The Woman in the Window
Book Review - The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
The new trailer is out for The Woman in the Window, a movie based on A.J. Finn’s novel of the same name, starring Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore and Anthony Mackie. The movie comes out on Netflix on May 14. Scroll down to read my review originally posted on April 5, 2018.
About the Film:
Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is an agoraphobic child psychologist who finds herself keeping tabs on the picture perfect family across the street through the windows of her New York City brownstone. Her life is turned upside down when she inadvertently witnesses a brutal crime. Based on the gripping, best-selling novel adapted by Tracy Letts, shocking secrets are revealed and nothing and no one are what they seem in this suspenseful psychological thriller starring Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, Tracy Letts, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Julianne Moore.
Reading The Woman in the Window in New Town at St. Charles, MO
Whoa. This was a psychological thriller at its best. A combination of Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, and The Sixth Sense - taking the best of each of these and piling it into one suspenseful book. I listened to this one via Audible (it had been sitting on my bookshelf for awhile after I chose it as my Book of the Month selection a few months back - I knew I'd never get to it unless I listened to it on one of my long drives to Indiana.) I was heartbroken at times, nervous at times, my heart was racing most of the time...but the best part was it made my drive seem so short because I was dying to know what happened!
Reading The Woman in the Window in New Town at St. Charles, MO
At first I was really intrigued by the premise - the idea of an agoraphobic woman (someone with the fear of places and situations that might cause panic, in this case the woman, Anna, had a fear of leaving her home) who saw a crime occur through her window. She tries to help, but given her severe limitations, is unable to reach the home where the crime occurred. But as we learn more about Anna, we begin to question whether she is a reliable witness - even she begins to question if she is a reliable witness. Her use of alcohol and prescribed medications certainly don't help.
Reading The Woman in the Window in New Town at St. Charles, MO
I thought A.J. Finn did an incredible job writing about the anxieties experienced by someone with agoraphobia as well as the thought process of addicts. In the Q&A following the recording, the author says he used his own experiences with depression to inform his writing of this character. I can't remember reading such a clear account of a character dealing with these challenges - the reader really feels for Anna and begins to understand and perhaps empathize with her struggles.
Reading The Woman in the Window in New Town at St. Charles, MO
In a psychological thriller, readers know to be suspicious of every character. We begin the book trusting no one and questioning everyone. There were a lot of characters in this book to be suspicious of, and I was left questioning what really happened close to the very end. A big giveaway is how far from the end of the book you are when clues are revealed - you know twists are coming if you are still an hour from the end of the book. Still, I was surprised by the twists even at the very end. I can't wait to hear what you all think of this one!
Reading The Woman in the Window in New Town at St. Charles, MO
