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aliceyy's review against another edition
4.0
*actual rating is 3.5, rounded to 4*
I expected this book to be a mystery that is very plot based and excites the reader with fast unexpected twists and whatnot, but the first half of the book is slow, though detailed, in describing the characters thoroughly. Well personally for me it was slow but still bearable, some stories were more interesting than others.
So for half of the book nothing much happened, you don't get to know about 'the event that changed all of their lives' till later, so you'll have to be patient with this one. Nothing much happened but the story went backwards, so you get a really good idea of the protagonist, and many secondary characters as well, which I quite liked because often they're not as showcased as in this book.
From the half way point the story picks up, so the rest of it is an easy read, and the previous character bits really stood out in a good way, since it made me understand their later decisions, from understanding their character. The only thing that bothered me a bit (why it's not a five star), is the fact that sometimes there seems to be unnecessary, self reflection kind of moments. I don't remember how often this happened, it didn't get to the point where it's annoying but since I did notice it probably happened quite a few times too. I feel like sometimes they're obvious, and I can already imagine how the protagonist feels, yet he still has to tell me.
Overall, solid read, happy with the book, especially into the characters but the plot pulled it down a bit.
Note: I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
I expected this book to be a mystery that is very plot based and excites the reader with fast unexpected twists and whatnot, but the first half of the book is slow, though detailed, in describing the characters thoroughly. Well personally for me it was slow but still bearable, some stories were more interesting than others.
So for half of the book nothing much happened, you don't get to know about 'the event that changed all of their lives' till later, so you'll have to be patient with this one. Nothing much happened but the story went backwards, so you get a really good idea of the protagonist, and many secondary characters as well, which I quite liked because often they're not as showcased as in this book.
From the half way point the story picks up, so the rest of it is an easy read, and the previous character bits really stood out in a good way, since it made me understand their later decisions, from understanding their character. The only thing that bothered me a bit (why it's not a five star), is the fact that sometimes there seems to be unnecessary, self reflection kind of moments. I don't remember how often this happened, it didn't get to the point where it's annoying but since I did notice it probably happened quite a few times too. I feel like sometimes they're obvious, and I can already imagine how the protagonist feels, yet he still has to tell me.
Overall, solid read, happy with the book, especially into the characters but the plot pulled it down a bit.
Note: I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written, this is as elegant a study of grief as you'll find.
Small actions and their consequences form the structure of this novel. It takes half the book to reach the main turning point of the story, as we are drip fed details of a few minutes in one day of the lives of the characters. Past actions have repercussions that vibrate through to the present.
Loved it.
Small actions and their consequences form the structure of this novel. It takes half the book to reach the main turning point of the story, as we are drip fed details of a few minutes in one day of the lives of the characters. Past actions have repercussions that vibrate through to the present.
Loved it.
happyglowlucky's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! This book left my heart pounding. It is expertly crafted, with totally real characters. It's dark, wonderful, and un-put-down-able. The book (in my opinion) explores the darker sides of things, but it does it in an intelligent way; it's the kind of book that gets you thinking about all kinds of things: redemption, secrets, grief, love, and the global culture we live in today. One of the really wonderful things about this book is that it is able to combine the genres of thriller and fiction, so that you get the best of both world. Totally recommended!
tashfox's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lozellwood_'s review against another edition
1.0
This book was so painfully slow and even when the plot finally hit its climax, the result wasn’t fulfilling. The characters (although in-depth) weren’t likeable and it was hard to stick to their stories and sympathise with them. I pushed myself through the book as I cannot simply leave a book half read, but it was not worth it in the long run.
aliceelizabeth6's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
emmab85's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
vgk's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It isn't what you think it is when you read the cover. It isn't what you think it is after you've read the first few chapters. It isn't what you think it is even 3/4 of the way through the book. The plot changes direction in truly unexpected ways, but the themes stay steady - grief, guilt, coming to terms, moving on. This is a good book.
jaclynday's review against another edition
3.0
This book is an extended study on grief and anger, and honestly, it exhausted me a little bit. Not because it was bad (it was very good, actually), but because the emotional turmoil was so all-consuming that it left me feeling strange–empty, confused?–by the time I’d finished the book. Also: proooobbbably wasn’t my best plan to read this after a book (Kitchens of the Great Midwest) that was aggressively delightful. It’s like I was handed this delicious ice cream and then the scoops all slid off the cone one by one onto the depressing pavement.