Lesley's Reviews > Reader, I Murdered Him

Possibly mild spoilers. I don’t know.

I feel the need to defend this book a bit. I really appreciate what the author is trying to do here. Abusers are able to get away with it because they come off as respectable despite whatever red flags there might be. And people who are vulnerable find it very hard to be believed when those respectable people hurt them. This is an admirable theme and I respect it.

Unfortunately, the book doesn’t make a ton of sense. It’s three books. The first is a re-contextualization of Jane Eyre from Adele’s perspective. The warning signs we all know Rochester demonstrated when it came to Bertha, Adele’s mother, and Adele herself, are highlighted very well here. Then the second part of the book shifts to a vigilante story that doesn’t completely work. That’s what drew me to the story at first, but it doesn’t feel well connected to the first part.

Then the ending is bizarre. I get it, but it’s just nonsense.

I’m disappointed that I didn’t like it more, but it definitely has value.