The Tenant – Sinopsys (Spoiler Free)
Why I Chose the Audiobook Version
Now, let’s get into the review, shall we?
The Tenant by Freida McFadden Narration & Listening Experience
If you’re a fan of Freida McFadden’s books, you’ll notice something a bit different in this new release, most of the story is told from a male character’s point of view. For the first 44 chapters (about 70% of the book), we follow Blake’s perspective, and Will Damron is the voice behind him, doing a solid job of bringing the character to life.
Christine Lakin takes over for the remaining 30% of the book, voicing both Krista and Whitney. She does a great job capturing the personalities of both female characters.
Here’s a look at the talented voices behind Blake, Krista, and Whitney, along with a overview of their backgrounds.
Audiobook Scorecard of The Tenant by Freida McFadden
Now, I’m a picky listener, especially when it comes to audiobooks. Even if the author is fantastic, if the narrator’s voice doesn’t fit the story, I won’t be able to connect, and I’ll opt for the printed version instead. Also, it’s worth mentioning that strange sounds, like heavy breathing or inconsistent audio quality, can really pull me out of the experience and ruin the immersion.
So yeah, I take this stuff pretty seriously, maybe too seriously, haha. But when I’m listening to a story, I want to be fully in it. Audiobooks are a full experience for me, not just background noise.
Here’s my humble, yet very detailed list of what I believe an audiobook should offer.
Aspects |
Personal Opinion |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Voice Acting/Character Differentiation |
Will Damron and Christine Lakin do a solid job bringing the characters to life. Will really nails Blake’s personality, especially that stressed, confused, kind of spiralling vibe he has through most of the story. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐★ |
|
Pacing and Rhythm |
The pacing works well for a thriller, but the repetitive dialogue and redundant scenes can make it feel like you’re stuck in a loop, sometimes even a bit annoying. However, it’s not the narrators’ fault. Despite this, it’s still the kind of audiobook you can easily binge. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐★ |
|
Tone and Expression |
The tone fits the story, paranoid, a little dark, and even weirdly funny at times? Especially with Blake, the narrator captures that slow unraveling vibe as everything starts to fall apart. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐★ |
|
Clarity and Enunciation |
Both narrators speak clearly, with no mumbling or distracting sounds. Even when you speed it up, everything stays easy to understand and the story is still easy to follow. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Consistency |
The characters stay consistent throughout. No sudden changes in tone or weird voice shifts. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Narrative Flow |
The narration flows smoothly from start to finish, making it easy to stay with the story without getting lost or distracted. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Engagement and Presence |
Both narrators keep you hooked. Even when the story drags a bit, their delivery helps carry it through. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Accent and Dialects |
The story is set in New York, and both narrators use a clear American accent. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Intonation and Pitch |
Pacing adjusts well for suspense and twists, building tension effectively. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐★ |
|
Quality of Sound |
The audio itself is super clear and crisp. No weird background noise or echo, just clean, high-quality sound that lets you focus on the story. |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
My Thoughts on The Tenant by Freida McFadden (Spoiler Free)
As a Freida fan, I wanted so bad to love The Tenant, but it didn’t quite match other books magic. While the narrators did a solid job, the story just didn’t deliver the tension or momentum I usually expect from a Freida McFadden book. It felt more rushed, repetitive, and less gripping than her previous works.
Blake’s constant whining and repetitive inner monologues became tiresome, and several scenes felt either absurd or far too predictable. If you’ve read McFadden’s earlier books, especially The Housemaid, this one might come across as a less polished, lower-stakes version.
The characters felt too shallow and underdeveloped. I did like that Freida chose to write from a male point of view this time, but with less repetition and more depth, it could’ve been much stronger. You don’t really care about anyone, people come and go and in the end of the day you’re just curious to see what happens next because you know that the plot twist is coming!
And the twist? It didn’t land at all. I saw it coming, and by the time it happened, it felt too far-fetched to make any real impact. The motivations were so weak I was just like, “Wait… what?” Cue eye roll.
Even the epilogue was underwhelming. Honestly, it feels like Freida might be rushing her writing lately, focusing more on quantity than the quality that made The Housemaid such a standout.
That said, it’s still an easy read, short chapters, simple dialogue, and the kind of book you can finish in one sitting. This is something I genuinely appreciate about Freida’s style. Sometimes you just want something light, without overly complicated language or long, drawn-out chapters. Despite the repetitive structure, the story still flows.
Quotes from The Tenant by Freida Mcfadden
He’s going to kill you, Krista. You have to get away from here… He’s going to stab you with a kitchen knife. It’s going to happen right here.”
— Quillizabeth’s
So you see, when I stabbed Krista that night, I wasn’t saving Blake’s life. I was saving my own. I bet you five bucks Krista never saw that coming.”
— Amanda
Main Themes in The Tenant by Freida McFadden
Deception and Hidden Truths, Power Dynamics and Control, Psychological Manipulation and Paranoia.
Who Should Read It?
- This book will appeal to fans of Freida McFadden who never miss a new release (like me).
- Readers who enjoy domestic drama.
- Thriller enthusiasts craving fast-paced suspense.
Printed Version Details and Authors Profile
|
Format |
Paperback |
|---|---|
|
Number of Pages |
368 |
|
Published |
May 6, 2025 by Poisoned Pen Press |
|
Goodreads Rating |
⭐⭐⭐⭐★ |
|
My Rating |
⭐⭐⭐★★ |
|
ISNB |
9781464227318 (ISBN10: 1464227314 |
So, have you already dived into The Tenant, either the book or the audiobook? What did you think of the twists and the characters? If it’s still on your list, what are you most excited to find out? Drop your thoughts in the comments, I’d love to hear your take!
