Scan barcode
ssiemens4's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. It’s going to take me awhile to unpack this one. First off, this deserves all of the stars. Definitely recommend the audio version - the narrators were amazing (Julia Whelan, IYKYK). So many twists, layered complexities, gorgeous setting, etc etc. definitely one of my favorite trillers I’ve ever read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Child death
katiejohns's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Infidelity, and Child death
Moderate: Grief
elisemacmill's review
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
robynbookworm's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
elena_thebooklady's review
dark
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
jensnow's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death
asclafani's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The beginning of the book was as hot as the Italian summer it focuses on! I felt like the middle stalled a bit with half woven moments of suspense. Even in those slower moments I didn’t want to put this book down and appreciated subtleties/connections across adjacent chapters. Mari’s last entry was the most suspenseful component as we learned about her lying about the entire plot that Mari felt connected to! I wish this was more fleshed instead of the Matt/sick/cheating storyline. Chess’ complexity as a villain yet friend was also interesting to read. Especially in reference to their book deal!
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Drug abuse
ladylothlorien's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Really enjoyed this! I have a bad habit of starting books that I haven’t really properly read the blurb for and then being like “oh this is a ‘Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein’ retelling!” Then again it does add a level of delight to realize this as I’m reading so maybe it’s for the best? As with her Jane Eyre retelling, Hawkins isn’t slavishly devoted to the source material so she jumps in very interesting directions with this story. I do also have a weakness for historical fiction-type stories where someone in the present is connecting with someone from the past and both stories are unfolding together for the reader. I identified more with Emily I think than Mari but that’s more of my own personal experiences that were similar to Emily’s. Although I’ve never had a friend like Chess thank goodness.
once again though the ending is kind of throwing me off. Like of course killing Matt isn’t going to result in a breakup with Chess like Emily was hoping for in a mirror of what she thought happened with Mari and Lara. It’s just going to make Emily beholden to Chess forever since Chess knows this huge secret. I don’t really have a problem with that. I don’t really like the revelation that pretty much all of the Mari sections were fictionalized by Mari to make what happened more interesting. Maybe it’s less the betrayal of Emily who clearly used it as a blueprint for freedom and more the betrayal of me the reader. I’m sensitive to stories where the author (in this case Hawkins) deliberately lies about something without there being any indication of it that I can point to and go “oh I missed that hint!” <\spoiler>
So the ending ended up knocking off a star but I still overall enjoyed the book. And I’m really enjoying Hawkins’s penchant for these sort of literary retellings, so definitely going to read more by her.
So the ending ended up knocking off a star but I still overall enjoyed the book. And I’m really enjoying Hawkins’s penchant for these sort of literary retellings, so definitely going to read more by her.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Child death, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Suicide, and Vomit
The age gap relationship is Mari and Pierce who got together when Mari was still an underage teen, but Mari is 19 for most of the events of this book. Emily is also going thru a contentious divorce which for anyone who has been thru one might feel uncomfortably familiar.heypretty52's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Violence, Suicide, Stalking, and Blood
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Really wanted to hate this book. The women are awful, and I hate when women mistrust each other and go out of there ways to treat each other down. The patriarchy makes it hard enough to live, and we should be building a better world for other women together, so it was really easy to hate these “best friends,” but I have to about the multilayered storied approach worked and was clever enough for me to keep reading, and I really dislike myself at this moment for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Gaslighting, Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Child death