Review of Verity by Colleen Hoover: A Wild Ride Through Twisted Minds
When I first picked up Verity by Colleen Hoover, I was in the mood for something intense, suspenseful, and maybe even a bit heart-wrenching. Little did I know that I was in for a laugh-out-loud ride through the hilariously horrifying twists of psychological thriller territory. With whispers of tears being shed over this book, I couldn’t help but wonder: were those tears of laughter or horror? As I dove into Hoover’s chilling narrative, I quickly discovered it was a delightful mix of both.
At its core, Verity weaves a tale of ambition, obsession, and the nature of truth. Our protagonist is a struggling writer, Lowen Ashleigh, hired to complete the remaining books in a famous author’s series after a tragic accident leaves the author, Verity Crawford, incapacitated. What begins as a professional endeavor pushes Lowen into the dark and twisted mind of someone who has penned stories darker than she ever imagined. Yet, as I followed Lowen’s journey, I found myself more entertained by her antics than genuinely frightened.
The humor in this rather creepy book is truly something else! I mean, there were moments when I felt like I was reading a satirical horror comedy rather than a thriller. How is it that Lowen takes weeks to read through Verity’s manuscript? I’d have binge-read that in an hour! Her slow-motion revelations drove me up the wall, making me question the pace of suspense—I was left yelling at the page, "Come on, girl! Just read it already!" The absurdity of Lowen’s character made her less relatable and more like a character in a comedy sketch struggling to keep up with the demands of a horror story.
Verity herself, the supposed villain of the story, is such an intriguing character. The way she plays with everyone’s perceptions while pretending to be a passive presence is deliciously sinister. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her ghost-like antics—opening her eyes only when Lowen was looking! It sounds downright silly, but it had me rolling with laughter as if I were watching a macabre comedy unfold. The repetitive cycle of horror and Lowen’s over-the-top reactions had me imagining Verity as a prankster enjoying the chaos more than anything else.
Hoover’s writing drips with tension, though at times the romance felt bland, like two blocks of stale dough trying to make magic happen. The dynamics between Lowen and Jeremy, Verity’s husband, lacked much flavor, making any romantic tension feel shoehorned in amidst the chaos of Verity’s shenanigans. As a reader, I was far more interested in the psychological drama than the lukewarm romance.
As I flipped through the pages, I found some of my reactions echoed in those "crying from laughter" comments I had seen floating around. The concept of a “final twist” took on a life of its own while I questioned every character’s motives. And the ending? While most would describe it as shocking, I found it remarkably surreal—one that was more likely to evoke eye rolls than gasps from someone who’s braved the absurdity of this story.
In short, if you enjoy stories with a villain that is ten times more interesting than the protagonist and a thrilling ride peppered with comedic moments, Verity might just be for you. It’s a book that invites you to experience the absurdities of human emotions, psychological trauma, and flawed relationships—while chuckling all the way through. If nothing else, it reminded me of the joys of reading something that leaves you conflicted—entertained yet perplexed.
So, fellow readers, grab your snacks (and a glass of wine), prepare for bizarre laughter, and settle in for this wild ride. You just might find Verity’s chaotic charm sticking with you long after you’ve turned the last page!