She Treads Softly: The Split

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

The Split

The Split by S.E. Lynes
3/8/24; 358 pages
Bookouture

The Split by S.E. Lynes follows a fractious break-up and the aftermath. It is a recommended, average domestic psychological thriller.

Jessica and Will are married and have two children. Jessica works long hours in London and is the main support for the family. Will is a life coach and the main care taker for the children. The morning after they celebrated their anniversary Jessica received pictures of Will, by all appearances, having an affair with another woman. When she confronts him, he says it's not what she thinks but he can't talk about it. She kicks him out of the house. This is the start of bigger problems than their inability to talk to or trust each other.

Admittedly, I was not a fan of The Split. The pluses are I read it to the end. The plot is interesting, but average. There are plenty of secrets and twists. The narrative moves at a fast pace. It gets all the points for escapism and a sense of dread and danger. The anger and frustration with each other seems realistic. The characters are unlikable and gullible. As I was reading, I predicted to myself early on what would happen and who would be responsible. I was correct, repeatedly. Many readers will likely enjoy this for the diversion. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

No comments:

Post a Comment

John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.