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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Had to know how she got out. All was good until the ending, when her imaginary friends showed up again and stayed. That was too much for me.
I was really looking forward to reading "The Marsh Kings Daughter", the blurb sounded interesting and the cover was beautiful, but I so disappointed.
I couldn't find anything relatable or likeable about the main character Helena. The way she spoke so highly of her captor/father/abuser bothered me a lot. I understand that she didn't realise what he was until she had been freed, but 15 years later to still idolise the man didn't sit well with me. And the contempt she had for her mother even years later was incomprehensible to me.
I didn't enjoy this book. It was depressing and disturbing. I couldn't recommend it.
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I couldn't find anything relatable or likeable about the main character Helena. The way she spoke so highly of her captor/father/abuser bothered me a lot. I understand that she didn't realise what he was until she had been freed, but 15 years later to still idolise the man didn't sit well with me. And the contempt she had for her mother even years later was incomprehensible to me.
I didn't enjoy this book. It was depressing and disturbing. I couldn't recommend it.
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautifully plotted and written, this is the story of a young woman whose mother was abducted by her father at age 14. Growing up in the marshland of the Upper Peninsula, Helena learns the ways of her Native American father, hunting, tracking, paying attention to what your surroundings tell you. A psychological thriller, but also a richly told tale of an isolated life in nature, the consequences of actions, and the extreme challenge of entering a society that is totally alien to a young teen. The story reverts from the past to the present and a Hans Christian Anderson tale is also told in pieces throughout the book. Got this book on Thursday evening and finished it this morning. If I hadn't had to go to work and sleep I would have read it one sitting!
read for book club. granted, i haven't been in the mood for thrillers lately, so maybe that played a part here, but i found myself really just meh about this one. it was fine. nothing to write home about, but also nothing about it was bad. i didn't really love that the majority of it took place in the past, although i understood why it did. i think a lot of interesting psychological points were on the verge of being made here, but never quite completely.
i originally bought this book because alicia vikander was attached to star in the film version, so i guess i'm glad that she's not anymore, because it will probably be a movie that i'll pass on. (no offense, daisy ridley! still a fan, just not to the extent where i need to see every film you've been in!)
i originally bought this book because alicia vikander was attached to star in the film version, so i guess i'm glad that she's not anymore, because it will probably be a movie that i'll pass on. (no offense, daisy ridley! still a fan, just not to the extent where i need to see every film you've been in!)
Very intriguing story of a kidnapped teen- turned adult that forced to live in the UP wilderness with her captor and raise a child in captivity. Told from the child’s perspective in both the past and present. I really enjoyed this story. Not super fast paced or super thrilling but a good story nonetheless.
3.5 stars!
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, even though it wasn’t quite what I expected. After reading the blurb, I was expecting an intense game of cat and mouse throughout the pages, which isn’t exactly what I got. While there were certainly elements of that, particularly as the book reached its climax, a good chunk of the story is spent in flashbacks detailing the narrators childhood on the marsh. While it was definitely interesting to read and learn more about the way the narrator viewed her childhood, both at the time and in present day, it did detract from the story a bit for me. That being said, as a mood reader, I do think I would have rated this higher if I had gone in with the right set of expectations at the right time for this particular story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, even though it wasn’t quite what I expected. After reading the blurb, I was expecting an intense game of cat and mouse throughout the pages, which isn’t exactly what I got. While there were certainly elements of that, particularly as the book reached its climax, a good chunk of the story is spent in flashbacks detailing the narrators childhood on the marsh. While it was definitely interesting to read and learn more about the way the narrator viewed her childhood, both at the time and in present day, it did detract from the story a bit for me. That being said, as a mood reader, I do think I would have rated this higher if I had gone in with the right set of expectations at the right time for this particular story.
4.5 stars. GREAT character development. A dark, fast-paced psychological thriller without being gory. I loved the deep explanations of Native American culture. This book was a fast read, and I thought the back and forth storytelling from past to future was effective, which is something that sometimes annoys me in other stories.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The book is well written and that allowed me to be swept away easily. As far as a thriller goes, it does keep you on your toes from time to time but I was never left scared after I putting the book down. Each time I read, I would be brought into a world I know very little about - hunting, gathering, and surviving brutal conditions nature can present. Surviving a family life that presents both unconventional love and an abusive environment.
This book is unlike others I have read. I recommend picking it up!
This book is unlike others I have read. I recommend picking it up!