The Guest

The writing is so gripping even though nothing happens! There’s no plot and there’s no character development/growth but it was such a captivating read, like a car crash you can’t look away from.

The main character Alex is deeply flawed and unlikeable, she is morally ambiguous and pretends to be someone she’s not. Through this, you get a glimpse at human psychology and a part of “high society.” It’s an intriguing exploration of society, humanity, and just how far someone will go to escape their mistakes and feel like they belong!

Although I love the blurring of reality and fantasy, and not knowing if we can trust what Alex tells us, I didn’t love it in the end. The last chapter felt rushed and I have no idea what happened?! It was too ambiguous for my taste and I wanted a little more of a clear answer to what was happening. But it makes sense in a way given that we can’t trust Alex and her motives.

Overall it was a story that kept me engaged; providing some entertainment into the lives of the Hampton elites and in-depth looks at a cast of characters just trying to belong! I’d highly recommend if you enjoy unlikeable characters, character-driven stories, explorations of psychology/society, and stories like “Inventing Anna.”