The Woman in the Window was a satisfying and suspenseful thriller written by A.J. Finn. I found myself becoming increasingly invested in the story and rooting for the main character despite her self sabotaging behaviors. There were enough twists and turns to keep me interested and I didn't predict the ending which means brownie points from me. It was not too gory, or creepy, a great place to start for someone new to the genre.
The story follows Anna Fox, a woman who never leaves her home. As a result of past trauma, she has developed agoraphobia and is not able to go outside without having a panic attack. Instead, she lives vicariously through the windows of her home watching as her neighbors live their colorful lives. Things take a turn when a new family moves in across the street and Anna helplessly witnesses a crime taking place in their home. When cops arrive and investigate, there is no evidence of any crime at all and the reader is left wondering what is true, and what is imagined.
One of my biggest qualms with thrillers is when I am kept in the dark for too long. I thought Finn gave enough information and clues to keep you interested and guessing, without giving the ending away. It has that nice consistent flow of drama, many layers to the plot, and clues that make reading thrillers so enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, I love a big reveal, but if everything is left to the very end it can get boring and frustrating throughout. Although I found the first 100 pages a bit slow, and that section definitely could have been condensed, I am glad I continued on as it only got better from then on.
Anna Fox, the protagonist, and narrator of the book is an unreliable character. Having an untrustworthy narrator creates a different kind of experience for the reader. When not well executed, it can make the writing difficult to engage with and I have found it becomes challenging to root for that character. I thought that A.J. Finn did a great job of helping me get behind Anna, I had sympathy for her and believed her point of view, despite her counterintuitive behaviors. Although the reader doesn't know if what Anna witnesses through her window is real, I still found myself on her side and rooting for her the whole time. I think this is what makes this book work.
I found The Woman in the Window to be an engaging, curiosity peaking, and fun read. I would recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers and don't mind pushing through a slow beginning to get to the good stuff. There were enough twists and turns, a solid ending, and some good suspense throughout. Overall I would give this 3.5 Stars.
Yours Literarily,
Lauren.
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