You

De: Caroline Kepnes

Narrado por: Santino Fontana

How far would you go for the perfect love? A young man’s dark obsession with an enigmatic, gorgeous writer leads to murderous consequences in this erotic psychological thriller.

You walk into the bookstore and you keep your hand on the door to make sure it doesn’t slam. You smile, embarrassed to be a nice girl, and your nails are bare and your V-neck sweater is beige and it’s impossible to know if you’re wearing a bra but I don’t think that you are. You’re so clean that you’re dirty and you murmur your first word to me - hello.

When aspiring writer and recent Brown graduate Guinevere Beck strides into the bookstore where Joe works, he’s instantly smitten. Beck is everything Joe has ever wanted: she's gorgeous, tough, razor-smart, and sexy beyond his wildest dreams. Joe needs to have her, and he'll stop at nothing to do so. As he begins to insinuate himself into her life - her friendships, her email, her phone - she can’t resist her feelings for a guy who seems custom-made for her. So when her boyfriend, Benji, mysteriously disappears, Beck and Joe fall into a tumultuous affair. But there's more to Beck than her oh-so-perfect façade, and their mutual obsession quickly spirals into a whirlwind of deadly consequences.

Dark, masterful, and timely, debut novelist Caroline Kepnes' You is a perversely romantic thriller that's more dangerously clever than any you've heard before. A chilling account of unrelenting passion, this tale of love, sex, and death will stay with you long after the story ends.

©2014 Alloy Entertainment and Caroline Kepnes. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Perfectly scary!

The only likable character in this book is the one you're supposed to hate yet can't help but love, and that's what makes it so delicious! Obsessed with Beck, Joe narrates his point of view throughout the story and rationalizes his decisions and passes blame with such a plausibly twisted logic that I found myself running right along with him until "BLAM!...Wait a minute...This is SO wrong!" This may have more to do with the narration by Santino Fontana, who is the perfect voice for Joe! This is a light read, funny and sweet, while at the same time erotic and dark. I found myself going, "Aww!" just seconds before going, "Eww!" Kepnes has perfect timing, never staying too long in any one place, never drawing out the details too much in any one scene. I'm definitely listening to Hidden Bodies (You #2)!

Sick

Listening to YOU will force you into a season of introspective self-loathing and disgust, especially if you make it all the way to the end. This book has no silver lining no pot-of-gold reward at the end of the non-existent rainbow. YOU is undiluted and unremittingly debased depravity from start to finish. And, yes I did finish, so that explains why I am so negative in my descriptions here. Delving into this book forces the listener to tap into the lexicon of derogatory and morose words that are, admittedly, so great to find something to use them on that one can look fondly upon the material that caused you to dredge them out.

Think of this audiobook production is a sociological experiment on the mind—your mind. What could a writer do to make the listener be willing to Masochistically torture themselves for days; immersing themselves into the twisted and depraved mind of a narcissistic serial killer? First the story would have to be told in the first person and be peppered with flecks of truth that even normal people could relate to. Then the reader could be taken in by setting the story in the world of books. Who doesn’t like a story about a book lover? The characters would necessarily need to be realistic to a degree. The demented stalker would share the opinion on many readers by being a quick judge of character, able to see through Ivy-League educated, hypocritical rich spoiled brats and to make sarcastic comments about them that make you feel smug. Right away you can relate to the protagonist in at least one aspect; so, later, when he is revealed to be a sick pervert the listener will not immediately abandon the book for something light and uplifting. Now the most critical element comes into play: we must find a great narrator—no, a performer—who can insinuate himself into our head through the ears with seductive serrations and spot-on character voicings.

Here is where the insidious Santino Fontana makes his contribution. Santino, I feel like we are on a first name basis after suffering through this excruciation together, is a wonderful narrator. He is the only reason many of us will be able to stick it out until the end and finish this book. He is so good at making this book seem normal, when it is not—it is a sick twisted thing meant to force you to embrace your most base nature. And for this reason Santino is largely to blame for my ennui. Were it not for him I would have bailed on this book before the half-way mark. But because he is so good at depicting the malignant and profane as completely normal I listened to the very end—and he even made me think I enjoyed it. I can never forgive him for that.

Better than Gone Girl

It was chilling for this story to be narrated by the stalker. He speaks in a unique manic voice. The narrator was perfect. This is one of the best books I've ever listened to or read.

Gave it all 3's to be fair... But I hated it.

First, I love thrillers and a well-woven physiological thriller (think Gone Girl) is perfect for me.

I bought it because it was chosen as a top 5 for 2015z

The language in it was terrible, right from the beginning. I thought it I kept listening, it would taper off as the author established that the main character was perverted and sick.

I cannot listen to such an incredibly graphic language. Especially when it doesn't seem necessary.

Me

Joe, our main narrator, our solipsistic narcissist six a female mirror that he can mold and change as he changes to hook up for self love and adulation. the subject of the book falls in love with Bec. Joe is a book store employee imparting advice to Bec when he falls for Bec. Joe, Who has not attended college and who winot attended and who is not attending college, is more knowledgeable about the English language and books in English than Bec.
Bec finds herself developing a attraction to Joe.
Titled’You’ the book is really about ‘me,’ and Joe’s obsession with the type of woman who would be right for him. A mirror that he can build to for a more reflection of himself.

His need Obsession follows few bounds. With the passage of time, more and more of his objectives are met. And when they are not met, he finds a way to restructure the world so that they can be met.
He creates circumstances for him to interact with her.
He consciously or unconsciously increases his infatuation with the words that she uses and the things she does.

Much of the “romance” is seemingly normal however Joe is unrelenting in his goal to bring Bec, into an exclusive long term relations with her.
Woe be to those who do get in his way as they will lose their lives.

While in Joe’s apartment, Bec finds a box of items solely related to her, Strange, weird, unusual keepsakes, Including a used tampon. She wants to take the box of items. While trying to leave with them she is restrained by him.
Joe also finds Bec’s phone and read emails from a new email account as well as photos showing back in bed with her therapist, a bed that Joe made for Bec. Joe knows that the therapist could lose his license for his involvement with his patient. Further the therapist is married with two children.

A redeeming quality of the book is clever dialogue and inner dialogue.

Narrator is superb but watch out for bleep bleep

What made the experience of listening to You the most enjoyable?

I'm not a prude but be warned of crass language - female body part terms used over and over that would make a sailor blush. I literally had to turn off the audio book as fast as I could before my kids entered the car - made me so nervous I started using headphones in my own home in case the kids walked by. The book is really funny and ironic.

Amazing writing, great narration, awesome story!

Any additional comments?

This book is great. A little creepy and atypical, but I loved every minute of it! Really thought- provoking. Keynes writing is amazing with an interesting sort of personal flair. So glad I bought it.

Fun listen with slightly annoying performance

Deliciously twisted story with plenty of suspense. I know the reader was only leaning into his role as the unreliable narrator, but his lilting tone became so annoying at times that I had to take breaks from listening.

poor ending

Would you try another book from Caroline Kepnes and/or Santino Fontana?

writing was strong

Would you recommend You to your friends? Why or why not?

No. Ending was flat

Which character – as performed by Santino Fontana – was your favorite?

Joe

Did You inspire you to do anything?

No

Any additional comments?

the book was engaging but the ending was very weak

SORDID is my best description

I'm not sure why this story hit me wrong, it was dark, and sometimes disturbing, but mostly it was the prolific use of foul speech throughout. I'm no prude, and enjoy dark suspense and usually don't mind noxious language when it suits, but this just hit me wrong...I really wanted to love it, the narration was stellar, I just kept wanting it to be over. #Dark #Sordid #AwesomeNarration #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes