(7) Before I Go To Sleep

Before I Go To Sleep
SJ Watson

Rating: 7.5/10

Date Finished: 10/03/12

Review:
This book has a lot of hype surrounding it and to be honest I think that's what lets it down. It is a thoroughly interesting concept, for those of you who haven't heard about it the basic plot is this; a woman wakes up each morning with no idea where she is or who it is she is in bed with. It is soon revealed that there was an accident and she had developed a very complicated type of amnesia. This story is about how that has ruined her life and the struggles of trying to rebuild what is left of it.

The use of a journal both as a means of creating the storyline and also of telling it is very clever (You'll understand what I mean if you read it) and up until a point I thought the story-telling was brilliant. Then I got to the end. A few people have recommended this book to me, remarking on the brilliant twist at the end, yet I found the ending to be the least revolutionary part of the entire book. I thought it was fairly predictable and not particularly in tune with the rest of the story. The tone went from subtle yet intense to full on action packed within one chapter. I just didn't think that was necessary.

Although I did really enjoy the novel, I'm slightly let down, particularly after the rave reviews. SJ Watson should have had the courage to let the message of the book shine through, without making it into something so formulaic . It's still one to put on your reading list though!