Kai reviewed Crazy Love by Rachael Tamayo
Review of 'Crazy Love' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Emily has a stalker, Noah, that is convinced that she loves him back. All she wants is to be left alone to live her life. Noah's obsession and the insights we get into his twisted mind are entertaining, but the book felt longer than it needed to be.
The plot starts really interesting. The narrative has a strong voice and makes Noah peculiar enough in how he goes about his obsession that it feels like the book is different from others of similar plotlines. However, after a while, things seem to drag — the same cycle of feeling in danger, reacting, thinking she's now safe until something else happens, repeats itself again and again, without managing to up the stakes. The ending sequence, the part that should be the most frightening and exciting, falls into a cliche storyline, and there's no more anticipation nor sense of danger because it's pretty …
Emily has a stalker, Noah, that is convinced that she loves him back. All she wants is to be left alone to live her life. Noah's obsession and the insights we get into his twisted mind are entertaining, but the book felt longer than it needed to be.
The plot starts really interesting. The narrative has a strong voice and makes Noah peculiar enough in how he goes about his obsession that it feels like the book is different from others of similar plotlines. However, after a while, things seem to drag — the same cycle of feeling in danger, reacting, thinking she's now safe until something else happens, repeats itself again and again, without managing to up the stakes. The ending sequence, the part that should be the most frightening and exciting, falls into a cliche storyline, and there's no more anticipation nor sense of danger because it's pretty obvious what will happen.
The characters are unique, and you can understand the main characters well. Emily starts with a well-defined and individual personality, making her an interesting protagonist. Still, as things progress, less attention is given to her personality than the events around her. She is pushed into the role of always only reacting or is suddenly unaware of the possible consequences of what's happening. When the time comes for her to act, her actions feel forced.
Side characters are not nearly as well-developed as the three main ones, and some of their motivations and actions lack a bit of flavour and explanation. They're mostly there to move the plot along, with little characterization.
For fans of the genre, the book may be an interesting read. Emily is likeable enough, and Noah has his time on the pages. Mostly, it feels like every other stalker story, and the characters take actions that fit more the plot than their personalities. Maybe if the work was shorter, more succinct, it would have worked better.