レビュー

• オススメです

  離れ小島で結婚式が行われる。招待状、そして死ぬのは…という謳い文句から「そして誰もいなくなった」を連想していたが、犯人を当てるミステリーではなかった。 しかし非常に面白く、どんどん読んでしまった。 これまで原書で読んだ小説の中で（と言っても２０冊くらいしか読んでませんが）一番面白かったかも。 登場人物が全員くせ者。 当初は突飛な行動だと思われた事が、読み進めるうちにその人の性格やあった出来事からして、なるほどそういう事かと納得がいく。 それぞれの人物の描き方が上手い。 人が多面的な生き物である事、人の成長過程において親から受けた影響が大きい事を改めて思い知らされる。 そしてちょいちょいと出てくる思い出が伏線になっている。 オススメです！

• Someone whispers in the cave. Something tells the tale.

  Gorgeous wedding in Cormorant Island, west of Connemara, Ireland. The participants are packed in this isolated place. Anyone has a motive. Is he a good guy or a bastard ? Even after reading the story, readers are still haunted and concerned about the next revenge. Who is the next victim ? アガサクリスティーの世界のようです。アイルランドの英語で分かりにくい表現がありましたが一気に読み切りました。

• 好みがわかれるのでは？

  章ごとに登場人物が交代で語るスタイル。章の途中で本を置くと、読み始める前にその章の主語”I"は誰なのか確認する必要がありました。（私だけかもしれませんが） アガサ・クリスティを思い出させる書き方ですが、登場人物に好感や興味が持てなかったこともあり、とにかく読むのが苦痛でした。「謎/秘密」も推測可能で、結果、驚きもなにもなく嫌悪感だけをもちながら最後まで読み終えました。 英語自体は(non-native speaker of English) には易しめですが、アイルランドの知識が少しでもあればさらに読みやすいかもです。個人的にはこの数年に読んだ本の中で、一番退屈しました。

• リース・ウィザースプーンのブッククラブの6月選書はアガサ・クリスティ的ミステリ

  番組の新進スター、新婦はライフスタイル誌のオーナー。船でしか来ることができない不便な場所だが、それだからこそロンドンの裕福な人々にとっては他人に自慢できる豪華イベントができるのが魅力だった。ソーシャルメディアの有名人でもある新婦は、自社のマガジンとソーシャルメディアでPRすることを交換条件に破格の値段でウエディングをする約束を取り交わしていた。 島にある大きな屋敷には、新郎新婦と、結婚式で重要な役割を果たす親しい者だけが式の数日前から宿泊していた。島にはほかに宿泊施設がないので、ほかのゲストは当日に船で来ることになっていた。 新郎のベストマンは寄宿制私立高校の時からの親友だが、2人の間には緊張感が漂っていた。新婦は通常なら親友の女性か姉妹のひとりをメイド・オブ・オナーにするものだが、代わりに男性の親友をベストマンにしていた。ベストマンの妻は、自分をほうったらかしにして新婦とばかり過ごす夫に不満や疑いを抱く。そして、新婦の妹は大きな秘密に押しつぶされそうになっている。 結婚式の当日、嵐が到来し、停電が起こる。そして、ある者が殺される……。 雰囲気たっぷりのロケーションに秘密を抱える人々が集まり、ひとりが死体になる。そのあたりが、とてもアガサ・クリスティ的なミステリだ。結婚式のパーティ当日と、その前に起こったことなどが交互に語られ、緊張がじわじわと高まっていくところもいい。 映画のシーンが目に浮かんでくるようなページターナーであり、リース・ウィザースプーンがブッククラブに選んだのが理解できる。きっと、彼女のプロダクションでドラマ化されることだろう。それも楽しみだ。

• 孤島の空気感でサスペンス

  英語は読みやすいです。主な登場人物が3人の女性で、それぞれの内面がうまく描かれているため、感情移入がしやすく、面白く読み進められます。わかる人には最初からネタが割れるかもしれませんが、私は最後まで気づかず気持ちよくびっくりさせられました。全体的にはダークで明るい人物がいないため、純粋にサスペンスを楽しむ人にオススメです。

