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minimicropup's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- 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
4.5
Articulate. Enduring. Reserved.
🇺🇸🏫 Set in Vermont, USA. Mainly at the site of an all-girls boarding school (the kind where teen girls are sent when they aren’t wanted by their families or have no caregivers)
POVs: Third person. We follow the experiences and perspectives of four girls at an all-girl’s boarding school in the 1950s. We also see the past in the context of what is occurring in 2014, where our contemporary MC is a journalist wanting to dig deeper into the history of the site of the abandoned boarding school where their sister was found murdered.
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🐺Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags🐕
😢👍 This felt like a hyper-realistic story, almost a fictionalized re-telling of a true story. We get lots of small suspenseful and mysterious subplots that ultimately connect but not in a way that felt fictional if that makes sense?
😃 The writing is atmospheric, sensory, and observational. With the third person focused omniscient narration style we are able to understand what various MCs think and what shapes their views and motivations without baiting, omission, or over-explaining.
🫶 There are a lot of characters and that can be difficult for audio-only. I didn't have an issue keeping track because the writing style introduces us to them by weaving their traits into the story naturally, so I didn't feel like I had to take notes just to remember who was who. The layout of the boarding school and surrounding sites both in the 1950s and after it was abandoned was similarly woven in the story so I had no trouble imagining everything and situating the characters. Plus with this style of writing, you probably won't feel bogged down in details if you aren't an imaginations reader.
🫶 Reveals are paired with the creation of new mysteries in both timelines. We know who was killed early on for both times, so the suspense and mystery is how did it happen and who did it? Fiona is a journalist and her boyfriend is a police officer, and when she gains access to evidence, it feels like we are learning and investigating alongside her. Reading the past timelines adds context to what we just learned through Fiona's investigation.
🤔 I generally don't vibe with historical fiction (hard for me to connect to story sometimes) and I dislike war themes (too terrifying). Although both were present in this story, it was done in a way that didn't feel like a gratuitous heartstring-tug terror element. It felt like an important part of the story and was included in a respectful way that helps the reader understand how it affected lives beyond the obvious horrors.
😳 Near the end I started losing interest as past and present collided and the characters discussed their views while planning where to go from here. It wasn't drawn out necessarily, and we get answers and even some justice at the conclusion. I think I was just ready to move on to my next read, while happy with this one. I may be too used to ambiguous or abrupt endings to appreciate the more well-rounded ones.
🫤 I was annoyed by Fiona and her boyfriend in this first half or so of the story. While they were making googly-eyes at each other I wanted to get on with the 1950s timeline and what happened to the girls. I am not a huge fictional romance fan though, so it may be a me thing.
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🎙️ Narration was good except that all the male voices sounded croaky and kind of reminded me of old timey chain-smoking villains.
Mood Reading Match Up:
- Historical fiction coming-of-age friendship-by-proximity
- Puzzles and clues via investigative journalism of true crime type missing and murdered girls
- Touches of dark academia from abandoned boarding school paranormal horrors
- Can-they-make-it-work, lovers-to, touch of forbidden romance
- Interwoven themes of found family, teen friendship, convention and rebellion, morality, justice, courage, and tragedy
Content Heads-Up: Loss of a sibling. Parental rejection. Loss of family. War (recalled/memories; Nazi concentration camp, war crimes, prejudice and persecution). PTSD. Suicide attempt. Murder. Attempted murder. Sexual content (consenting). Corruption, abuse of power (law enforcement, institutional). Child abuse. Loss of a child.
Format: Library Audio via Libby
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and War
flying_monkeys's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Perfect for the overcast, rainy day on which I decided to read it.
Set during winter in a small town called Barrons, Vermont. Part of the story takes place in the 1950s at Idlewild Hall, a boarding school for "bad girls." The other part takes place in 2014. Both involve the town legend of Mary Hand.
While its mystery is a page-turner, some of the situations the 1950s girls experienced before being cast off to the school's responsibility, were horrific and might trigger certain folks.
Prepared for that brutality, though, this thriller would be an excellent read on a cold winter's day.
3.5 stars
Set during winter in a small town called Barrons, Vermont. Part of the story takes place in the 1950s at Idlewild Hall, a boarding school for "bad girls." The other part takes place in 2014. Both involve the town legend of Mary Hand.
While its mystery is a page-turner, some of the situations the 1950s girls experienced before being cast off to the school's responsibility, were horrific and might trigger certain folks.
Prepared for that brutality, though, this thriller would be an excellent read on a cold winter's day.
3.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Genocide, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide attempt
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Rape, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Suicide attempt and Pregnancy
exlibrissum's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
matcha_cat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
eisenbuns's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Major antisemitism, spoiler locked here (it spoils the mystery):moonylovesstars's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
Honestly had me on edge the whole time. And for the first time I actually felt nervous when turning off the light at night. It captured me and I think it represented trauma pretty well. But some parts just didn’t peak my interest as much. But it was a good read over all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Gore and Injury/Injury detail
bek67's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Second book by this author. I liked it, but I think I'm wanting more. Not sure how this is listed as horror. Yes, there are some ghosts, but I want more scare factor involved. Characters aren't significantly developed. They all seem a bit bland to me. I didn't dislike the characters, but I didn't love them either, so it was hard to connect. And enough of the gray eyed characters in books PLEASE!
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, and Suicide attempt
genevieveokeeffe's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Antisemitism
hmstumfoll's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book started out slow for me but once the story went on it was a good read. A mystery with a misguided group of previous boarding school girls looking for justice for their murdered friend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Genocide, Rape, Suicide attempt, and War