Mini Reviews: Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski and Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough
Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski
4****
Six Stories was not exactly what I thought it would be, compared as it was to the compulsively binge-worthy podcast Serial. It was the slow pace, which surprised me, but that did not stop me from enjoying the story, though that seems the wrong word to use for such a dark tale. The author is really talented in building a creepy atmosphere, even as the story is essentially told looking back in an interview-style format. I can't say the ending was terribly surprising for me, however, this does not detract me from being interested in reading the sequel, Hydra. Overall, I felt this was an unusual, clever book and an interesting way to tell a story.
3***
I sped through this book and yet I never quite felt gripped by or connected to the story. In fact, as I write this review, details are already beginning to fade from my memory (I very much hope this is only because it was an unmemorable book and nothing to do with my short-term memory!) It wasn't bad, it just wasn't spectacular in any way. Let me back-pedal for a second. The reason I say this is because I thought Pinborough's previous book, Behind Her Eyes, though mighty weird, was definitely original and a page turner, so I may be comparing my experience reading that one with the experience of reading this one. I did like that the story was told from different POVs, and Pinborough does this well, and the plot does move quickly. Unfortunately, I felt the ending was very rushed, given all the build-up and a bit of a cop out. I'd be very curious to hear what anyone else thought. All in all, it was a decent thriller, even if I was not hugely impressed. I would read future books by this author, because her style is very readable and the pace quick.