Review: The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Editorial note: I received a copy of The Blue Hour in exchange for a review.

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins was a disappointment. A miss by all accounts.

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve really disliked a novel. I’m fairly picky on selections and I generally can find something I like in most of the books I read. And I will say, the setting in The Blue Hour is great—a remote Scottish island where the mainland is only accessible at high tide.

The premise is mysterious—the island was once home to Vanessa, a famous artist. Now her friend Grace is picking up the pieces, but is also hiding plenty of secrets as well.

This sounds like it should have been a winner. And while I was curious how it will go, the story got bogged down with so much backstory, a focus on the wrong character, and plenty of other strange story choices.

The worst offender of this story might be the ending. While surprising, it also was quite weak. And makes you say, that’s it?

What’s the Story About

Vanessa is a famous artist who resided in Eris, the remote island. She passed away, and there are rumors there’s more of her art left at the house. However, her companion Grace isn’t so open to outsiders.

Becker is an expert on Vanessa’s art work and now the curator for the Fairburn Foundation. Vanessa’s will instructed that all her artwork be sent to the Foundation after she passed. However, an issue arises when an art museum is alerted that one of Vanessa’s art pieces may contain a human bone.

So Sebastian, Becker’s boss and son of the CEO of the Foundation, instructs Becker to travel to Eris and connect with Grace to hopefully find more artwork. And also find out the truth of the questionable art piece.

And of course, there are a million secrets to be found on this spooky island.

The Characters

Unlike The Girl on the Train, which is a fast-paced thriller, and arguably helped launch a ton of stories about alcoholic unreliable narrators, The Blue Hour is a slow-burn. We know there is quite a bit of nefarious activity, and we slowly get hints as the book goes on.

I found the story concept to be interesting enough so it kept me invested where I didn’t just DNF this one. And in true slow burn, we only get to know Vanessa mainly through her diary entires and a couple flashbacks told through Grace’s point of view, which she can be rather unreliable.

As I read more, I started to feel that all the characters were rather weak and selfish. And I don’t have to love the characters or even like them, but it as just rather bland blend of stereotypical qualities. Vanessa, the vain and selfish artist. Grace, the meek, standoffish—and for some reason we had to hear 500 times that she’s considered ugly—friend.

Becker’s married to Helena who is pregnant, and they seem happy. But problem is they had an affair when Helena was engaged to be married to Sebastian, Becker’s boss but also his friend. Becker also idolizes Vanessa and her work, and while the author gives some backstory of how that started, he just seemed snobby, and selfish too.

There are some other minor characters, with a random thrown in of Sebastian’s cruel mother, but they’re not really worth mentioning.

Verdict

A ton of characters that felt quite unrealistic in all the worst ways. A couple mysteries who reveals are all disappointing. An ending that aimed to shock, but not to do much else. Great setting that was underutilized. All in all, a disappointment for me.

If your book club does read this one, check out my questions here.