It's interesting to see your take on it! Glad you liked it.
So, I think (probably because you're a writer) you fall more into the "ha I see plot twists easily" category than I do... I didn't see the second plot twist (Nick's ID) coming at ALL, though in hindsight, of course, it's completely obvious. I'll actually go out on a limb here and say that if you thought that was transparent you're more discerning than average, given that my husband didn't see it either, and he usually is very good at catching things like that.
Now, the first plot twist (Alan's ID, as well as some of Alan's subterfuges) was in fact completely transparent, and even I got that one. My theory is that part of the idea of the first plot twist was to set me up ("Ha! I so completely saw that coming!") so that I was caught off my guard for the second plot twist. But I guess that didn't work for you :)
I think she was in a real bind with the witty banter, because the whole problem with Nick is that he's not really, er, supposed to do the witty banter thing. So it comes across, at least to me, as a little forced the whole way through. Also, I liked her Harry Potter banter better as well, but there she was able to riff off of what we knew from HP canon. I suspect her later books in this universe will be able to benefit from that particular skill more.
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So, I think (probably because you're a writer) you fall more into the "ha I see plot twists easily" category than I do... I didn't see the second plot twist (Nick's ID) coming at ALL, though in hindsight, of course, it's completely obvious. I'll actually go out on a limb here and say that if you thought that was transparent you're more discerning than average, given that my husband didn't see it either, and he usually is very good at catching things like that.
Now, the first plot twist (Alan's ID, as well as some of Alan's subterfuges) was in fact completely transparent, and even I got that one. My theory is that part of the idea of the first plot twist was to set me up ("Ha! I so completely saw that coming!") so that I was caught off my guard for the second plot twist. But I guess that didn't work for you :)
I think she was in a real bind with the witty banter, because the whole problem with Nick is that he's not really, er, supposed to do the witty banter thing. So it comes across, at least to me, as a little forced the whole way through. Also, I liked her Harry Potter banter better as well, but there she was able to riff off of what we knew from HP canon. I suspect her later books in this universe will be able to benefit from that particular skill more.