Reviews tagging 'Death'

Tragedia en villa Rosato by Rachel Hawkins

43 reviews

boundbywords's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

THE VILLA is, without a doubt, my favourite of Rachel Hawkins' work thus far. Give me a gothic thriller any day, but especially give me the ones that achieve the deliciously dark tone and vibe that Rachel was so successful in creating here. The ending wasn't a win for me, but I immensely enjoyed the journey getting there.

Told in alternating timelines between 1974 and present day, we hear from the perspectives of two women reclaiming their power, going for (literary) gold, and exploring the parameters of some seriously unstable relationships. Add in Rachel's incredible ability to create a perfect tension-filled scene, and you've got yourself your first read for January 2023.

Fun tidbit: The Villa is "inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein"!!
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♡Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for approving the egalley for review! 
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bookishlysimsy's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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
Disclaimer: I was provided a digital galley via Edelweiss+ for the purpose of review. This does not affect my opinion.​

The Villa is an interesting, engaging thriller. With a dual-POV and timeline, there is intrigue and wonder between each line.

Rating: Starred

Check out my full review on my blog Belle's Archive now!
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booksbroadwaybubbly's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Emily is working on her novel, but is having no luck.  When she meets up with her childhood best friend, Chess, for lunch, she is jealous of Chess’ fame.  However, when Chess invites Emily to spend the summer at a villa in Italy, Emily wants the chance to reconnect with Chess and hopefully spark her some new ideas for her book.  The Villa they are staying in may be beautiful now, but it is the place of a murder that took place in 1974, when a group full of artists spent the summer at the villa trying to inspire themselves.  Emily & Chess spend the summer digging into old secrets, both of the villa and of their own lives.   
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I enjoyed this thriller, but I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters — all of them were unlikable, in both the past and the present.  I also felt like it took a long time to build up to all the tension.  There were so many twists and turns throughout this book that kept me on my toes. I also loved all the descriptions of the Italian Countryside! It brought me back to my time in Italy! I definitely can’t wait to see what Rachel Hawkins writes next! 
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Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my eARC in exchange for my honest opinion! 
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