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ceeemvee's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first child in a few weeks, and decide to take a short getaway in the countryside. After a 7-hour car ride, they reach their destination, the middle of nowhere. The retired couple they are staying with, Barry and Fiona, are a bit off and giving weird vibes. So, after having a bite to eat, Jamie and Victoria call it a night. The next morning, Victoria awakens and needs fresh air. They find the guest house is locked, their phones and keys are missing, Barry and Fiona are nowhere to be found and Victoria is in labor. What do they do? The story does engage you, and I certainly don’t want to give away the plot and the twists.
There are multiple points of view, both past to present. It’s easy to keep track of the characters and the plot. Suspense builds when something in the present happens, giving you a hint of something in the past. It all works well and the character development is good. You really have a sense of each character’s personality, even if some of the characters’ actions are a bit over the top and don’t seem well-reasoned or sound. The problem is the plot didn’t work for me. It’s as old as the hills, and it felt like a long time getting to the point and the end of the story.
https://wordpress.com/home/candysplanet.wordpress.com
Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first child in a few weeks, and decide to take a short getaway in the countryside. After a 7-hour car ride, they reach their destination, the middle of nowhere. The retired couple they are staying with, Barry and Fiona, are a bit off and giving weird vibes. So, after having a bite to eat, Jamie and Victoria call it a night. The next morning, Victoria awakens and needs fresh air. They find the guest house is locked, their phones and keys are missing, Barry and Fiona are nowhere to be found and Victoria is in labor. What do they do? The story does engage you, and I certainly don’t want to give away the plot and the twists.
There are multiple points of view, both past to present. It’s easy to keep track of the characters and the plot. Suspense builds when something in the present happens, giving you a hint of something in the past. It all works well and the character development is good. You really have a sense of each character’s personality, even if some of the characters’ actions are a bit over the top and don’t seem well-reasoned or sound. The problem is the plot didn’t work for me. It’s as old as the hills, and it felt like a long time getting to the point and the end of the story.
https://wordpress.com/home/candysplanet.wordpress.com
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Toxic relationship, Child death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, and Miscarriage
beca_reads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
What a brilliant thriller, this had me gripped from the first page. Jaimie and Victoria go away just before Victoria's due date. On the first day Victoria suddenly goes into labour three weeks early, and they suddenly realise that they are alone, with no one to help them.
This book leans heavily into the psyche of a new mother and the anxiety and fear of bringing a baby into the world. It also shows the lengths people will go to repair past actions that could lead to serious consequence.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the main character Jaimie to have a disability specially cerebral palsy. Robin mentions in the acknowledgements the lack of disability representation within thriller's and I could not agree more, that there is a distinct lack within the thriller genre. Though Jaimie is shown to have his struggles with his disability and the discrimination he has faced, he is still seen as an independent character that is in a loving relationship, and is a business owner.
What a brilliant thriller, this had me gripped from the first page. Jaimie and Victoria go away just before Victoria's due date. On the first day Victoria suddenly goes into labour three weeks early, and they suddenly realise that they are alone, with no one to help them.
This book leans heavily into the psyche of a new mother and the anxiety and fear of bringing a baby into the world. It also shows the lengths people will go to repair past actions that could lead to serious consequence.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the main character Jaimie to have a disability specially cerebral palsy. Robin mentions in the acknowledgements the lack of disability representation within thriller's and I could not agree more, that there is a distinct lack within the thriller genre. Though Jaimie is shown to have his struggles with his disability and the discrimination he has faced, he is still seen as an independent character that is in a loving relationship, and is a business owner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Ableism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Drug use, Blood, Infertility, Kidnapping, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Murder, Vomit, Chronic illness, and Violence
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