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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
medium-paced
Couldn’t put this mystery/ghost story down.
From the Publisher:
Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.
From the Publisher:
Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.
mysterious
reflective
tense
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed the ghost element of this book -- I didn't think it was frightening until I couldn't sleep one night and then it crept into my head! I also loved the setting of a rundown motel, frozen in time down to manual phones and door locks that require old-fashioned keys. Finally, the author created an interesting, quirky place in the form of Fell, NY. The characters were interesting, multi-faceted, and relatable, but I confess to being let down by the action-based climax: not so much WHAT happened but how it happened. I think it would have been much harder to achieve than was depicted, though I could definitely tell the research that had gone into making the act seem realistic. I also question what followed the climax -- what we learn about the second big mystery, the mystery that brought the main character to the mysterious little Fell, NY. Maaaybe that would have been possible in the 80s, but...I'm not sure. I wanted more convincing evidence of how this was pulled off, but it was glossed over. Lastly, the death of one secondary character rather surprised me and seemed unnecessarily harsh, not even needed for the plot. That said, I enjoyed the positive note of the ending for the primary characters and, yes, I will be reading more of Simone St. James.
I really like how this book draws attention to sexism and victim-blaming that happens when a murder victim is a woman. However, the parallel storytelling of Viv's and Carly's experiences made the book feel repetitive. I love the premise of this story, but for me it was just ok.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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