It took a while for me to get into this book, but the last third, I couldn’t read quick enough.
Beautiful description of 1950’s suburban life.

Y’all I loved this book. The first part of the book was mid but only because it was setting the foundation for the rest of the book. After that, I started to connect more with the characters and the plot is great. There are some trigger warnings but overall this author knows how to write.

Good book, quite dark but loved the mental health links and how it may have been misunderstood in the 40s and 50s. Loved the ending and couldn’t put it down

No nyt on kyllä yksi vuoden suurimmista kirjapettymyksistä ehkä käsillä. En tiedä miten paljon tähän fiilikseen vaikutti se etukäteishehkutus ja "varaudu nenäliinoihin" -kommentointi, mutta tämän kirjan kanssa en kyllä todella saa kiinni suomennoksen aiheuttamasta suursuosiosta.

Kirja on kieltämättä hienosti kirjoitettu, sen lakoninen ja toteavakin tyyli sopii mainiosti itse tarinaan. Teos ei ole myöskään se kaikkein helpoin, mutta toisin kuin hieman vaativammat yleensä, se jättää tällä kertaa lukijan kokonaan palkitsematta. Vaikka vaikuttavuudesta ja tietynlaisesta synkkyydestä kirjallisuudessa pidänkin, tällä kertaa juuri ne työntävät henkilöhahmot niin etäisiksi ja epäinhimillisiksi, että koko kirjan lukeminen saa jollain tavalla voimaan pahoin, se kun jättää toivottumuuden sijaan tunteen rankkuudella mässäilyksi. Kukaan ei ymmärrä, paitsi se kuka ihan sattumalta onkin rakastanut sinua pikkulapsesta alkaen. Hohhoijaa, johan oli yllätyksellisesti keksitty.

Ehkä vain olisi pitänyt jo etukäteen odottaa vähän muuta, etenkin kun kirjan kanteen on painettu teksti "Jos pidit Ian McEwanin Sovituksesta, rakastut tähän." En nimittäin juuri pitänyt siitäkään.

Really well written, the characters are flawed and amazing,it is heavy at times but found it a quick read.Like I did not want to put it down, and thus stayed up all night reading it, weeping a lot (the exhaustion I'm sure). Lewis' life is quite heartbreaking,you really sympathize and love him .Also Lewis is hot and the sexual tension is unreal,with um ...like everyone. I adored sweet Kit and her last scene was just...perfect, not corny, PERFECT.

A poorly eye meant I couldn’t read at all last week! So I topped up with extra Audible credits. I listened to The Outcast by Sadie Jones as I enjoyed The Snakes so much. This is a dark story set in late 1940s England. Do you agree that the mood you are in when you read or listen to a book impacts your feelings about it? Lying in the dark and feeling unwell I found this story compelling but nightmarish with sadistic characters that lingered in my thoughts.

I kind of liked this book. But kind of not.

It was just so SO unhappy.
And also:
repressed
stiff-upper lipped
dysfunctional
cruel
dash hope
disappointment

If only Mr Dad could have given his kid a hug, like EVER. Or said "I'm really sad, too."

Then maybe our main character wouldn't have been such a basket case.

But instead, it's a novel full of Britishy, 1950's repressed-ness.

So I was anxious to see if things would ever work out for Lewis. If anyone would ever stand up for him. And there were teeny small moments of love. But so few that when I finally finished, I was amazed at just how bleak one book can be.

An interesting story with strong themes around repressive English society, the affect of parents, the impact of traumatic events on our lives, etc. but a bit contrived at the end.

Eh. Ok. Not awful. Not great. Lots of weak characters portrayed. But a quick read. Really felt like a typical southern US novel about small town hidden issues and acceptance of what is presented vs what goes on behind everyone's front door.