Everything I Never Told You

Do you ever have an experience where you keep seeing a book...on blogs, in your instagram feed, with random people at the park?

Well, this was my experience with Everything I Never Told You.  I checked it out of the library once and didn't even crack it open.  Then, a few weeks later, I kept seeing it all over the place.  I requested it from the library again and got to reading.  

Another experience that is all too common in my life is that I like to check out library books and return them unread or unfinished.  I have a few, rare exceptions (The Flavia DeLuce Series) but I always over-borrow from the library.  Surely, I'm not alone in this.  

However, this time I was resolved to complete this book.  

I did it.

I can see why this book is so popular.  The story is captivating and combines mystery with family drama.  The prose is well written but not in your face.  Anyone who likes a good mystery could enjoy this read, and those looking a little deeper at the text will find some interesting techniques.  For example, in multiple places, Ng used a word in close proximity with two different meanings..."digit" as a finger and a number.  

The family drama was like watching a train wreck.  It seems many books are like that lately (The Girl on the Train).  There were times I just couldn't put it down and stayed up late reading so I could find out what would happen next, but it was also a little dark and pretty sad.  

I'm not sure if I would recommend it.  I mean, I enjoyed it.  And I wouldn't discourage someone from reading it.  Lately, I've been getting so many recommendations from friends and family that I've become a little more cautious in what I would tell you to read.  I think this would make for an excellent book club discussion (the lives people keep secret from their loved ones, how things get found out, etc...) but it likely won't be something I'm telling all my friends to go buy immediately.  

On my nightstand now:  Some Luck, Tatoos on the Heart, Shogun