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clarke's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Five nights follows Emily joining her old friend, Belle, on a cruise with her rich in-laws after not seeing Belle for 3 years after an 'incident'. There are also a few chapters from the POV of Belle's rich husbands dead wife.
This book just sort of meanders along. It's only 5 days on the cruise, but it feels longer. It's very repetitive and feels like you’re going round in circles. I think half the book is Emily asking herself questions over and over, and nothing happens until about 60% in when people start getting knocked unconscious (or worse) and there's a classic confession before attempted murder that fails and the villain is thwarted. I feel like there should be more to it? It was boring?
The characters weren't very fleshed out, the 'mystery' wasn't very mysterious, with a very predictable plot, and it really needs an edit. Chapter upon chapter said nothing and didn't add to the story - trying to reach a word-count maybe?
If you, like me, debating DNFing then for spoilers:
- The 'incident' - Belle and Emily worked on cruise ships and yachts in their twenties. Emily needed money, so gave info to a random man about where the boat would be so they could rob it in exchange for 10k. Instead, armed pirated boarded, kidnapped Belle for 3 days, and killed the captain. Emily froze and did nothing to help when she could, and ran at her first chance. She didn't talk to Belle again until 3y later on the cruise ship.
- Belle was threatening Emily - sent the notes, locked it a closet, etc all because she was angry at Emily (even though she understands her freezing) and wanted her to be paranoid as Belle has PTSD post kidnapping.
- The weird journalist man wearing a Blur tshirt, who Emily just decides is called Mick, is actually someone called Simon. Viola (dead wife) had affairs and all the kids are to different dads as Mattia couldn't have kids, but no one could tell him that. He also had affairs. Simon became obsessive, stalked Viola, and eventually killed her moments after she found Mattia and Belle fucking on their private beach. He was working as a PI for xander and wanted money for all the photos he took as a stalker, including that Belle and Mattia had an affair. He also tried to kill Mattia several times, and set Belle up to take the fall. He killed Xander instead (by accident)
- Jimmi is Finns Dad from a drunken one night stand. He had cancer and didn't tell anyone so that's why he was being secretive. Said one night stand prompted him to get the cancer treated.
- Chloe and Bean were trying to get rid of Belle with the rock and the lawyer.
I think that's it? They all live happily ever after (except xander, because he's dead) and have lots of money, except Emily, and no one really grows as a person and it's the longest 5 days ever.
Five nights follows Emily joining her old friend, Belle, on a cruise with her rich in-laws after not seeing Belle for 3 years after an 'incident'. There are also a few chapters from the POV of Belle's rich husbands dead wife.
This book just sort of meanders along. It's only 5 days on the cruise, but it feels longer. It's very repetitive and feels like you’re going round in circles. I think half the book is Emily asking herself questions over and over, and nothing happens until about 60% in when people start getting knocked unconscious (or worse) and there's a classic confession before attempted murder that fails and the villain is thwarted. I feel like there should be more to it? It was boring?
The characters weren't very fleshed out, the 'mystery' wasn't very mysterious, with a very predictable plot, and it really needs an edit. Chapter upon chapter said nothing and didn't add to the story - trying to reach a word-count maybe?
If you, like me, debating DNFing then for spoilers:
- The 'incident' - Belle and Emily worked on cruise ships and yachts in their twenties. Emily needed money, so gave info to a random man about where the boat would be so they could rob it in exchange for 10k. Instead, armed pirated boarded, kidnapped Belle for 3 days, and killed the captain. Emily froze and did nothing to help when she could, and ran at her first chance. She didn't talk to Belle again until 3y later on the cruise ship.
- Belle was threatening Emily - sent the notes, locked it a closet, etc all because she was angry at Emily (even though she understands her freezing) and wanted her to be paranoid as Belle has PTSD post kidnapping.
- The weird journalist man wearing a Blur tshirt, who Emily just decides is called Mick, is actually someone called Simon. Viola (dead wife) had affairs and all the kids are to different dads as Mattia couldn't have kids, but no one could tell him that. He also had affairs. Simon became obsessive, stalked Viola, and eventually killed her moments after she found Mattia and Belle fucking on their private beach. He was working as a PI for xander and wanted money for all the photos he took as a stalker, including that Belle and Mattia had an affair. He also tried to kill Mattia several times, and set Belle up to take the fall. He killed Xander instead (by accident)
- Jimmi is Finns Dad from a drunken one night stand. He had cancer and didn't tell anyone so that's why he was being secretive. Said one night stand prompted him to get the cancer treated.
- Chloe and Bean were trying to get rid of Belle with the rock and the lawyer.
I think that's it? They all live happily ever after (except xander, because he's dead) and have lots of money, except Emily, and no one really grows as a person and it's the longest 5 days ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Classism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Bullying, Gun violence, Infertility, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence
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