One By One By Ruth Ware Review
Let me be honest and upfront. If you are looking for an entertaining review? I’m sorry but this isn’t it. Ruth Ware’s latest, One By One in summary is boring. I don’t know how to write a review that explains it or makes it interesting. It is boring. I mean One by One is bland and boring. The best way I can tell you how boring it is would be to show you the following scene from the Golden Girls. Just remove the sentence I am stunned and replace it with One By One is boring.
*At the end of the post, I have provided three other One By One reviews that you can check out!
Worse Than The Guest List
I know. You can’t believe it. I don’t care. I can’t believe I typed it. There are two fundamental reasons that make Ruth Ware’s latest (and subsequently my review of One By One) worse than Lucy Foley’s The Guest List.
- I was not anticipating the Guest List. Therefore, it could not disappoint me. One By One was one of my most anticipated books of the year. This epic fail was a betrayal akin to Kaz killing Inej.
- At the end of the day, at least the Guest List made me laugh. It wasn’t supposed to make me laugh but boy did I laugh. Since it made me laugh, it was interesting. It was interesting for ALL THE WRONG REASONS. However, since it made me laugh AND was interesting for all the wrong reasons, I could write an incredibly entertaining salty review.
To the point made by #1, Ruth Ware’s One By One is and will easily be the biggest reading disappointment of the year. Turn of the Key, along with Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle and The Chain by Andrew McKinty were the first three Adult Psychological Thrillers I ever read. They started me on the trash path. This betrayal… brutal.
To the point made by #2. It really speaks for itself, I guess. I mean I just don’t know what to say other than how damn boring One By One is. How many ways can I that in summary, it is boring? I don’t know how to make a review about boring, interesting, entertaining, or even how to explain it, other than to say that, in fact, and in summary, it is boring.
One Great… Erm… Double-Edged Sword
This really is sincere. Admittedly, it is also a double-edged sword. What I’m about to say is absolutely and exactly right.
Thank You to Gallery/Scout Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Chapter 72 (I believe I counted right) is the most brilliant chapter ever. I have never seen what was done in chapter 72 executed before (that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been done before, I just haven’t seen it). It is a brilliant, masterful. And I mean that completely sincerely.
At the same time, the fact that the content in chapter 72 (which I can’t expand on) is the most brilliant in the book, also tells you how confoundingly boring it is.
And I’m sorry but that is seriously all I’ve got because everything about this book is just boring. From the characters to the plot to the setting. The damn avalanche couldn’t spice it up.
Check Out These Reviews For Other Perspectives:
Ludwig’s Book Reviews
I heard this was a snooze fest. You confirmed for me, this is one I will definitely skip.
Writing this review was hell. When I don’t like a book to this level? I like to at least make it entertaining. Like I did with the Guest List or All The Stars and Teeth. But this was so boring, I couldn’t even do THAT. So, yeah. I took one for the team!
I’m so sorry this book was a disappointment, Susan. I hope your next read is much better.
I sincerely appreciate that Stephen because outside of like 3 of the 20ish books I’ve read this month?
It has been ….
Unfortunate.
Shame you found it boring! It was cool to get your perspective! Thanks for sharing my review!
It is a shame. I was so excited to read it. You are welcome! I am trying to do that more often.
I just reread Chapter 72. What was brilliant about that chapter? I missed it.
This book was so dumb.
The book was horrible. I really can’t say without spoilers. Email me… novellivesreviews@gmail.com