Stephanie Jane recenzis The Judas Scar de Amanda Jennings
A satisfying read
4 steloj
I received a copy of The Judas Scar directly from Amanda Jennings as a prize via Sophie's Reviewed The Book blog. Sophie wrote such an enthusiastic review that I was keen to read this thriller too, but have had to wait until I could pick it up from Bristol first!
The Judas Scar is a tense psychological thriller which looks at the aftermath of extreme childhood trauma and the varying ways in which adult lives are dictated by the events of the past. Jennings has created superbly real characters, both male and female, who are very believable - in a couple of cases, frighteningly so! Our 'heroes', Will and Harmony, have been happily married for twenty years. They had agreed to remain childless at Will's insistence and The Judas Scar begins by examining the emotional fallout when Harmony accidentally becomes pregnant - and then loses the baby. She is understandably …
I received a copy of The Judas Scar directly from Amanda Jennings as a prize via Sophie's Reviewed The Book blog. Sophie wrote such an enthusiastic review that I was keen to read this thriller too, but have had to wait until I could pick it up from Bristol first!
The Judas Scar is a tense psychological thriller which looks at the aftermath of extreme childhood trauma and the varying ways in which adult lives are dictated by the events of the past. Jennings has created superbly real characters, both male and female, who are very believable - in a couple of cases, frighteningly so! Our 'heroes', Will and Harmony, have been happily married for twenty years. They had agreed to remain childless at Will's insistence and The Judas Scar begins by examining the emotional fallout when Harmony accidentally becomes pregnant - and then loses the baby. She is understandably devastated and bewildered by Will's apparent lack of equal distress. I suspect that readers are supposed to identify with Harmony, however I found my sympathies lay with Will. After two decades of happy marriage, I can't think I would be overjoyed at the news that something I thought was agreed upon had suddenly been completely overturned. It's certainly a thought-provoking storyline.
Jennings' uncovering of Will's paternal reluctance provides the exciting driving force of the thriller story when a blast from the past unexpectedly reappears in his life. Disturbing secrets are uncovered and I enjoyed the unpredictability of this part of the book. Perhaps the ending is too abrupt because I would have liked to have known more about what happens to everyone involved, however the whole story arc is satisfying to read.