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kcrockford's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Antisemitism, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Drug use
dasnof's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Fiona was a dummy, cops need to be eradicated. I did end up enjoying our group of girls from Idlewild, especially at the end when they were older, it was cute. The historical angle was interesting but the mysteries were a flop for me. Both resolutions to both murders were meh. Jamie's daddy needs to BURN
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Suicide attempt and Hate crime
luluhasnolife's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Sorry English isn’t my first language
So I apologize in advance
It is incredible, I stayed all night reading this book. They are some heavy topics in this book but they are never full on detailed about it, I would keep this in mind if you are easily triggered about the tags warned…because those are the main one that are briefly discussed.
Another thing I want to point out in my rating about diversity, this book has characters with incredibly different backgrounds and personalities it’s magnificent but all of them are white if I recall, that’s why I put it’s complicated. It makes sense that they are all white but still.
Now positive!
I love how they brought actual historical events into this book, it made it feel more realistic
The whole ghost thing without spoilers is so juicy and sad at the same time. It keep me on my toes ngl, my dog moved and I would get startled
Some books can’t don’t time skips and changing pov but this author does an incredible job at it this.
The way there’s always sudden hints and foreshadowing in this book ties everything up in a beautiful bow
So I apologize in advance
It is incredible, I stayed all night reading this book. They are some heavy topics in this book but they are never full on detailed about it, I would keep this in mind if you are easily triggered about the tags warned…because those are the main one that are briefly discussed.
Another thing I want to point out in my rating about diversity, this book has characters with incredibly different backgrounds and personalities it’s magnificent but all of them are white if I recall, that’s why I put it’s complicated. It makes sense that they are all white but still.
Now positive!
I love how they brought actual historical events into this book, it made it feel more realistic
The whole ghost thing without spoilers is so juicy and sad at the same time. It keep me on my toes ngl, my dog moved and I would get startled
Some books can’t don’t time skips and changing pov but this author does an incredible job at it this.
The way there’s always sudden hints and foreshadowing in this book ties everything up in a beautiful bow
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, and Sexism
imfixintoread's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I could not put this book down! There is a lot in this book -- mystery, paranormal activity, historical references to the Holocaust and Ravensbrück, murder, attempted murder, dual timelines, multiple narrators. And yet, Simone St. James absolutely nails this. It was incredibly well written and one of those books that I'll think about for a long time. There were a few times where the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Truly a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Stalking, Sexual assault, and Genocide
sandysmith's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
3.5
I'm gradually adding books I've read in 2021 to give a true reflection of the books I've read since keeping records. This was the first book I read in 2021, and is what kick-started my reading journey having put reading on the back burner whilst bringing up the children, previously being an avid reader. It's a modern ghost story, switching between school girls at a boarding school in the 1950's and 2014, a journalist looking for answers concerning the death of her sister on the same boarding school site, Idlewild Hall. Journalist Fiona Sheridan and the school girls CeCe, Katie, Sonia and Roberta, and the ghost Mary Hand. I'm not really into ghost stories but I liked it never the less and I'm glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, Child death, Sexual assault, Murder, Addiction, Death, and Rape
colourado's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Antisemitism, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and War
growfromit's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Gun violence, Abandonment, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Rape
lampbee's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I like her books. Ghost mysteries sound stupid on paper but the way she does them makes them entertaining :) It wrapped up so well in a way I wasn’t necessarily expecting but one that was satisfying. Vivid imagery and solid characterization of what a girls school is like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Violence, Hate crime, Murder, Death, Child death, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Police brutality, Addiction, Antisemitism, Genocide, and War
Obviously a lot of the book centers around how one of the school girlsliterarykitten's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Child death, Antisemitism, Murder, and Violence
fatimaelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.5
This book was devastatingly sad. There’s no getting around the fact that it centers around two murdered girls: one from the 50s, and one from the 90s. To be honest, for much of the book I was far more interested in the flashback period, where the book focused on the boarding school and the four girls’ relationship within it. The boarding school enduring what they believed to be persistent haunting, the generations of girls passing wisdom to each other in their textbooks, the delinquent students clashing with each other while only having each other to rely on — this was far more compelling for much of the book than the return to modern times. Fiona’s story really only became interesting about halfway through, because though she purportedly had a purpose (to find out what really happened to her sister, and to figure out why someone was restoring the grounds upon which her body was found), the purpose seemed non-urgent considering her sister’s murderer was in prison, and there didn’t seem to be much of a story behind the school’s restoration. Once the book picked up, though, it really did pick up. I liked the mystery surrounding Mary Hand, the ghost — the question of how real she was, what she could really do. Mary Hand’s story ended up being fairly banal: a girl birthing a supposed stillborn child out of wedlock, accusing her parents of murdering the baby, then being locked out in the cold to her death. I suppose, though, that the ordinariness of the story is the point. Too many girls had their stories end that way, their anger so great it seems impossible death would defeat it. And in fact, in many ways, death didn’t defeat these girls’ fury. Not in 1950, not in 2014, and not in the 19th century, when Mary Hand died. I liked the twist at the end, that the ghost wasn’t doing any of the killing, but if you saw her coming for you, her face masked the real killer’s. The addition of the Holocaust was unexpected but done very well, as was the handling of the police force. Initially I thought the book would be copaganda, since Fiona’s partner Jamie was part of the police department, but it became very realistic very fast by exposing the corruption of many small town (and even big city) law enforcement agencies. Beyond that, though, it truly is a sad read. It’s always incredible to think about how one decision begins a cascade of others that may result in tragedy. If Sonia hadn’t gone to her great-aunt and great-uncle’s house, if she hadn’t left early, if she hadn’t changed her ticket at the travel agency…if Helen had told more people about Tim, if Deb hadn’t gone in his car, if someone had spoken up, or done something; if powerful people weren’t granted special immunity, if terrible people weren’t allowed to go into hiding. A series of events, entirely preventable, somewhat coincidental, that hurt so many and shaped so many lives. Because of its thought-provoking nature and despite its sadness, I think the book is worth reading, and probably in the future I’ll go back and reread it to catch the little things I know that I missed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Minor: War, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse