sure who to trust, and who might be hiding dark secrets. INSOMNIA is a story about what we inherit from our family, and the pieces of those inheritances that we wish we could escape. It’s also one of the most downright entertaining thrillers I’ve read in ages. Clear your schedule and—cheesy as it may be to say, it’s true—prepare to lose sleep over INSOMNIA.
INSOMNIA by Sarah Pinborough - Crime by the Book Book Review: INSOMNIA by Sarah Pinborough - Crime by the Book
Twelve days before her birthday, Emma begins to suffer from terrible insomnia. She is slowly losing time and is compelled to do the same things her mother did right before she went mad. Sarah Pinborough is a damn genius. My only critique of her writing is that there isn’t enough of it. I’m becoming addicted to her master classes in how the suspenseful thriller should be written. She is insanely clever. The amazing Sarah Pinborough has done it again with this brilliant, pacy story of lies and deceit. B.A. Paris Swift and entertaining… When Pinborough unveils her first surprise about a third of the way in, it’s a good one… Cross Her Hearthas a welcome sisterhood-is-powerful vibe; it’s a novel that defines women by their relationships with one another, even as their creator is ruthlessly shoving them into position for the next twist. New York Times Book Review Mostly written from the first person Emma's point view we follow her thoughts and feelings as she tries to establish whether she is going insane or someone or some people are messing with her. I didn't expect much from this one, but found myself fully pulled in, until the conclusion (and indeed the core concepts) which really annoyed me, despite them making sense of sorts. I can see why many will adore this read and many will think it's ultimately just a weak overall idea, but I'd like to think that we can all agree that the narrative voice of someone feeling on the brink and the suspense around her reality and the people she interacts with was pretty good? A 6 out of 12, Three Star read for me :)Even a small dose of Insomnia… will likely give you a bad case of the jitters… It's a nimble suspense story, but it’s even more disturbing as an account of how a restless brain can weaken and lethally doubt itself." Washington Post I became completely immersed in this story and felt as if I were going crazy along with Emma. I had no idea how this one was going to play out and for once I didn't even try to guess or figure it out. If you pay attention, there is even a nod to Behind Her Eyes at the end of Insomnia. It made me toss and turn, not from anticipation or being twisty, but from forcing myself finish it. Argh While I am not 100% satisfied with the reveal, it is more plausible than the plots of many of her previous thrillers. I disliked Emma’s blatant favoritism of her younger son and the gaslighting trope is becoming overused in thrillers. Once again, the epilogue is unnecessary.
Insomnia: A Novel by Sarah Pinborough, Paperback | Barnes Insomnia: A Novel by Sarah Pinborough, Paperback | Barnes
The inimitable Sarah Pinborough reaches new heights of ingenuity in Insomnia, the definition of up-all-night reading" — Erin Kelly, Sunday Times bestselling author of He Said/She Said on InsomniaPiled on top of all of Emma’s worries, however, is the very real sense that someone is out to get her. Slashed tires, an anonymous note, and the very real sense she’s being watched. Is it possible she has a stalker? Or are her sleepless nights creating a rising paranoia that is coloring her days? Unsure whether she can even trust her own sanity, Emma’s world begins to fall apart. Can she save herself or was she always doomed to lose her mind? I want to make clear that had I not had such high expectations for this author, this would surely have probably been more impressive to me. I think a reader who has not read this author's previous work will most likely enjoy this one more than I did. The writing was on par with her previous efforts, and I was undoubtedly intrigued throughout, I just needed my reveal to hurry up and happen! The amazing Sarah Pinborough has done it again with this brilliant, pacy story of lies and deceit.”— B.A. Paris on Cross Her Heart Another mind-twisting, genre-bending rollercoaster from Queen of WTF Sarah Pinborough." — Ruth Ware Overall: Even though I find some explanations a little exaggerated, the high tension, the suspense and mystery’s unfolding, gripping and riveting storytelling were great. Most of the characters are definitely annoying but at least I loved Emma!
Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough - Publishers Weekly Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough - Publishers Weekly
Insomnia is Sarah Pinborough’s best thriller since Behind Her Eyes. Emma is a terrific unreliable narrator and had me guessing until the very end. While I did guess the Who, I did not figure out the Why. Some readers may feel that the book is overly repetitive, but there are frequent hints at new clues so I never lost interest. And, it is super creepy! Emma's sleep problems have started before her fortieth birthday and of course without sleep, 💤 she is aware her view of reality is slipping. Her mother is in an asylum and from what we hear from Emma a truly horrible mother who set the tone years ago for their eventual estrangement. Emma's life is falling apart 😪 and as her birthday approaches, she becomes more and more irrational, unable to handle the stresses of family life and her high prestige position of lawyer in a very well-known firm. Emma feels like everyone is out to get her from her sister, to her husband, no one is spared her inability to be rational. It's a recipe for disaster 🌋 and the disasters 🌊 seemed to be headed straight for Emma's door. Pinborough’s unsettling, remorseless psychological thriller is horribly plausible and expertly plotted’ Sunday TimesIt’s twelve days until Emma Averell’s fortieth birthday which is much more significant to her than most people as it links to her childhood and what happens as her mother approaches forty. Emma is still carrying the trauma of it as it haunts and overhangs her life. We’re on a countdown to her birthday and that’s a rollercoaster ride as we hurtle towards it with a number of serious incidents accumulating and careening Emma to the edge of a mentally destructive precipice. A cruel bout of insomnia exacerbates her state, is she going mad, losing her mind …. Or???
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