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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just don't believe that this person lived through these things, did these things, and came out the way she did. It was a decent story, but ultimately the character development didn't ring true for me.
This was not an easy read for me. It was very unsettling and I found it hard to connect with the main character but it was a very interesting story to dive into!! I had to deduct one star for the murdered dog
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Before this, I was not acquainted with Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Marsh King's Daughter." Although it serves as an interesting element in Dionne's novel, it eventually becomes tiresome. Dionne does such a good job of putting you in the mind of Helena, that I was resentful of any distractions from that. Her childhood portrayal is captivating, and Dionne masterfully illustrates how Helena's early experiences shape her adult decisions. The reader is compelled to sympathize with her, despite her not being particularly likeable.
The locale of Helena's youth is also endlessly fascinating. I'm from Michigan but haven't spent a lot of time in the Upper Peninsula, which is truly like another world compared to the rest of the state. As for my wilderness experience, I've pitched a tent, but that's about it for me. I had to stop and figure out what the difference is between a marsh and a bog. Or a swamp for that matter!
Despite these strengths in locale and character, the novel falters in several respects. Firs, I found Helena's relationship with her husband and children, who seem irrelevant to the core narrative, unappealing. In fact, the children almost seem like a red herring. Secondly, her father is labeled a narcissist, but he obviously more than that, and his actions post-prison break appear aimlessly malevolent. I'm skeptical that he would go to such extremes just to make a point. Lastly, Dionne prolongs the cat-and-mouse chase, padding it with Andersen's tale and childhood recollections, only to return to our protagonist musing over her marital issues.
The novel is atmospheric and fast-paced but deserves a better ending.
The locale of Helena's youth is also endlessly fascinating. I'm from Michigan but haven't spent a lot of time in the Upper Peninsula, which is truly like another world compared to the rest of the state. As for my wilderness experience, I've pitched a tent, but that's about it for me. I had to stop and figure out what the difference is between a marsh and a bog. Or a swamp for that matter!
Despite these strengths in locale and character, the novel falters in several respects. Firs, I found Helena's relationship with her husband and children, who seem irrelevant to the core narrative, unappealing. In fact, the children almost seem like a red herring. Secondly, her father is labeled a narcissist, but he obviously more than that, and his actions post-prison break appear aimlessly malevolent. I'm skeptical that he would go to such extremes just to make a point. Lastly, Dionne prolongs the cat-and-mouse chase, padding it with Andersen's tale and childhood recollections, only to return to our protagonist musing over her marital issues.
The novel is atmospheric and fast-paced but deserves a better ending.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping