Thoughts on "Verity" by Colleen Hoover
THIS REVIEW DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS.
This book has several trigger warnings...listen to them.
Brief Synopsis
"In Verity, Lowen Ashleigh is a writer who's offered the opportunity to complete the last three novels of a bestselling book series because the author, Verity Crawford, is unable to do so for medical reasons.
When Lowen moves into the Crawford house to go over Verity's notes, Lowen sees that Verity has been left largely unresponsive after a car accident. She also learns that Verity's two twin daughters died in the months preceding Verity's accident.
Lowen soon finds her self attracted to Jeremy, Verity's husband, and she also discovers an autobiographical manuscript by Verity, which contains dark secrets about Verity's life."
Review (Major Spoilers)
I've been trying to type this review for 2 days now. I still don't know what to say about Verity Crawford but here we go.
Verity Crawford is my least favorite book character of all time. I have never felt personally victimized and manipulated by a book character until Verity. I don't know how Colleen Hoover even wrote the words that Verity wrote within the book. Honestly, the trigger warnings are an understatement for how graphic and uncomfortable parts of this book made me.
This book probably won't make it to PageByPaige's Best Reads of the Year List, but there were some parts I enjoyed. Mainly the plot twist. I don't normally do this, but let's just skip straight to the end. Did Verity kill Harper or not? That is the question. Part of me wants to believe she didn't, but what kind of mother could write those things about her child who just died? And who could fake being brain dead for six months? Verity Crawford that's who. My personal belief is that she wrote the letter to Jeremy to cover up everything she did and try to win him back.
While the plot twist was solid, the book was overall still lacking to me. Lowen, the main character was flat and depressing. I was bored by her lack of confidence and passion. She's not the type of character I would expect to expose a manipulative psychopathic wife and mother, but maybe that was the goal. I wish Lowen had more character development besides sleepwalking and being a mistress. Another part of the story that lacked intensity for me was SPOILER ALERT the part where they killed Verity. I understand the connection they were making to the Harper choking incident, but Hoover didn't even give Verity an evil monologue to tie the story all together. A chase scene around the house or Verity threatening to kidnap Crew would have made the ending a lot less anticlimactic.
Speaking of anticlimactic, are we not going to address the fact that Jeremy attempted to kill his wife then pretended like he didn't and then successfully killed her? Lowen, my girl, is that not a red flag for you? He didn't even give Verity a chance to explain herself. Jeremy also lacked character development as the only interesting thing about him was apparently his sex, but even that got old after the third chapter explicitly detailing Verity and Jeremy's sex life. I wanted better for these characters (not you Verity).
After spoiling almost the entire book, I think I've left a pretty thorough review. I really enjoyed the book despite my harsh review, and I would recommend it to everyone who follows my blog, but believe you me I'll never read this book again.
One Last Thought
Remember Chastain's scar? Verity wrote that Chastain had a scar after she was born and that scar from her failed abortion attempt, but in the letter Verity wrote to Jeremy she said she made the abortion attempt up. Despite that, Chastain's scar was real because Lowen saw it in pictures. Something to think about in the case against Verity Crawford...