It wasn't a badly written book, but...

This book started out promising, even as I joked, "Is this going to be like that Guy Ritchie and Madonna movie?" Looking at some of the other reviews for this book that thought terrible things like cannibalism would come into play while reading this, I wished I'd been more creative with my question. I will admit that I initially picked it up because I was hoping that I was going to get something like The Woman Who Wasn't There (a documentary about a woman who faked being a 911 survivor for many years). The more I got into the story, the more dissatisfied I became with it.

My main problem with this book is the whole idea it's based on. Why did Lillian and David feel the need to make up such a complex story? You were stranded on an island. You didn't think you were coming home. No one thought you were alive. While hurtful, no one can blame you for whatever happened there in such a stressful situation. I get there are things that happened on that island that would hurt their partners. Just tell the truth so people can heal and move on.

I'm not so much annoyed that they chose to lie, but what they chose to lie about and the types of lies they chose to tell. Some of these lies, like Kent's death (and Kent only served to be the mustache twirling villain who knew exactly how to survive on a deserted island making him feel necessary to the two), weren't even worth the effort to lie about. If you feel you have to lie, why would you unnecessarily complicate your story with excess lies? Not only that, one of the lies you told was perhaps the easiest to debunk because of the wonders of modern medicine, and it was debunked because of the wonders of modern medicine.

The dialogue was so trite. It just didn't feel like things that people would say to each other. I could see this dialogue being in one of those old 80s young adult books I used to read, just real shallow, banal quality for the most part. I found myself unintentionally frowning up at most of it. Some of these other points of contention, I'm not even going to comment on because I'll never stop talking about it, such as Paul. Insert ominous music here.

Two-thirds of the way into this book, it just fell apart completely as the romance plot completely took over. Two attractive, married people (though they don't think of themselves as attractive, but the writing proves that this just isn't so) on a beach alone together after the villain's demise... what else is there to do? Apparently, have the book lose its shit altogether from that moment to the ending.

The ending wrapped everything up so neatly. They all lived happily ever after. The truth came out to the ones that mattered despite all the lies, and everyone is okay and they're all one big happy family. Literally. I don't have anything against HEA endings, but this just didn't fit the context of the story. However, considering how the book just fell apart and the general shaky premise, maybe it did fit the book.

After I finished reading it, I was so disappointed. It wasn't a badly written book, which is why I can't rate it lower than 2 stars. The story is actually intriguing in parts, and the concept of the story itself isn't bad just not executed well. I also think that she mostly got it right with media feeling entitled to every piece of a story, as if their opinions are the ones that really matter. (I still found the woman doing the interview to be a bit of a caricature of the ambitious reporter herself.) I think I'm more perplexed at how such a promising start could go so absolutely wrong.

148 people found this helpful

Good Effort in Fiction, But Very Predictable

'Wreckage' is a good attempt at a novel by Emily Bleeker. The story is about David and Lillian and Kent- who are stranded on an island after a plane wreck. There are inevitable deaths from the plane crash and then the shock of it all. There are burials and then the 'Cast Away' cliches- fish spearing, weight loss, muscle gain, tooth aches. The three survivors get along well until Kent starts to be a major jerk and decides he wants to rape Lily. The dynamic of the surviving trio changes rapidly, and when David and Lily are rescued, they have to stick to a story that they must tell again and again. The first thing in the book is Lily telling the reader that she is a liar- so this sets the tone nicely.

The narrators do well- the book goes back and forth between a woman and man narrator, and it also skips to the time on the island and present day. It seems as though 'Gone Girl' has taken the lead on this formula and it's the going thing in new fiction- I personally like it and find it more exciting.

'Wreckage' fails simply because the story is altogether too basic. It's predictable and cliche, and it's all been done before. I could have guessed what each character was going to say or do. I found myself not liking the characters much- they had no depth and no real personalities.

Overall, the book is an easy read and I would classify it as a chick-lit beach read. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't fantastic either.

3 stars all around

46 people found this helpful

Sappy Romance

If you were hoping for a literary suspense novel, this is not it. It's more like a sappy, romantic character study.

44 people found this helpful

Ugh! Seriously? What idiots? This story was annoyi

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Ugh! Seriously? What idiots? This story was annoyingly unrealistic. The main character blames herself for everything and is an idiot. So when they get rescued from the island her and Dave, or otherwise known as "David," who gets pissed more than he should if anyone besides Lilian calls him that, makes up this lie to tell reporters and their families so everyone wont know that they are completely and utterly stupid. Lillian's husband figures out the lie, but there is nothing like the truth, donating some eggs and becoming one big happy family to wash away all those jealous thoughts and realize that you didn't love the person you thought you did to make an unrealistic happy ending. Dumb Dumb Dumb

What could Emily Bleeker have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I would have loved to have the characters written in a more realistic way. There is no reason why there should have been that much drama over the events that happened.

Which character – as performed by Kristin Watson Heintz and Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

I thought the narrators did a wonderful job.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

There were parts that I really did enjoy. The writing wasn't terrible, and I found myself actually enjoying some parts of the story, the ones that were more believable. I even thought a few times "huh! that was a well thought out part!" but those thoughts would quickly fade back into annoyance with the events that happened next.

35 people found this helpful

Held my attention

A solid first novel. Interesting concept. I figured it out pretty early but that did not detract from the story. I enjoyed the way it moved from present day to the past and back again as a means to explain the storyline. The listener gets hints all the way through. I did have a difficult time suspending disbelief when it came to the extreme aggressiveness of the interview. It was more like a police interrogation with the amount of hostility. I may be naive, but I did not buy it. Again, it did not distract.

15 people found this helpful

Unrealistic!

I couldn't stand the female's voice in this narration! It was so annoying and her tone didn't bring any life to the dialogue. Also the the last 1/3 of the book was so ridiculous! It was so unrealistic and felt like the author just wanted to tie up loose ends.

3 people found this helpful

Easy listening

I didn't love it but I definitely liked it. A real lazy read. Nothing was too crazy, wasn't very gripping. Showed the real, of what life would be like stuck on an island... Which would be boring. Gave details of what happened after the rescue.
It probably could have gone into more details but it would of just dragged on the boring.

10 people found this helpful

Boooooorrringgggg

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The premise of this book sounds great. What could they be lying about? This must be a big deal. Maybe someone tampered with the air plane. Maybe they killed a small village of people on the island. Maybe they were found by head hunters and were only allowed to live if they never told a soul. Nope. They were living on an island for 2 years and fell in love. And then did something stupid like have a baby. And assuming that would ruin the lives of people that may have had moved on, they kept it a secret. Biggest let down I've had in a book in a long time. The dialogue was very immature and predictable. The characters have no depth. I don't feel any connection to them except annoyance. There were some parts like the crash and some time on the island that kept me guessing, but this book was so predictable, I think she assembled a handful of stories into one big boring story. This is also written more like a young adult novel than an adult's book. I just got off a high on reading Gone Girl and Girl On A Train and those are some real books! Don't waste your time with this.

Would you be willing to try another book from Emily Bleeker? Why or why not?

No. Not unless I just want to fall asleep.

What three words best describe Kristin Watson Heintz and Luke Daniels ’s performance?

Childish. Kristin especially, should be doing young adults or children's books. From the beginning, I felt that she sounded very childish and would probably make a good vocalist for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Luke was better, but I didn't love him either.

Do you think Wreckage needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Please, God, no. This book was wrapped up so nice and prettily with every one having such a happy, sugar coated ending, it was kind of sickening.

2 people found this helpful

Wrap up to neat

The story was great and well written. As is true with far to many good books, the wrap up was too fast, kind of like a list of open questions with quick answers.

2 people found this helpful

Great ending

I'm not a fan of love stories but this was worth listening to. Great ending!

2 people found this helpful