The Woman in Cabin 10
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
This book was given mixed reviews on Goodreads. I do not let reviews sway my decision on if I am going to read a book or not. Mostly because of my own stubbornness. Those who did not like this book were turned off by Laura “Lo” Blacklock, the protagonist. Like any good thriller film or novel, there are times when you find yourself saying “what are you doing???” in that long, exacerbated voice, pulling at your hair. Why would you do that? No reasonable person would do that. And that my friends, is the point. Humans do not behave rationally when under emotional stress.
This book starts with a bang. A woman alone in her apartment with an intruder, setting Lo on edge for her trip aboard the fancy Aurora cruise ship. It’s a small, intimate ship with only ten cabins. Out at sea, something foul is afoot and Lo is determined to get to the bottom of things, no matter what. Curiosity, as they say, kills the cat though, and someone does not like Lo poking around.
What hit me with this book is the boat. I do not like them. Out there, in the middle of the ocean, with no real escape. That aspect of this book alone is enough to get chills up my spine. *Whole body shudder* No thank you. Books that hit on our own personal fears and anxieties make the book more personal and will pull in a reader even if the antagonist is one of those you wanna bop on the head and tell them to get their ish together.
Lo suffers from anxiety. This causes a lot of assumptions from other characters when she is trying to find the truth. There are very real stigmas and assumptions made about those suffering from anxiety disorders (I myself have general anxiety disorder), and it can be hard for people to take you and your concerns seriously. This is the core of the book. Not only is Lo battling with her anxiety, but other people’s perception of her due to her anxiety. Not all mental illness is the same, and yet it always seems to be treated like you are less than credible because you are slapped with the term “mentally ill”. Keep this in mind as you read the book and maybe, just maybe, you can see Lo in a new light. Perhaps, don’t read this book while out at sea.
