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astoriareader's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
SYNOPSIS:
- Mia has been kidnapped. Mia is in her 20s. She’s the black sheep in her family. She’s a school teacher.
- James and Eve are Mia’s parents. James is a prominent judge, and he cares a lot about image.
- Grace is Mia’s sister, and she is the golden child. She followed in her father’s footsteps & went to law school.
- Gabe is the detective assigned to Mia’s case.
- Colin is the kidnapper, who is working for someone else. At the beginning of book, we learn he kidnaps her to actually help her & goes against the wishes of the person that hired him.
MY THOUGHTS
- I had no idea this was Mary Kubica’s debut novel. Clearly, I have been reading hers in all kinds of order. She has quickly become one of favorite writers in the thriller/suspense genre.
- This was set in Chicago, which I loved. Since I used to live in Chicago, it was easy to visualize neighborhoods and cross streets.
- I read this in 24 hours, and I couldn’t put it down.
- Excellent character development.
- Multiple POVs. Told from perspectives of Eve, Gabe, Colin. In the epilogue, we are also offered Mia’s perspective.
- All the characters are written really well. There’s no cheap writing tactics here. The perspectives come from each character’s world views. Although all the characters are flawed, Kubica deftly makes them understandable.
- Well-plotted & expertly crafted.
- Lots of twists, suspense, & drama. Complex family dynamics as well.
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️read in 24 hours. Kubica is Queen of character development & plotting a gripping story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, and Confinement
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Stalking
hkburke2's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I read the whole thing, mostly because it was audio and it was recommended to me... This was not tense or thrilling and the racism and sexism and toxicity in the relationships started to feel unintentional which is... Just icky. Not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Xenophobia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Sexism, Abortion, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Confinement, Classism, Chronic illness, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Stalking, Rape, and Police brutality
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