Book review: A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

Monday, August 30, 2021 Permalink

Zimbabwean-born, London-dwelling author Paula Hawkins is best-known for her debut novel, The Girl on the Train, a book which seemingly paved the way for a slew of unreliable narrators in popular fiction.

A Slow Fire Burning is her third novel and again she offers us strong, flawed and sometimes-unlikeable female characters. In fact there are several on offer here as – like Hawkins’s second book, Into the Water – this unfolds from multiple points of view all offering very different voices, personalities and views on life.

Continue Reading…

four-stars

Book review: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Friday, April 28, 2017 Permalink

I had the opportunity to read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins much earlier than its release here in Australia. Although I enjoyed the book and quite liked our heavy-drinking dog-with-a-bone protagonist Rachel, I was surprised by the book’s success. But then again I said the same about Gone Girl, so that possibly says something about my taste…

Both to me had rather unsatisfying endings. I don’t mind a bit of ambiguity or a last-minute twist but I think there’s usually some expectation of justice. Or karma. Or something.

Continue Reading…

four-stars