Special Guest Review

This is to be our first guest review. We welcome to Book Club for the Girls Miss Lady K aka @kathleengreen81

Review - In The Cut by Susanna Moore

*warning - spoilers afoot for the film and book*

Most people will remember that when Meg Ryan took the role of Frannie in 'In The Cut', there was a lot of talk about the fact that this was a huge departure for her as she'd never done a film with such graphic sex and violence before.

Having never been a particular fan of Meg Ryan (I don't dislike her she's just never been one of my favourites) I didn't bother to see the film when it came out in 2002. I did however catch it on TV a couple of years ago. I recall that it was on late one night and I started watching it and became quite engrossed. As I had to be up the next morning I set my TV to record the remainder of the film. Unfortunately, it failed to record and I never got to see how it all ended. Some time later I found a cheap copy of the DVD in Blockbuster and bought it so I could finally watch the end of the film. Needless to say I never got around to it and re-discovered I had the film recently. I watched it from the beginning to end this time around and loved it. I thought Meg Ryan, although out of her comfort zone, was good, she played Frannie very differently to her other characters, and Mark Ruffalo, who I'd liked for years - but not in a sexy way - was compelling. And so sexy I don't know how the film in the camera didn't melt when he was on screen. The murder mystery kept me guessing until the end and although the very end seemed a little out of place and abrupt, I still loved the film overall.

When I watched the documentary about the 'making of' on the DVD I heard that the ending in the book was different to that in the film. This intrigued me as I did think there was something not quite right about the film ending and wondered if the book's ending would make more sense. I then heard the way in which it was different *stop reading here if you want to read the book or watch the film and not have it spoiled*. In the documentary they announced that Malloy WAS the killer and that Frannie dies. I couldn't believe this as this is a TOTALLY different ending to the film. Malloy, tough but gentle Malloy was the killer? And he slices off a very personal piece of Frannie! But the more I thought about it the more I wanted to read the book. As I wondered, if they changed it by that HUGE a margin in the film, what else did they change? And how did that effect the overall experience of reading about these characters.

I spent a few weeks looking for the book here, in the library and various charity shops. I don't generally buy books new but I knew that would be my only option if I couldn't find it soon. But I did have a trip to New York looming. And as the book/film is set in New York, what better place to buy the book? So I waited for my trip and when the day came to go to the infamous Strand Bookstore I looked for In The Cut. And not only found it, but found it with the film cover. Extra cool points.

It's only now I've read it that I find it kinda creepy that there's a scene in the book (that's not in the film) where Frannie goes to The Strand to buy a book. *shudders*
 

I finished the book in 5 days. Reading over 100 pages on the first day and then reading for half an hour a night the rest of the time. That's pretty fast for me. But as there are no chapter numbers you don't really realise how much you're reading in one sitting until you count the pages. It's quite an easy read, but I warn you that the last scene, where Frannie gets killed is quite detailed and grizzly. Which is why I'm glad I didn't wait til I was alone in bed to read it and took it to work with me to read in my lunch hour. But the shocker for me was that whoever said in the documentary that Malloy was the killer, was either trying to fool those who hadn't read the book, or was just wrong. The killer is the same as in the film. But thinking that Malloy was the killer all the way through made me think of him differently when I was reading it. So maybe I have to read it again? Who knows. All I know is that I'm glad it wasn't Malloy who did that to Frannie as I think reading that would have really upset me.

Anyone who likes thrillers, murder mystery and gritty, urban stories should read In The Cut. And then watch the movie. I was surprised to note that I actually enjoyed the movie more than the book. A very rare occurance as I always think that reading a story rather than watching it is more rewarding as you get to imagine it in your head. In this instance however I am happy to admit it was the other way around.

Book - 6/10 Movie - 8/10