Mixed feelings about this book. Some very, very good, taughtly written pieces, and the ending is a sharp twist of the knife. At the same time there some other parts that lag behind, with some characters that could have used a little bit of additional development. ( )

Bref.

Oh wow, a dark tale this.

All the while I was reading this my recall was always of scenes at night time or dusk even though I am sure bits of were in the daytime. A strong sense of menace and danger stalks every page. Unease will be your companion, you will not know what is true and what isn’t and the end will chill you to the core.

Not for the faint hearted but satisfaction rewards the brave. ( )

An intelligent slim sly thriller in which you're never quite sure whether the characters are telling the truth. Also an interesting use of first-person narration, especially at the end, which I won't reveal, except that it left me saying: wow. ( )

Bleck. Not at all what I expected. Stereotypes abound -- gender, race, class, you name it. I didn't like the implications of women as victims, our sexuality as vulnerability, our independence as inherently risky. After the ending I was struck by the thought that Susanna Moore had merely written an updated, quasi-feminist Looking for Mr. Goodbar.

An "erotic thriller" that's a real page-turner, certainly; but, the racism and misogyny on top of the ending made In the Cut an unsatisfying experience for this reader.

2.5 stars ( )