The Woman in the Window, A. J. Finn

Short overview

Anna, a woman in her mid-30s, constantly peers out her of her New York home at her neighbors. Every day. From her window, she sees things that make her question them. However, her past haunts her encouraging her to believe things she isn’t sure she is seeing. The few interactions she has with her neighbors creates a web of mystery and thrill.

My favorite parts

Even though I have never experienced what she experienced, I felt I could relate to her and feel what she was feeling. Finn created a deep, mysterious, real-feeling character inter-playing with the story line and other characters.

There are a couple of curve balls that I NEVER saw coming! This is odd for me, because I almost always think ahead, trying to picture what is going to happen. However, not with this novel. Again, Finn makes you believe and feel through the words on the page.

I like that the plot is set mostly within the home. Because Anna cannot psychologically leave the house, few moments of the story take place outside of her home. When Anna does leave the house, it is an intense struggle, only adding to the severity of her disease.

My Reflection

The experiences that are revealed throughout the story really hit me deep. Because Anna’s character was written so well, I felt like I could feel what she was feeling.

Anna’s mental health was in a hard and fast downward spiral, even before the story began. For years, she had been struggling. As characters moved in and out of the story, I wanted the characters to reach out to her. They could see she was struggling, yet, did nothing to help her.

Personally, I wanted to reach into the novel and talk to her. To connect with her on a deeper level and understand why she self-medicates herself. Ask her, why are you doing this to yourself? How can I help you overcome your pain? Why do you turn to alcohol and pills to numb your pain? Especially when you know you shouldn’t?

Although I have never had the same experiences as Anna, I kept thinking about the people in the world who have. This is where my reflection and connection to the real world happened. There are so many people in the world working through tough situations that have left them scarred and unable to move past the situation.

In fact, there are people that you may know who have been struggling with mental illness. It’s probably the person who you care about the most, yet, they do not have the strength to open up and express themselves.

This book made me understand how important mental health, friendship, deep connections, and love can truly help someone. I hope that if I ever experience what Anna experiences, that I had people who could help pull me from the dark place too.