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abimillsy's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Easily one of the best 'thrillers' I've ever read, although it feels weird to call it a thriller because at times it felt just so hauntingly real, more like reading true crime.
You can tell this author did her research, by witnessing real school lockdowns and building the wonderful setting of a progressive school (based on Frensham Heights in Farnham) she managed to pack in the drama whilst keeping it (mostly) believable. I do think the progressive school setting was key to this story working!
A terrifying read but also with some really important and strong political messages.
Slightly cheesy with the 'love wins the day' tagline but easily forgiven when you're so wrapped up in the horror of it all!
Some well fleshed out characters, with stories based on real events. A lot of interesting perspectives from the children, teachers and parents that I enjoyed equally!
Most likely a book I'll be thinking about for a long time to come.
You can tell this author did her research, by witnessing real school lockdowns and building the wonderful setting of a progressive school (based on Frensham Heights in Farnham) she managed to pack in the drama whilst keeping it (mostly) believable. I do think the progressive school setting was key to this story working!
A terrifying read but also with some really important and strong political messages.
Slightly cheesy with the 'love wins the day' tagline but easily forgiven when you're so wrapped up in the horror of it all!
Some well fleshed out characters, with stories based on real events. A lot of interesting perspectives from the children, teachers and parents that I enjoyed equally!
Most likely a book I'll be thinking about for a long time to come.
jgresh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
melbsreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Trigger warnings: hostage situation, gun violence, school shooting, blood, gore, ,spoiler>Islamophobia, white supremacy, online radicalisation
Okay, so here's the thing: I am fully aware that this is a much beloved thriller and that I have a very unpopular opinion where this book is concerned. But also where this book is concerned? I am straight up channelling Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion yelling "No! It's just DUMB!"
I'm not gonna lie, a huge number of my problems here come from working in a school. This is not how lockdowns work. This is not how evacuation plans work. This is not how TEENAGERS work.
You cannot tell me for a second that THIS many kids would have phones on, like, 25% battery or less at 9.30am. You cannot tell me for a second that a school would think it's a good idea to evacuate primary aged children down a cliff face to wait for police evacuation BY BOAT. You cannot tell me for a second that a teacher who's been through dozens of lockdown drills AND who knows that this lockdown is the real thing would be getting their class to read poetry or do a dress rehearsal of Macbeth.
You cannot tell me that an art teacher with a roomful of 9 year olds and a gunman outside is taking the time to make little clay tiles to block the window. You cannot tell me that a school library has no technology at all. And you cannot tell me that teenagers would try and block the door with BOOKS. As a school librarian, I can tell you that literally any time I turn my back, my kids are moving the goddamned furniture around. If you're taking the books off the shelves anyway, they'd be blocking the door with THE SHELVES.
Essentially, I could not suspend my disbelief for a single second. And the big dramatic plot twist? It honestly felt kind of cheap.
I feel like I've been extremely negative for a 3 star review. I did like the characters and the writing. I just couldn't deal with the actual plot. Not for a second.
Okay, so here's the thing: I am fully aware that this is a much beloved thriller and that I have a very unpopular opinion where this book is concerned. But also where this book is concerned? I am straight up channelling Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion yelling "No! It's just DUMB!"
I'm not gonna lie, a huge number of my problems here come from working in a school. This is not how lockdowns work. This is not how evacuation plans work. This is not how TEENAGERS work.
You cannot tell me for a second that THIS many kids would have phones on, like, 25% battery or less at 9.30am. You cannot tell me for a second that a school would think it's a good idea to evacuate primary aged children down a cliff face to wait for police evacuation BY BOAT. You cannot tell me for a second that a teacher who's been through dozens of lockdown drills AND who knows that this lockdown is the real thing would be getting their class to read poetry or do a dress rehearsal of Macbeth.
You cannot tell me that an art teacher with a roomful of 9 year olds and a gunman outside is taking the time to make little clay tiles to block the window. You cannot tell me that a school library has no technology at all. And you cannot tell me that teenagers would try and block the door with BOOKS. As a school librarian, I can tell you that literally any time I turn my back, my kids are moving the goddamned furniture around. If you're taking the books off the shelves anyway, they'd be blocking the door with THE SHELVES.
Essentially, I could not suspend my disbelief for a single second. And the big dramatic plot twist? It honestly felt kind of cheap.
I feel like I've been extremely negative for a 3 star review. I did like the characters and the writing. I just couldn't deal with the actual plot. Not for a second.
lisam0183_bookworm's review
4.0
Whilst being good, this was also a very hard read as these things do happen in real life and it's a fear of mine.
Mr Marr is the head teacher of a remote school that comes under attack of gunmen. He is seriously hurt and not able to protect the rest of the school. Their are teachers and children separated in different parts and the story splits between them, the police and families.
This was a very tense read and the pace was fast, which made you want to keep going.
Mr Marr is the head teacher of a remote school that comes under attack of gunmen. He is seriously hurt and not able to protect the rest of the school. Their are teachers and children separated in different parts and the story splits between them, the police and families.
This was a very tense read and the pace was fast, which made you want to keep going.
bovver's review against another edition
2.0
Read it in two evenings. It’s gripping, but in a hammy, trashy, shallow kind of way, with a moral of ‘love will save us’ hammered home without subtlety or elegance and undermining what is essentially a solid, thrilling premise. I can see why people love this book, but it felt a bit like being preached too.
riedk's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
4.25
sallyc23's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
hanrutous's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
gracechrister's review
3.0
for some reason i found this hard to follow for like half of it, even at the end when i’d worked out who was who i was beyond actually caring about the people involved