Vintage | May 2017 | 432 pgs
Source: Library
Julie's perfect life is shattered after she is abducted while waiting for the last train one night. The kidnapper brought her back to his house, which he lives with his wife, Cora. Bound and locked in a room, Julie hopes to find some bit of sanity through some exchanges with Cora but the latter is cold and isn't willing to hear her. Still, Julie didn't give up in trying and her persistence has finally paid off seeing Cora starting to open up just a bit.
Cora, on the other hand, isn't who we think she is initially. She may be the wife of a kidnapper and a psychopath, but she had a terrible past with an abusive father and a pretty unhappy adolescence years. Her husband, James, has his own distorted mind of religion and she is forced to adapt to his thinking and behaviours. Just when Cora gets on her life like a robot, thinking there is no way out of her grim and unhappiness past or present, Julie enters into her life. As their worlds collide, they soon realise that they need each other for the freedom they crave but can they trust each other to set them free?
I thought The Follower has a dark, intriguing premise. What made the story interesting is having two characters with opposite personality and background (in this case, the captor's wife and the captive) and seeing how their relationship has changed as the story progresses. Unfortunately, the story fell short due to the underdevelopment of the characters and the direction of the story. Julie may seem like she was the main character, but surprisingly Cora was the one who I felt took the centre stage because of her sad past as well as her present life but unfortunately what made her an intriguing character become a series of melodrama and anger and aside from the empathy I felt for her (especially her teenaged years), there was nothing much else I could think and feel for her. Also, James's motivation for the abduction remains a mystery and there isn't much background about him, which I felt is a pity. Then, there is the story of an ex-cop, Adam, who feels he has to take charge of a few missing girls cases due to what happened to his sister many years ago. While Adam's story adds intrigue and intensity alongside the two women's harrowing journey, I felt his story was underrated at times.
Overall The Follower was an average read to me. I read Koethi Zan's previous book, The Never List, and thought it was a better read.
Cora, on the other hand, isn't who we think she is initially. She may be the wife of a kidnapper and a psychopath, but she had a terrible past with an abusive father and a pretty unhappy adolescence years. Her husband, James, has his own distorted mind of religion and she is forced to adapt to his thinking and behaviours. Just when Cora gets on her life like a robot, thinking there is no way out of her grim and unhappiness past or present, Julie enters into her life. As their worlds collide, they soon realise that they need each other for the freedom they crave but can they trust each other to set them free?
I thought The Follower has a dark, intriguing premise. What made the story interesting is having two characters with opposite personality and background (in this case, the captor's wife and the captive) and seeing how their relationship has changed as the story progresses. Unfortunately, the story fell short due to the underdevelopment of the characters and the direction of the story. Julie may seem like she was the main character, but surprisingly Cora was the one who I felt took the centre stage because of her sad past as well as her present life but unfortunately what made her an intriguing character become a series of melodrama and anger and aside from the empathy I felt for her (especially her teenaged years), there was nothing much else I could think and feel for her. Also, James's motivation for the abduction remains a mystery and there isn't much background about him, which I felt is a pity. Then, there is the story of an ex-cop, Adam, who feels he has to take charge of a few missing girls cases due to what happened to his sister many years ago. While Adam's story adds intrigue and intensity alongside the two women's harrowing journey, I felt his story was underrated at times.
Overall The Follower was an average read to me. I read Koethi Zan's previous book, The Never List, and thought it was a better read.
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Well that’s disappointing. It sounded like it had promise but underdeveloped characters is a deal breaker.
ReplyDeleteJenny - The premise sounds promising, isn't it? I felt there is so much potential to the story but somehow it fell alongside as it progresses. I hope her next book will be better.
DeleteHmmm...well, this doesn't make me want to rush to pick it up. I think I have another book by this author. I just looked and I do - THE NEVER LIST. Have you read that one? I have not as yet.
ReplyDeleteKay - Yes, I'd read The Never List. It was a much better read than this.
DeleteOne of things that drive me crazy in a book, is the lack of information about motivation for a major event. Such a big "Why?" to leave unanswered!
ReplyDeleteJenclair - Yes, that bugs me too. I hope her next book will be better.
DeleteI really liked The Never List, but the premise of this book is a bit off-putting. Maybe I'll skip this one, and hope that Zan's next book is better.
ReplyDeleteLark - The Never List was a good read to me so perhaps I'd expected much from this book. She writes the most interesting premise, doesn't she?
DeleteHow scary - you hear so many tales of real life abductions and it's just so scary to think these things can and do happen! Anyway, I'm interested in the story but what a bummer that it wasn't as well-developed as the first book. Still one to keep watch!
ReplyDeleteIliana - Abduction, abusive and sexual assaults cases bug me the most, as I'm sure most readers do, too. Reading them in fiction or real life stories always send chills down my spine. I'll be curious to hear what you'll think of this book when you do read it. :)
DeleteThe premise sounds so good, it's too bad it disappointed a little. Thanks for your honest thoughts!
ReplyDeleteNaida - Yeah, I was hoping for somthing more I guess.
DeleteThat's disappointing. It had such promise from the premise! Oh well, I guess they can't all be winners. I hope your next read was better.
ReplyDeleteWendy - It has an intriguing premise, isn't it? And you're right that all can't be winners so hopefully the next book will be better.
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