Rock Paper Scissors
by Alice Feeney
Blurb:
Think you know the person you married? Think again…Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts—paper, cotton, pottery, tin—and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.
My Reaction:
(I listened to the audiobook version of this one.)
I didn't see that coming. Not sure if it was because I was listening with divided attention while doing other things (piecing a quilt, mainly), or if it was just that deftly handled, but the twist caught me off guard. I'm not sure it makes complete sense under closer scrutiny, but as a casual listener, I found it entertaining to have the rug pulled out from under me.
I'm only getting around to writing this a fair bit of time after finishing the audiobook, so I'm probably forgetting things... I vaguely remember burning out on the story and giving it a break for a while, reverting to podcasts for entertainment. I think I found the characters tiring and frustrating, perhaps, and the pacing a little slow.
The author again displays her usual tendency to insert "clever thoughts" (described by some as cheesy cliches or fortune cookie sentiments) here and there throughout her work. It's a very distinctive style, and while a little of it is fine, after a certain point it can be wearying, if not annoying. I most certainly rolled my eyes at the gibe at people who dare write one-star reviews. (I imagine it was supposed to be amusing, but it came across as thin-skinned to me.)
Ah, more of it is coming back to me, now... I remember wondering what on earth was about to happen after the book ended. I can't get into it without revealing too much, but... Well, what's supposed to happen next? What were two of our characters expecting to happen? What's their plan? It feels odd that they just left evidence behind (on display, even) for someone to inevitably find and question. Very weird behavior from apparently sane, intelligent people. Did they actually believe that no-one would ever go there and see it?
Also, now that I see that this is being adapted for TV, I find myself wondering how they'll handle the element of the anniversary letters without giving too much away. I'll be interested in seeing it when it comes out.
I'm going for 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars (despite my irritation with the 1-star reviewer comment).
