Book Review: Her by Harriet Lane
Her by Harriet Lane
Published: June 12, 2014
Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (2 stars)
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Quick Thoughts: A slow-burning psychological drama told from alternating perspectives. The writing was engaging, but the story itself left me feeling disappointed.
I purchased this book myself. There was no obligation to post/give this book a certain rating. All views are my own. I remain entirely impartial.
READER INFORMATION:
Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven novels, psychological tension, and alternating viewpoints. May appeal to fans of domestic dramas or those who love unreliable narrators.
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Her follows the lives of two women, Emma and Nina, as their stories unfold in alternating chapters. Emma is a mother of two young children, feeling lost, frustrated, and overwhelmed by her role as the primary caregiver. Nina, in contrast, seems to have it all—career success, a stable marriage, and a teenage daughter. But it’s clear from the beginning that Nina remembers Emma from somewhere in their past, even though Emma doesn’t appear to recognize her.
FIRST THOUGHTS
I picked this book up because I heard a lot of people talking about it, and the premise sounded like the kind of quiet psychological tension I enjoy. From the beginning, I was pulled in by the writing. Harriet Lane’s style is sharp and observant, and I was immediately drawn to both Emma and Nina’s internal worlds. The alternating chapters worked well and kept me curious. For most of the book, I expected to give it a much higher rating.
MY BOOK REVIEW
There’s no doubt that Harriet Lane can write. Her ability to tap into subtle emotion and interpersonal tension is what kept me reading. I enjoyed being inside both characters’ heads and trying to figure out where things would go. It had that simmering discomfort that I usually love in a slow-burn psychological novel.
But once the reveal happened, the entire story started to fall apart for me. It just didn’t make sense that Emma wouldn’t remember Nina at all, given the circumstances. And Nina’s motivation felt overblown and disconnected from everything else we knew about her. The final chapters felt rushed, and the ending left me unsatisfied. I usually appreciate open-ended novels, but this one felt incomplete rather than intentionally ambiguous.
Her started off strong and had real potential, but the ending left me confused and disappointed. I would still recommend it to people who enjoy character-driven novels and strong writing, but only with the caveat that the payoff may not deliver. I honestly think this story would work better as a Lifetime movie than a novel.
