I read ‘Verity’ by Colleen Hoover

This novel would be the first book I have ever read by Colleen Hoover, and it wouldn’t be my last—but this is not because I like her writing. This book taught me that I would not become a new fan of Hoover’s. She has an interesting mind and a vivid imagination; however, I think that she leaves much to be desired in Verity.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Verity (2018)

Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre(s): Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Thriller
Triggers: ableism, child abuse and neglect, murder

SUMMARY

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

Book summary from Goodreads.com

HOOVER, LOWEN, AND THE MANUSCRIPTS

From the very beginning, our narrator, Lowen, is set out to be an insecure character. Insecurity can be defined as a lack of confidence or a lack of protection. Somehow Lowen fits both definitions: she does not see herself as beyond the impressions the men in her life have of her, and she also lets her self-interests blind her perception of others. Her ex boyfriend is someone she wants to please or be pleased by. She then perfectly molds herself into the image that another man, Verity’s husband Jeremy, created. Lowen is not her own person. Hoover makes it very clear that Lowen is imperfect in near-perfect ways.

Hoover has an unusual interest in including stories within the story. I have at least seen this in Verity and in It Ends With Us—another Hoover novel that I intend to write about. The bit I mentioned earlier about Lowen’s insecurities are things some readers may relate to. I am not going to sit here and pretend that this is something Hoover might experience herself. I do not know Hoover personally and I likely never will. However, Lowen’s characteristics strike me as very personal interpretations of the self.

The contents of the manuscripts that Lowen finds in Verity’s office are striking. Anyone in Lowen’s shoes would find them convincing, especially with the added note of it being an autobiography in the making. The manuscripts definitely read like murder confessions of a depraved murderer. For some context, the manuscripts in question are what Lowen finds in Verity’s office. The contents of the manuscripts include explicit details about Verity’s sex life with her husband, an attempted abortion, attempted infanticide, and murder. After every manuscript-reading, Hoover follows this up with Lowen’s overly animated reactions to them. These bits also include Lowen’s comments about Verity’s perversions.

But is it not awkward to have a character tell the reader that the contents are disgusting? Is it not awkward to have a character tell the reader that the actions of another character should be condemned? This is where Hoover damages the characters and her story. Lowen reads like Hoover’s self-insert character. Lowen is self-righteous. She is supposed to be Verity’s complete opposite.

Lowen is supposed to be good, better even, than Verity. At least that is what Hoover makes her out to be. There is nothing wrong with authors inserting themselves into their fictitious worlds. But when these things become obvious, it makes the stories almost unreadable and the main character unbelievable.

THE STORY WITH NO END

There is not much I can say about the story. My initial reaction to it was the same as most readers who do not like Hoover’s work. The story started off strong, but it then became something entirely different. I quickly learned that I did not care about the characters because they lacked reason. However, out of all of the characters, Verity was the most interesting. It is unfortunate that the manuscripts made me wish that Verity was our narrator. Lowen was as interesting as a wall. Jeremy was reduced to an attractive man who had no personality. And Verity was one of the most despicable characters to ever terrify me until Hoover took away what made her frightening.

But enough about the characters. My issue ends with the plot—or lack of it.

The story progresses (sort of) in Verity’s home where she, her husband, and child live. Not much happens in the house other than the affair between Lowen and Jeremy, Verity’s not-so-subtle-movements, and Lowen’s manuscript readings. Much of the action does not happen until Jeremy and Lowen start having a sexual relationship. The story begins as a mystery-thriller; it takes a detour into erotica before taking another turn into drama. The plot was like a race to nowhere. The finish line does not exist and if it did, Hoover removed it.

The fans of the book debate about Verity’s villainy. Is she a villain? In my opinion: she should have been. But her villainy does not matter even if we had the answer because Hoover butchered the ending to her own story anyway. Instead of Verity, we are left with her murderous husband Jeremy and his mistress-turned-murder-accomplice, Lowen. Instead of getting closure, we get more detailed sex and Lowen’s self-righteousness.

MY REVIEW

The story started off strong, but it became stagnant after Lowen discovered this manuscript. Things started coming off as commentary, something I don’t want to read when I’m reading a romance novel–if you can call it that. The ending left much to be desired.

On another note, the characters were frustrating, save for Crew, who had the smallest role to play in the whole book. Lowen’s self-righteousness was annoying to read. It made me wish that the story was written in 3rd-person so I wouldn’t have to know what her opinions are about the contents of the manuscripts. Not that murder, child abuse, and ableism aren’t nefarious–it’s just that it felt like I was reading Colleen Hoover’s own thoughts of the fictional events. Again, I didn’t care for the journal entries/manuscript–Lowen’s dramatic responses to the manuscripts were painfully bland– they were simply unconvincing. Lowen was unbearable as a narrator. I simply didn’t care about her.

Lowen read like Hoover’s self-insert character and it made the story weird, given the relationship that ensues between Lowen and Jeremy.

I will say, though, that Hoover has a knack for setting up the mood. I suspected Jeremy until the manuscripts. And then things started becoming easier to predict. When the revelation came towards the end of the novel, I was disappointed that Jeremy wasn’t the villain, and then even more disappointed that Verity didn’t remain the villain. The ending was lackluster, but at least the creepy parts of the novel were decent.

From my Goodreads.com review