Review: The Woman in the Window – A.J. Finn

My review: 5/5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Anna lives alone in her house in New York City, unable to venture outside.  She spends her days drinking wine, watching old films, recalling better times and spying on her neighbours.  Then the Russells move into the house over the road and they seem like the perfect family.  Until one day Anna sees something she shouldn’t.  Was it real? What is imagined? What is going on?

My thoughts

When it says on the back that this bestseller gripped the world, I really can believe it.  

The description and prose in this book were second to none and Finn had such a beautiful way of writing a story that was set in the same place for the majority of the book.  The author had a way of bring Anna and her house to life so that Anna didn’t seem as confined by her surrounds and you could really see why she didn’t want to leave.  The descriptions throughout this book were important in understanding Anna. 

I won’t lie to you as much as I loved this book it did start kind of slow.  I was confused by Anna and her actions and almost didn’t see where the story was going.  But don’t worry, the story soon picks up and then I was hooked.  I now see why the start was important in just setting the scene and getting the reader to actually like Anna as on the surface she can be hard to relate to.

The added element of unreliable narration was the icing on the cake for this book.  Throughout the book Anna is doubting what she sees and whether it has actually happened.  This element of uncertainty make this read a roller coaster of emotions for the reader as at parts you really sympathise with Anna and at times you just want her to pull herself together more. 

The plot line of this book is incredible.  The twists and turns that this book took were expertly navigated and at times I actually gasped out loud at what was happening.  Nothing could prepare me for the ending, my heart was pounding and I was truly shocked.  I won’t say anymore for fear of spoiling it for you.

If you were a fan of the Girl on the Train then I would 100% recommend The Woman in the Window.  It is a beautifully crafted psychological thriller and if you are looking for that will constantly keep you on your toes and guessing then this one is for you!

Do you have a suggestion for the next book to add to my bookshelf? Let me know in comments.