• Unputdownable and interestingly constructed

  While choosing this book, I came across a few descriptions that compared this book to those by Agatha Christie. This book, however, is no classic murder mystery; in fact, the identity of the victim is revealed only 90% into the book. What this book is, though, is a very good psychological thriller! A reality show star, Will, and an online publishing celebrity, Jules, host their wedding on a remote Irish island that is beautiful and eerie in turn. The presence of the cormorant birds on the island, a harbinger of evil and death as per folklore, quickly indicate the direction that the book will take. The main cast of characters also include Will's best man Johnno, Jules' best friend Charles and his wife Hannah, Jules' half-sister Olivia, the event manager Aoife and her husband Freddy, and an assortment of family and friends. As the book progresses, it becomes clear that most of the characters harbour dark secrets, and these are revealed slowly, layer by layer, leading to the climatic revelations. I do not consider most murder mysteries, including those of Agatha Christie, as particularly well-written -- after all, the focus is on the mystery rather than on the writing. However, The Guest List is a notable exception. Foley writes very well and has a nice turn of phrase. At the same time, her writing is very easy to follow so that the reader can spend her energy in thinking about the various characters and their secrets, rather than in keeping pace with the story. The construct of the book is interesting with the events of the wedding evening narrated in the third person interspersed with those of earlier in the day and of the preceding evening narrated in the first person by Aoife, Hannah, Jules, Johnno, and Olivia. The story is told in the present tense throughout, and this along with the vivid descriptions, makes it extremely immersive for the reader. The pace is languid but at no time will the reader's interest flag -- the slow peeling of the finer details and the interesting psychological studies of the various characters ensure that. The only fault to find, if any, is that some of the standard tropes of a murder mystery have been used, enabling us to guess the identity of the victim and the perpetrator as we progress through the book. But that does not detract from the enjoyment of reading it one bit! Pros: Extremely well written, interesting construct, unputdownable Cons: Somewhat predictable before the end

• An addictive, unnerving and compelling thriller

  On one of the most remote and windswept islands off the coast of Ireland, Jules Keegan and Will Slater have decided to say their I Dos and host a small but expensive wedding for family and friends. With troubles brewing long before anyone steps foot off a boat or on the island, the soon-to-be newlyweds might have more to worry about than cold feet and or flower arrangements. Everyone is putting on a happy face but barely under the surface lies deeply held hatred, secrets and lifelong grudges that all threaten the happiness of the day. Both the Bride and Groom are keeping secrets from each other and their loved ones that could tear their world apart but still manage to make it down the aisle. Though not long after the ceremony is concluded and the wedding cake is cut, one of the guests is found dead, seemly not in an accident, which turns the barely held together nuptials into a shock-filled disaster. The Wedding Planner/venue owner Aoife tries to get to grips with the situation but she has inner demons she has been trying to suppress. As she endeavours to find answers to what caused the guest's death, the gruesome death of someone on her island is bringing back some dark memories. They are all trapped together without a quick or easy escape until help can arrive, will they uncover what happened before the killer strikes again? 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Another addictive, unnerving and compelling thriller from Lucy Foley. It brings the best of old school whodunits where everyone seems to have a motive and with a contemporary setting. I liked how you kept seconding guessing the identity of the murderer almost to the very end and then the reveal leaves you stunned. Loved the setting as having visited remote islands here off the coast of Ireland I can attest to their atmospheric qualities as a perfect location. I found the main characters were all fascinating and flawed as their backstories unfolded from both a current and past timeline with alternating POV chapters. The twists that brought both people and plot together were ones I never saw coming. Highly recommend.

• A less skilled writer would never have been able to make this, clever, complicated story such an enjoyable read!

  Secrets Secrets Secrets!!! This book will have you thinking back to the last large wedding you attended and wondering just how many mini dramas were taking place all around you, while you remained completely oblivious. If the people attending your event anything in common with the wedding party and their guests, in the aptly title THE GUEST LIST, probably more people than you think are holding secrets and harboring resentments. THE GUEST LIST is a fast read that unfolds with alternating chapters, told by various members of the wedding party and their 150 guests. The book, from start to finish is an excellent testimony to the skill of the writer. It is interesting from the start, with well written characters that come alive on the page. There is a lot going on here, but it unfolds smoothly, as we learn about the backgrounds of the various players, their secrets and their innermost thoughts. It never feels disjointed or like the characters are unconnected, because each of them, despite their differences, have some connection to the bride and groom. The wedding itself connects people in unexpected ways and leads to several characters gaining new information about things that had happened in the past. The newly acquired information solves old mysteries and stirs up powerful emotions that change the course of the wedding and the future of many people there. A less skilled writer would never have been able to make this clever complicated story such an enjoyable read

• Efficace !

  The guest list a tous les ingrédients du parfait Thriller/Qui est le coupable : un lieu clos, un décor dépaysant et peu rassurant, un cadavre, une poignée de suspects... J’ai beaucoup aimé la narration : le narrateur change à chaque chapitre et il y a deux Time Lines : le moment du meurtre et quelques heures avant. On essaie de savoir qui est le coupable ... sans succès pour ma part ! Je recommande !

• Very good storyline and extraordinary writing

  Wonderful book

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