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mortiffa's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for access to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
I have a lot of feelings about this one. Also, I listened to this on audio, so if I misspell any character's names, that's why.
The writing in this debut novel is absolutely stunning. Thompson has a gift with prose. The story follows Frances, a young girl from Kansas who moves to New York in the 1930s and finds herself entrenched in a world of crime.
The premise is promising, and is more or less executed successfully, in my opinion. While the pacing is not necessarily slow, it did take a couple of chapters to really hold my interest. However, after about 20% or so in, I was hooked and invested, and kept creating opportunities for me to continue reading.
That said, a promising beginning and an engaging middle did not necessarily lead to a fulfilling resolution. While the ending did not leave me unsatisfied, I don't feel as though it sets this book apart from other stories of a similar nature.
I did like that Thompson incorporated an LGBT storyline. Frances and Agnes's storyline in this novel has me craving more historical sapphic romance/mysteries. What I did not super enjoy was the racial commentary this book seemed to tell. I appreciate a novel set in the 1930s not glazing over the issue of race, but there were several moments where I was like.... "Yeah, a white author is telling this narrative." Which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- I wish more white authors moving forward didn't ignore the issue of racism, but it is a tricky line to tread if you wish to do it respectfully. Again, I'm a white person, so my opinion here isn't worth as much as a person or color's, but it did impact my enjoyment of the novel.
That said, I did find the characters extremely interesting, and I would have loved to have gotten to know Dickie and Jax a little more than we did. But still, I found them, and Frances, Agnes, and Ben to be entertaining and I enjoyed following them throughout the story.
This is a well-written historical crime novel, and I'm not usually someone who gravitates toward historical fiction.
I also had the privilege of listening to this book on audio, and the narrator was absolutely wonderful. She was engaging, entertaining, and gave each character a distinctive voice without trying too hard. Everything I want in a narration.
I have a lot of feelings about this one. Also, I listened to this on audio, so if I misspell any character's names, that's why.
The writing in this debut novel is absolutely stunning. Thompson has a gift with prose. The story follows Frances, a young girl from Kansas who moves to New York in the 1930s and finds herself entrenched in a world of crime.
The premise is promising, and is more or less executed successfully, in my opinion. While the pacing is not necessarily slow, it did take a couple of chapters to really hold my interest. However, after about 20% or so in, I was hooked and invested, and kept creating opportunities for me to continue reading.
That said, a promising beginning and an engaging middle did not necessarily lead to a fulfilling resolution. While the ending did not leave me unsatisfied, I don't feel as though it sets this book apart from other stories of a similar nature.
I did like that Thompson incorporated an LGBT storyline. Frances and Agnes's storyline in this novel has me craving more historical sapphic romance/mysteries. What I did not super enjoy was the racial commentary this book seemed to tell. I appreciate a novel set in the 1930s not glazing over the issue of race, but there were several moments where I was like.... "Yeah, a white author is telling this narrative." Which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- I wish more white authors moving forward didn't ignore the issue of racism, but it is a tricky line to tread if you wish to do it respectfully. Again, I'm a white person, so my opinion here isn't worth as much as a person or color's, but it did impact my enjoyment of the novel.
That said, I did find the characters extremely interesting, and I would have loved to have gotten to know Dickie and Jax a little more than we did. But still, I found them, and Frances, Agnes, and Ben to be entertaining and I enjoyed following them throughout the story.
This is a well-written historical crime novel, and I'm not usually someone who gravitates toward historical fiction.
I also had the privilege of listening to this book on audio, and the narrator was absolutely wonderful. She was engaging, entertaining, and gave each character a distinctive voice without trying too hard. Everything I want in a narration.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia and Xenophobia
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