Temper
By Layne Fargo
Reviewed by Jessica Colleran
I'm not sure about all of you, but I am a VERY frequent shopper at my local Barnes & Noble. One day, I decided to ask a longtime employee if she had any good thriller recommendations. As we discussed many books that we had both read, she pulled Temper down from the bookshelf and asked me if I had heard of it (I had not). She told me that she thought I would like it and that she had read both of Layne Fargo's books. They Never Learn is her other novel and after reading Temper, I quickly added Fargo's second book to my ever growing to-be-read list. While I wouldn't necessarily classify this novel as a true thriller, it did leave me quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen to the characters in this drama filled story.
Summary
Temper is told from the perspective of two different characters, Kira & Joanna. The chapters alternate between the two women and leaves the reader wondering which of them is "crazier" than the other. The story takes place in Chicago and is based around the theater community. Kira lives with her longtime friend with benefits, Spencer, and is an aspiring theatrical actress. Through a connection of Spencer's, she shows up at an audition at Indifferent House for a play called Temper directed by and starring, Malcom Mercer. Malcom is known among the theater world to be very eccentric and difficult to work with, borderline mentally abusive according to past actors and actresses. That doesn't stop Kira from desperately trying to land the leading role in this play. Joanna started Indifferent House with Malcom out of their home many years ago, and the two still live together. Although Joanna wants to be much more than friends with Malcom, he seems to pay her no attention compared to his co-workers in his current productions. Kira lands the leading role with Malcom, and therein begins a spiral filled journey with all those around her. Can she separate her real life from that of her character in Temper? Is she slowly losing control on reality? You will just have to read Temper to find out!
What I Liked/Didn't Like
This story reminded me a lot of the movie The Black Swan (for those of you have seen it), and I loved the glimpse into the theater world of Chicago. I don't know much about theatrical performances or what goes into making them, but after reading this story I now have a pretty good idea. I always appreciate fictional books that teach me something while also entertaining my imagination. The premise of the story held my interest and had me wanting more with every page. The chapters were short and sweet (love this writing style) and made for a quick read. Although this book is classified as a thriller, I found it to be more of a tense drama. There wasn't any type of mystery so much as there was relationship and life tension. I didn't care for any of the characters, and I didn't feel like I connected much with any of them, but I still wanted to learn more about them and read more about their lives.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm glad that the employee at the bookstore recommended this book to me. It's not one that I would have typically gone for just based on the short blurb on the back cover. However, I was pleasantly surprised and ended up really enjoying this book. If you want a story filled with drama, unusual characters, and a theatrical flair, Temper is the book for you!
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