Audio Review : Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Posted by on April 5, 2016 4:29 am in 3.5 stars reads | 1 comment

hidden bodiesHidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes
Narrated by : Santino Fontana
Pages/Time : 448/13h03
Genre : Thriller
Series : You, book 2
My Rating : 3.5/5

About the Book  :

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

My Thoughts :

By now, most of you readers know that I listened to the audiobook of Caroline Kepnes’ You last fall and absolutely loved it – however much it disturbed me. It’s been a bit of an obsession, and ever since I had been looking forward to reading its sequel. I tried to keep my expectations on the low, and in the end, I’d say Hidden Bodies gave me exactly what I expected : a story not as surprising as the first one, but still an entertaining adventure.

First of all, I’ve got to say: Santino Fontana did amazing once again. He’s not reading Joe’s story, he is Joe as a character. Combined with Caroline Kepnes’ excellent writing, this made for an amazing audiobook.

This being said, the magic (if you can call it that…) wasn’t exactly there this time around. I expected that: You was so unique, the sequel couldn’t be as surprising. Still, I felt like the story was a bit disjointed at first, introducing so many new characters and ideas that I had no idea where this was going, and if it would all come together at some point. While I devoured You in a short week, Hidden Bodies occupied my ears for almost a month, because it took me a bit of time to get hooked on the story.

Joe is still Joe, and this was interesting. I was afraid the author would maybe try to make him more sympathetic, but he’s still as horrible a human being as he was in the first book. His perception of reality is still deeply flawed, maybe more so once he sets foot in Hollywood. I liked seeing Joe in a different setting, and while he’s still bad, I didn’t find him to be as intense as before. Maybe that’s part of why I didn’t feel as engaged with the story?

All in all Hidden Bodies was still a good read. I enjoyed it enough and I was particularly appreciative of the ending, which wasn’t what I would have expected at all! I don’t know if a third book is in the plans, but personally, I feel satisfied with the idea of the story finishing here.

Again, I’m careful when it comes to recommending Hidden Bodies to anyone. Like its predecessor, its a hard book, and not everyone will enjoy its brutal narration. But those who have appreciated You should at least give it a try: Joe’s tale here doesn’t feel as unique, but it’s still weirdly fascinating.

1 Comment

  1. Yep, I felt the same way. I love Fontana’s narration and wouldn’t want to meet him! lol

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