“Part love story, part supernatural thriller and completely engrossing” (People)—from the acclaimed author of You, now a hit Netflix series IN DEVELOPMENT AS A PEACOCK ORIGINAL SERIES FROM THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS OF YOU “A dark beauty of a book, Providence kept me up at night with characters that made my heart a little bigger.”—Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl … bigger.”—Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive
Best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe share an intense, near-mystical bond. But before Jon can declare his love for his soul mate, he is kidnapped, and his plans for a normal life are permanently dashed. Four years later, Jon reappears. He is different now: bigger, stronger, and with no memory of the time he was gone. Jon wants to pick up where he and Chloe left off—until the horrifying instant he realizes he possesses strange powers that pose a grave threat to everyone he cares for. Afraid of hurting Chloe, Jon runs away, embarking on a journey for answers.
Meanwhile, in Providence, Rhode Island, healthy college students and townies with no connection to one another are inexplicably dropping dead. A troubled detective prone to unexplainable hunches, Charles “Eggs” DeBenedictus suspects there’s a serial killer at work. But when he starts asking questions, Eggs is plunged into a shocking whodunit he never could have predicted.
With an intense, mesmerizing voice, Caroline Kepnes makes keen and powerful observations about human connection and how love and identity can dangerously blur together.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY REAL SIMPLE
“Providence is a novel that doesn’t fit into one box—it’s tender and dark, eerie and cool, heartbreaking but also an affirmation of the power of love. Kepnes perfectly captures each character’s struggle and pain in such a unique, unconventional way that every page—every sentence—is a delightful surprise.”—Sara Shepard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Little Liars
“Caroline Kepnes is cool right this minute. . . . [Providence is] terrifically conceived and executed. . . . Kepnes has an exhilarating, poppy, unexpected voice.”—The New York Times Book Review
“An addictive horror-tinged romance that’ll keep you guessing.”—Entertainment Weekly
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I went back and forth with this book. Parts did drag for me, but for the most part, it was an interesting read. Well written, and as with You and Hidden Bodies, you know it’s going to be a different ride!
Jon is an odd child, often bullied, and Chloe is his only friend. There is something special between the two. One day on the way to school, Jon is kidnapped. He returns 4 years later, a completely different person. Odd things begin to happen when people are around Jon. This starts the book in motion. The story will follow Jon, Chloe and a cast of characters dealing with the new Jon.
This book is sometimes horror, suspense, love story, and small town dynamics rolled into one. There is a lot going on, so pay attention! Will keep you thinking long after you read the last page! I received an ARC of this book, thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher. All opinions are my own.
There is a lot going on in this book, and I really, really wish the author Caroline Kepnes had an interview already released somewhere that reveals her inspiration or intended message. Is this a reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story: The Dunwich Horror? It is the creation of a character meant to reflect H.P. Lovecraft’s own personal demons? Or is it simply an involved thriller that originated from the very imaginative mind of its author? Very likely, it’s a mixture of all three things.
Providence follows three characters who each have their own alternating POV’s: Jon, Chloe, and Eggs. Jon is our focal character who is kidnapped as a child and returns years later changed to his core. Chloe is his childhood best friend who knows him better than anyone. Eggs is a detective who is borderline OCD, and his current target of rumination is finding the connection in a string of heart attacks that have been occurring to seemingly healthy people. That connection is Jon. Jon was indeed changed…down to his core…down to his very life force.
Full of necessary isolation, unrequited love, and intense guilt, Jon was my favorite character as I’m sure he was intended to be. Emotionally speaking, his character is the epitome of all the tragedy that creates superheros…and villains. Chloe’s storyline becomes quite involved as she finds a place among all the grief and confusion, and Eggs comes out of the blue and pretty much has his own separate book in this novel. All this plus the H.P. Lovecraft element that is all over this book (literally) and I’ll say it again, there’s a lot going on. Did it work? I’d have to say yes, but in a small doses kinda way. I read this novel slowly, consuming between five to ten percent a day. Sometimes it was mysterious and engaging, sometimes it was boring, sometimes I was sure I was missing the key to the universe for never having read The Dunwich Horror… so I paused to read it. In my opinion, reading it isn’t entirely necessary because Kepnes made sure all the key components are laid out for readers. If interested, I would recommend glancing over random biographical information about H.P. Lovecraft, as I saw some similarities between him and Jon. Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about though. Only Caroline Kepnes truly knows what this book is about and I will be eagerly awaiting her first interview.
You might love it, you might hate it, you might be like me and feel a bit meh about it. It’s Caroline Kepnes so you know you’re going to read it regardless. Check it out!
Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of Providence. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Lenny
Genres: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date: June 19, 2018