Review: Verity

Verity by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ok, this one has me scratching my head. I chose to read this piece of nonsense based on the myriad 5-star reviews on Amazon—I’m talking HUNDREDS. Now there are two reasons this novel may have so much positive feedback. First, it could be that there are hundreds of readers who don’t often step beyond this author’s normal genre (of which this book did not belong) and are simply ride-or-die fans. Second, it could be that I’ve gone round the twist and am missing the value. I’m betting on the former.

The writing here is, admittedly, pretty amazing. Character development and plot movement, as well as the establishment of tone, is all done masterfully. What is ludicrous, however, is the plot itself.

**SPOILER ALERT AHEAD** Verity is a well-known and well liked author with a huge fan base. She and her husband lose their young twin girls some months apart in separate tragedies, then Verity herself is in a car accident. The accident leaves her in a semi-vegetative state, unable to move or communicate. Her husband seeks to hire an author to finish the last three books his wife had promised as part of a series of nine. In steps Lowen, a talented author in her own right, though certainly not as famous as Verity. She travels to the couple’s home, where Verity is under constant care (fed, diapered, etc.), in order to look over the woman’s notes in preparation for the writing Lowen has been commissioned to complete. Whilst rummaging through Verity’s office, and falling in love with Verity’s husband, Lowen discovers a manuscript that is supposedly an autobiography written by Verity before her accident. It is beyond disturbing and paints the now comatose author as a raging psychopath who despised her twins, feeling only raging jealousy at the attention they garner from their father. So far so good, right? Here’s where it all goes to hell. VERITY IS FAKING HER INJURIES. Really? Doctors and nurses, specialists in their respective fields, can’t tell SHE IS FAKING IT?? For MONTHS? She has been cleaned, turned and fed and NO ONE KNEW? Additionally, we are to believe that she wrote the most disturbing things about herself and her children and labeled the manuscript an autobiography as a WRITING EXERCISE? What woman writes that she tried to abort her own children with a coat hanger as part of an exercise?? I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. Absurd is the only word that adequately conveys the entire premise.

I wish someone, anyone, would have said to this author, “hey, you’re damn good, but this story just doesn’t make an iota of sense.” I’m left wishing back the hours it took me to read this insanely ridiculous drivel. Two stars for the obvious talent, but nless you are a die-hard fan of this writer, I’d skip this one altogether.

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