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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Rounded up from 2.5
Another book that has been languishing on my NetGalley Shelf.
The Nowhere Child is Christian White's debut novel centring around Australian photography teacher Kimberly Leamy, who suddenly finds out that her whole life is a lie and her real name is Sammy West, who was abducted from a small town in America 28 years earlier.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. It felt like a unique twist on the whole child abduction trope, which was enjoyable, but there were times when I honestly didn't think I was going to actually finish the book!
The first half was very slow burn with a cast of mostly unlikeable characters. Then there was the back and forth in the timeline to the present time, then back to 1990. The present day gripped me, but the aftermath of Sammy's abduction felt lacklustre. It was mostly focused on the dysfunctional family of the Wests, along with seemingly random characters connected to the story, which meant there was a lot going on and not much tying it all together.
However, I enjoyed the small town setting of Mason, which felt claustrophobic and unsettling. Then there was the cult-like religious group the church of the Light Within, with their snake handling and overly devout followers added an extra creep factor to the novel. The tension and pace picked up in the second half, and the ending was so action packed and twisty that it almost made up for the rest of the story.
Still, if you enjoy a slow burn thriller, then I would definitely recommend The Nowhere Child to you.
Another book that has been languishing on my NetGalley Shelf.
The Nowhere Child is Christian White's debut novel centring around Australian photography teacher Kimberly Leamy, who suddenly finds out that her whole life is a lie and her real name is Sammy West, who was abducted from a small town in America 28 years earlier.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. It felt like a unique twist on the whole child abduction trope, which was enjoyable, but there were times when I honestly didn't think I was going to actually finish the book!
The first half was very slow burn with a cast of mostly unlikeable characters. Then there was the back and forth in the timeline to the present time, then back to 1990. The present day gripped me, but the aftermath of Sammy's abduction felt lacklustre. It was mostly focused on the dysfunctional family of the Wests, along with seemingly random characters connected to the story, which meant there was a lot going on and not much tying it all together.
However, I enjoyed the small town setting of Mason, which felt claustrophobic and unsettling. Then there was the cult-like religious group the church of the Light Within, with their snake handling and overly devout followers added an extra creep factor to the novel. The tension and pace picked up in the second half, and the ending was so action packed and twisty that it almost made up for the rest of the story.
Still, if you enjoy a slow burn thriller, then I would definitely recommend The Nowhere Child to you.
TW: abduction, cancer, substance use, cult/religious themes.
Christian White has done it again! After getting completely hooked on The Wife And The Widow, I couldn't wait to pick up The Nowhere Child, and it didn't disappoint!
This book follows alternating timelines between then and now, piecing together Kim's life, and exploring the mystery of the disappearance of Sammy Went aged 2, that occured in America almost 30 years ago.
I am in complete awe of the writing style, each time I would pick this book up, I couldn't put it down, this author knows how to set the tone, pace, surroundings, and write some damn good characters. The development was there, I was hooked and wanted to know more, and had so many different theories running through my head throughout.
Overall, a 4.5 star read.
Christian White has done it again! After getting completely hooked on The Wife And The Widow, I couldn't wait to pick up The Nowhere Child, and it didn't disappoint!
This book follows alternating timelines between then and now, piecing together Kim's life, and exploring the mystery of the disappearance of Sammy Went aged 2, that occured in America almost 30 years ago.
I am in complete awe of the writing style, each time I would pick this book up, I couldn't put it down, this author knows how to set the tone, pace, surroundings, and write some damn good characters. The development was there, I was hooked and wanted to know more, and had so many different theories running through my head throughout.
Overall, a 4.5 star read.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book Club #1
This was the first book that was recommended in Book Club I am currently a part of. It was great to theorise about the plot and the characters, a whodunit moment.
What a great book! However, the ending left me disappointed and felt a bit too rushed in my opinion. Nevertheless, it was a great story with some crazy plots (but now I hate snakes and rats and everything in between).
This was the first book that was recommended in Book Club I am currently a part of. It was great to theorise about the plot and the characters, a whodunit moment.
What a great book! However, the ending left me disappointed and felt a bit too rushed in my opinion. Nevertheless, it was a great story with some crazy plots (but now I hate snakes and rats and everything in between).
3.5 rounded up to 4.
I found this book compelling but not likeable. It took me a long time to get into it because it started with a big dose of something I don't enjoy reading about: teenage angst. I really liked this author's second book (The Wife & The Widow) so I persevered, plus the lady in the book shop told me it gets better. And I did sail through it in one evening, but at no point did I feel like I was enjoying the journey much - in that way, it was much like Gillian Flynn's novels. This is mostly because after finishing the teenage angst part, it got stuck into the other thing I don't enjoy reading about: small town rednecks and/or religious nutters. The fact that I finished a book about topics I don't enjoy in one night and gave it a rounded up 4 stars is a testament to the author's ability to write a compelling tale. Looking forward to more, but hopefully with less teenage angst and fewer culty bogans.
I found this book compelling but not likeable. It took me a long time to get into it because it started with a big dose of something I don't enjoy reading about: teenage angst. I really liked this author's second book (The Wife & The Widow) so I persevered, plus the lady in the book shop told me it gets better. And I did sail through it in one evening, but at no point did I feel like I was enjoying the journey much - in that way, it was much like Gillian Flynn's novels. This is mostly because after finishing the teenage angst part, it got stuck into the other thing I don't enjoy reading about: small town rednecks and/or religious nutters. The fact that I finished a book about topics I don't enjoy in one night and gave it a rounded up 4 stars is a testament to the author's ability to write a compelling tale. Looking forward to more, but hopefully with less teenage angst and fewer culty bogans.
A very interesting mystery that spans from Australia to rural Kentucky. Kim is enjoying her life as a photography teacher in Melbourne when an American man approaches her and tells her that he believes she is actually Sammy Went, a girl who vanished from Mason, Kentucky at the age of two. Kim travels to Kentucky to try to learn the truth of her identity and discovers all sorts of secrets and mysteries tied up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal group.
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
For a debut novel, this is amazing. Sure, the plot could've been delivered in a much better way, but it's uniqueness is what keeps it from failing. Not only is the author's voice different, but his take on the child disappearance is something I never saw before. Worth every penny.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No