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Tana French’s writing focuses mainly on topics such as murder, identity, trauma, suspense, and mystery.
Step 1:
CHARACTERS:
French's characters are very complex throughout the novels. For example, Rob in In the Woods and Cassie in The Likeness both get very emotionally involved in their cases, which affects their judgement as detectives. French also mainly writes in first person, which helps give the novels a deeper psychological insight into the characters. But in In the Woods, Rob is shown to be an unreliable narrator due to him restricting his memory to himself and to the readers, such as what happened to him in his childhood.
SETTING:
Setting is very important in her novels as well. She uses very detailed descriptions of places like the woods in In the Woods or the house in The Likeness to create an ominous, and unsettling environment. The setting also typically correlates with what is happening within the characters and reflects their feelings.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND IMAGERY:
French's sentence structure is usually very descriptive and long, but it still fits into the story well. She uses imagery and specific details to strengthen the mood and environment of the novel. Her use of dialogue is also very realistic and helps to build tension within the relationships of the characters. For example, this tension through dialogue is shown mainly in arguments between Cassie and Rob, or Cassie and the people in the house.
Step 2:
I recognized the house before I even stepped inside. I’ve seen it before. Before the boarded windows. Before the caution tape on the door. Before the patrol cars in the driveway. But I didn’t know why. Just the feeling that I have been in this house.
“You good?” Mark asked, watching me stand motionless in the doorway.
“Yeah sorry,” I said. “Just thinking.”
I wasn’t.
When I stepped inside, I felt uneasy. I knew Mark could tell something was off, but I tried to keep my distance to avoid confrontation.
The air felt heavy and smelled of dust, and another distinct scent lingered that I could not put my finger on. Each step I took echoed against the vintage hardwood, the kind of sound that would send chills down your spine in the silence.
“Victim was discovered in the living room,” Mark said. “No sign of forced entry.”
It took me a second to process what he said and articulate words. “Close friend or relative you think?”
“Usually the case. Considering how young she is, I'm leaning towards relative.” Mark replied.
At that moment I stepped into the living room and looked at the victim. Her face was turned opposite of mine. My eyes wouldn’t stop moving around the room. Every detail of the house so familiar.
“You been here before?” Mark asked.
I kind of just stared at him for a second before answering. “No, what makes you say that?”
“Just seemed like you knew the layout,” he said “nevermind.”
I didn’t reply. I walked around the body to look at the victim's face.
I audibly gasped.
Mark noticed immediately. He was saying something to me, but I could not hear a word he was saying. I nearly fainted when I realized where I had seen the house before. But I haven’t been there before. Physically. I’ve dreamt of it. The house. The girl. Every detail. I’ve had the same recurring dream since I could remember. And this was it.
Step 3:
My writing reflects Tana French’s style because I used first-person narration, detailed setting, and psychological tension. First, I wrote in first person because French does this in In the Woods and The Likeness. This helps the reader get a better understanding inside the detective's thoughts and feelings. It also makes the narrator unreliable since she feels like she has been in the house before but fails to remember it, which is similar to how Rob struggles with his memory as well.
Second, I focused on the setting because French often uses it to create the mood. I described the house with details like the heavy air, dust, and echoing footsteps. These details give the house an eerie feeling and creates a tense environment, like the woods in In the Woods or the house in The Likeness. It is also connected to the narrator and how she is feeling.
Third, I showed psychological tension because the narrator begins to feel uneasy and confused as she investigates the house. She realizes that she is familiar with the house, which makes it personal to her. This is very similar to French’s characters because they usually get emotionally involved in their cases.
Finally, I used dialogue between the narrator and Mark to make it realistic. Their conversations are short but show that something is off, which helps build tension like French often does in her books.
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