Being written in retrospect means that often, Odalie hints at her doomed future, e.g. Rose deludedly thinks herself perceptive and all-seeing, yet she is blind to the reality that Odalie was manipulating her right in front of her eyes. Because the writer lies to herself and therefore the reader throughout the book, the reader is only given a distorted view of the story, adding interest to the already intriguing plot. Odalie manipulates Rose relentlessly, leaving Rose entirely unaware until the end. The Other Typist forces the reader to reflect on human nature and relationships. This extra layer to the plot provides much suspicion and tension, as Rose is essentially lying to herself, as well as to the reader. She and Iris can have each other.” Midway through The Other Typist, it is revealed that Rose is narrating from an asylum in retrospect, suggesting that perhaps Rose’s word is not reliable. Old, expressionless Iris, with her mannish little neckties… Clearly I have overestimated O. Drinks it with her finger curled” Some are darker and teem with envy: “O took Iris to lunch today! Over me.
One of her entries reads: “O prefers tea to coffee.
A disturbing obsession is born Rose keeps a journal of the tiniest details she notices about her.
All at once, Rose’s regimented practicality is seduced by the glamour and frivolity of the new typist at the precinct, Odalie. Plain and rule-abiding, Rose efficiently types up criminals’ confessions before returning home to her dreary boarding house. Even though I couldn’t find a way to be interested in the story, I found several quotes from the book that I enjoyed.The Other Typist is recounted by Rose Baker, a typist at a rundown police precinct. Rindell’s details of the 1920’s, the expectations of women, and descriptions of those trying to break out of those expectations depicted an era that showed how difficult it was for Rose to find a way to fit in. I had no trouble imagining Rose or Odalie, the Sergeant or the Lieutenant Detective, or Dotty and Helen from the boarding house where Rose lived. Some things I did like though were the author’s character descriptions. But, as a book blogger, I am not going to lie or tell you that I liked something when I didn’t. There are also several others who have felt the same way I did. There are rave reviews HERE and HERE for THE OTHER TYPIST. So, with that in mind, I can only offer you that hundreds of other people have LOVED this book. I have a “rule” that if I’m not enjoying my reading, I need to quit the book because I have too many other books to read. I was bored and felt like I was forced to read. This doesn’t happen to me very often because I really feel like I am a pretty good judge of “book character”. I got to Chapter 9 and page 130 and I just couldn’t go any farther. Now, I have to stop here, after my brief synopsis of the book and tell you that I did not finish the book. Rose immediately falls under Odalie’s spell and their friendship turns Rose into someone she no longer recognizes. Odalie lives in a fancy hotel, has men falling at her feet, and gets everything she wants with a wink of her eye. That is until Odalie, the new typist at the precinct walks into her life. With Rose’s background as a orphan, being raised by nuns, and having to work hard for everything she has, she takes nothing for granted and follows all the rules of society. It is 1923, and Rose records testimonies that no women should have to hear. Rose is a typist in the local police precinct.
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