If there’s something consistent with Ms. Miranda’s novels, it’s the solid writing. The plot may not be that gripping, the mystery not too intriguing and yet, I still find myself willing (although a little begrudgingly) to go through the pages to know what is the real deal.
Admittedly, I find the reverse narrative annoying and for some reason, I feel quite distant to the characters. I find it hard to empathize with them especially with the main character, Nicolette/Nic. She seems to exhibit little to no emotion at moments when it matters and it doesn’t help that she doesn’t seem to have a grasp of moral boundaries, only caring about what makes her feel good.
Her characterization does kind of makes sense after I finished the story. But still, my lack of empathy diminished my satisfaction over the story down by several notches. The rest of the characters on the other hand are made to appear as if they’re bigger than life, extraordinary but really, they all seem two-dimensional.
In the end, even though my purpose in delving into the story had been answered, I am not really all that impressed. I find it a little more than just okay and thus the 2.5 stars. I probably even like The Perfect Stranger a bit better.
