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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Not gonna lie. I skimmed 1/4 of this book so I could read it for my book club. Like other readers who marked it 3 or below, I didn’t like the main character. Maybe she’s a realistic representation of the result of a traumatic upbringing but I don’t really care. Her lack of empathy for her mother, glorifying her upbringing, and talking so wonderfully and lovingly about her father made me want to vomit. I would have stopped had I not wanted to be able to talk about this in a month at book club night. Depressing. Gruesome at times. Just not the kind of book I consider entertainment. On the plus side, the writing was good.
emotional
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fantastic,difficult, and complex read --Michigan book --UP; young woman tracking her father after he escapes prison. Book club
I read a lot of books in this genre but this one really stands apart. There's no whodunit. Told in alternating time periods by the same narrator, the reader gets a full perspective of how Helena became who she is and why she makes the choices she does. I found the backstory as fascinating as it was horrifying.
I stumbled upon this story not in book form, but in that of a movie. I was supposed to watch it but ended up not, and I’m happy I read the book first. Every book lover knows the pain when you read a book after watching an adaptation of it on the screen, so all’s that to say, the books are usually better.
This story intrigued me because it wasn’t your typical thriller; weaving in a present day man-hunt with an unconventional childhood filled with secrets, confusion and trauma was something I haven’t really explored before. Combine that with a traditional fairy tale as inspiration, the story was definitely intriguing.
The language reminded me of the book Where the Crawdads Sing, which I thought was beautifully written. There were times when I had trouble connecting the feelings of wanting to kill her father with how she spoke of him (bordering on infatuation), so that was sometimes a stretch for me. Also, the ending was a little anticlimactic, in my opinion, but otherwise it was a good story, one fit for a [marsh] king.
This story intrigued me because it wasn’t your typical thriller; weaving in a present day man-hunt with an unconventional childhood filled with secrets, confusion and trauma was something I haven’t really explored before. Combine that with a traditional fairy tale as inspiration, the story was definitely intriguing.
The language reminded me of the book Where the Crawdads Sing, which I thought was beautifully written. There were times when I had trouble connecting the feelings of wanting to kill her father with how she spoke of him (bordering on infatuation), so that was sometimes a stretch for me. Also, the ending was a little anticlimactic, in my opinion, but otherwise it was a good story, one fit for a [marsh] king.
Läs min recension på bloggen: http://www.fiktiviteter.se/2018/09/19/traskkungens-dotter-av-karen-dionne/
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved everything about this book! From the narrator, the storyline, and how the story was told from past and present with a little bit of the fairy tale sprinkled in that wove everything together beautifully. If you’re looking for a nice suspense/thriller that captures you from the beginning - I highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
Helena was born in the marsh, where she lived with her father and her mother. Her mother was 14 when she was kidnapped and brought to the marsh by an older man, who is her father. Having known nothing besides her life in the marsh and stuff from a few National Geographic magazines she keeps hidden, Helena remains unaware of the fact that she is the product of a kidnapping and rape. Helena grows up learning survival skills from her father. She admires her father like any other child, not seeing his cruel and manipulative side, for the simple reason that she doesn't know any better.
The story switched constantly between the past and the present. In the present, Helena is tracking her father who has escaped from prison, while thinking of the stories of her past.
It was nice to read a different kind of mystery. It reminded of the book Room, which is also about another teenage girl who is kidnapped and held captive for several years in a room, where she ends up giving birth to a boy. The stories are not similar, but for a long time, I imagined Helena and her mother stuck in one single room, until Helena talked about her room and that of her parents'. :D
Nevertheless, the mystery had a different flavor. I could empathize with Helena's struggles and admire her strength while also constantly working through adrenaline rush of finding out what happens next.
The story switched constantly between the past and the present. In the present, Helena is tracking her father who has escaped from prison, while thinking of the stories of her past.
It was nice to read a different kind of mystery. It reminded of the book Room, which is also about another teenage girl who is kidnapped and held captive for several years in a room, where she ends up giving birth to a boy. The stories are not similar, but for a long time, I imagined Helena and her mother stuck in one single room, until Helena talked about her room and that of her parents'. :D
Nevertheless, the mystery had a different flavor. I could empathize with Helena's struggles and admire her strength while also constantly working through adrenaline rush of finding out what happens next.