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olive_lol's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A weekend Scrabble tournament is a unique yet effective setting for a mystery novel. The main thing that stood out to me with this book was the way Scrabble was intertwined with every aspect of it, even the narration.
I thought Najwa was an interesting character and detective in the way she interacts with both her past and her grief. However, I wish we had gotten to know the other characters better before the mystery really kicked off, which would have helped me get more invested. Most characters have another side that slowly (or quickly, for some) gets revealed over the course of the story.
As for the ending,I found it surprisingly satisfying for a muder mystery with no real killer. I liked that the idea of Trina’s death being an accident was presented as a real option from the beginning and not swept to the side for the sake of shocking the reader.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Scrabble, explorations of grief, and mysteries with unique settings.
I thought Najwa was an interesting character and detective in the way she interacts with both her past and her grief. However, I wish we had gotten to know the other characters better before the mystery really kicked off, which would have helped me get more invested. Most characters have another side that slowly (or quickly, for some) gets revealed over the course of the story.
As for the ending,
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Scrabble, explorations of grief, and mysteries with unique settings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Cursing, and Self harm
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