Review: Her by Harriet Lane

Posted August 15, 2014 by Charlotte in Reviews / 0 Comments

Her by Harriet Lane

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Her by Harriet LaneHer by Harriet Lane
Published by W&N on June 12, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 235
Format: E-Arc
Source: Netgalley
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Two different women; two different worlds. On the face of it, Emma and Nina have very little in common. Isolated and exhausted by early motherhood, Emma finds her confidence is fading fast. Nina is sophisticated and assured, a successful artist who seems to have it all under control, yet when the two women meet, they are irresistibly drawn to each other. As the friendship develops, as Emma gratefully invites Nina into her life, it emerges that someone is playing games--and the stakes could not be higher.
What, exactly, does Nina see in Emma? What does she want? And how far will she go in pursuit of it?

The narrative of Her is told from the differing perspectives of the two protagonists – Nina and Emma. This lead to some occasional confusion on my behalf, as the story would jump back a little in time. This at times felt repetitive, as if the story was unable to progress. Yet this differing narrative of daily life shows how people can interpret the same thing wholly differently.

The extent of Nina’s revenge seems extreme. It does not seem plausible to me that woman who is somewhere in her forties, have a successful character, a kind and caring husband, and a healthy, normal relationship with her teenage daughter; be so manipulative and revenge driven – she seems . Nina’s issue with Emma is for a small slight that seems to have grown bigger as the years progress.

Lane has managed to write this thriller well. And I would give Her a higher rating but except for the fact that the reason for this revenge is ludicrous and disproportionate to the crime. Yet this provides a good study of how past events can define us, how we are changed due to the arrival of children. How priorities change. Tension in the book is slowly built as less of the mundane everyday aspects are slowly striped away to show past events and where the future is heading. Why does Nina wish for revenge? How will she achieve her goal? And will Emma ever realise who Nina is?

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