Book Review #59: You by Caroline Kepnes

Hey Guys x

I'm pretty sure that most people have watched this show by now, and even if you haven't watched it, you've probably heard of it. However, you might not know that the captivating story of Joe and Beck was actually a book (and a series on 'Lifetime') before it made its way to Netflix.

Joe Goldberg is in love with Guinevere Beck. Does it matter that he's only met her once? Or that she has a boyfriend? No, because Joe loves her, and he knows that she loves him too. But Joe's love quickly turns into obsession, and before either of them know it, things have spiralled out of control. But when Joe's obsession turns deadly, will Beck discover the truth behind the smile of this bookstore clerk before it's too late?

If you've seen the series, then it's impossible not to have it in your head while you're reading this book. The benefit of this is that you feel like you know these characters before you even open the book - and because so many instances from the book are kept in the show, this works out well.

I really enjoyed this book. I've never read a book before (to my recollection) that was completely written in the second person, but Kepnes did this brilliantly. The whole book is almost like a love letter to Beck, and it being written like this is the best way to get right into Joe's head from the beginning. He is telling Beck (and by extension, the reader) exactly what he's willing to do for love.

The strange thing about being in Joe's head throughout the novel is the way that you begin to warm to him, even after he does some horrific things. He is able to justify every move he makes with a quick 'I'm doing it for Beck' or 'he was an asshole', or 'I'm doing everyone a favor' and although you absolutely do not agree with his methods, you find yourself saying 'well... he was bad for Beck' or 'he was an asshole' or 'yep, the world is a better place without her' - there's a part of you that likes Joe for what he is, and that's the scariest thing about reading this book.

What was good?
As I've already mentioned, it's really amazing how Kepnes has managed to create a truly likeable protagonist that absolutely should not be liked in any circumstance. Joe is a character that you could read ten books about and still be interested in.

What was bad?
This is probably intentional, but you don't find yourself caring about any character apart from Joe and Beck. A reason that you're not completely against Joe when he completes these heinous acts could be because there were no other likeable characters in the story, and no one else to root for. Maybe this is what the TV show-version was doing when they created the character of Paco? Either way, it's hard not to root for a psychopath when there's no one else to root for.

Overall
Even if you haven't watched the show, you should definitely read this book. It's extremely well-written, and is so far away from a typical love story that you forget that that's what this is - at least, it is to Joe.

4/5 Stars!

Lou