The Wych Elm by Tana French - anyone read it?

[TuttiFrutti]

I just finished this and I would love to discuss it with someone! I really enjoyed it, I've read all her books and thought this was one of her best. Gripping storyline... and I was very surprised by the events at the end. What did other people think?

I gave up halfway through it! Very slow moving and the pivotal point seemed to happen quite far in. DH came to bed on a couple of occasions to find me asleep with the book open on the floor, not a good sign! She wrote the Dublin Murders apparently. Gave up on that too!

I have the book on the shelf so need to think about starting it

Sorry TuttiFrutti that's not very helpful! Perhaps I should persevere and go to bed earlier (and read your post properly 🤦🏼‍♀️)

I read it last month. It took me nearly 3 weeks to finish, which is almost a record for a book. It seemed to drag on and on and was relentlessly downbeat. I hated the ending. Has put me off trying any of her other novels.

Oh dear, I was hoping to find other people who loved it! Sorry you both struggled with it - just goes to show how subjective books can be.

It’s my least favourite of hers so far - terribly long winded and self indulgent like a bore on drugs over analysing everything

I loved it! I love all her books and this one was one of my favourites. It does seem to have had a fairly mixed reaction but it was right up my alley.

I loved her earlier books. I would still say I loved this one but I can see why others say what they do. Her description is brilliant.

Yes - I liked it a lot!

I really liked it too.

Joyfullittlehippo I completely agree. I really enjoyed the book as a whole, and I found it an unputdownable page turner, but I was annoyed by the ending.

I loved the character description of Hugo and found him a very believable character. I also liked the dichotomy between who is "cool" at school and how that is later turned on its head - the narrator who slightly feels sorry for his less popular cousins is forced to reevaluate his opinions of them and of himself.

I loved the examination of "luck", boorishness and privilege. I also love ow her writing inhabits a character, so you very much get the sense of the half reality that arises as a result of the brain injury, for example.

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I love Tana French and really enjoyed this, although Faithful Place is my favourite of hers. Like CallItLoneliness, I really liked the discussions about luck and privilege.