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stefanilp's review against another edition
3.0
Anothger book that was quite slow to start out, but the second half was much better. I enjoyed this book, but it was one I had no trouble putting down. It is written out of order and while it did not confuse me, it did frustrate me. The outcome was somewhat predictable and certains scenes I found to be quite disturbing. Not sure that I would really recommend it though.
andintothetrees's review against another edition
3.0
Click here to read my full review, on my book blog.
megatsunami's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book a little gimmicky, with all the different points of view and the jumps forward and backward in time, but when the story started really coming down, it left me reeling. This book is imperfect (mainly because the writing techniques are gimmicky) but worthwhile. It is deeply disturbing and deeply affecting, looking at community complicity in violence (especially violence against women), our unwillingness to consider that violence occurs outside our stereotyped ideas of who commits crimes, and also the question of what it means to live out your values and your beliefs in a way that makes a difference in the world. The bad parts were graphic but brief (though let's wait and see if I have nightmares tonight before I give a final judgment on whether they were sufficiently brief. There was enough to be deeply upsetting... but for the most part, it didn't rise to the level of "It's really creepy that you're expecting me to enjoy reading about this in detail".)
As a parent, I was interested in the description of Alice's parents' choices, what they taught their daughter and what they shielded her from. I think I am choosing pretty differently for my child, yet my choices come out of some of the same values. Also, as someone who works in a field that's supposed to be about making the world a better place but often feels like it serves the interests of the ruling class, I really appreciated Claire, Gene, Con, and Micky's attempts to figure out how to find right livelihood. (Even though none of them really succeeded.)
I found the ending somewhat unsatisfying. I guess that was inevitable given the situation the characters had gotten themselves into.
P.S. If this book is ever made into a movie... Saoirse Ronan will play Alice. Couldn't be anyone else. Every time Alice was described in the book, I pictured Saoirse Ronan.
Spoiler
(To be clear, I don't condone killing rapists. Damn, does this community need some restorative justice!)As a parent, I was interested in the description of Alice's parents' choices, what they taught their daughter and what they shielded her from. I think I am choosing pretty differently for my child, yet my choices come out of some of the same values. Also, as someone who works in a field that's supposed to be about making the world a better place but often feels like it serves the interests of the ruling class, I really appreciated Claire, Gene, Con, and Micky's attempts to figure out how to find right livelihood. (Even though none of them really succeeded.)
I found the ending somewhat unsatisfying. I guess that was inevitable given the situation the characters had gotten themselves into.
P.S. If this book is ever made into a movie... Saoirse Ronan will play Alice. Couldn't be anyone else. Every time Alice was described in the book, I pictured Saoirse Ronan.
april_golden's review against another edition
3.0
I honestly still am not sure if I liked this book. I'd like to give it 2.5 stars. The gist of the story is about a missing girl from a small town, another girl from the same small town who "something" has happened with that is a secret until three-fourths of the way through the book, and the newspaper reporter who gets caught up in the story. However, those are not the only voices in the story. Chapters are told from other character's viewpoints. In fact, I found the book very difficult to read because it jumps around, from character to character, A LOT. Also, it jumps around in time. Every chapter takes places either years ahead or years before, and I found myself trying to do the math each chapter to keep up with the timeline. I actually enjoyed the book more when I just stopped trying to understand the timing and let the story develop.
I do not think that the time/character switching was really necessary. It came off more as a "device" of the writer than as actually having purpose for the story. I never felt connected to any one character and often times I just felt lost, and I wonder if the story would have been more engaging had it been written more linearly, focusing on only a couple characters. The book just seemed to be trying to do too much at times.
I do not think that the time/character switching was really necessary. It came off more as a "device" of the writer than as actually having purpose for the story. I never felt connected to any one character and often times I just felt lost, and I wonder if the story would have been more engaging had it been written more linearly, focusing on only a couple characters. The book just seemed to be trying to do too much at times.
samsamabrasam's review against another edition
2.0
The writing style was difficult to get used to. Some parts are written wonderfully while others have choppy sentences and incomplete fragments. I personally think there were too many character prespectives (or the way the author chose to organize them wasn't the best idea) making it hard to follow. It jumps from first to third person between sections, which also adds to the confusion.
The story line was actually good and pushed me to finish the book but I feel like the author didn't connect the plot. I think more of the parts could of been connected to together to make more sense, otherwise I feel like I was reading three or four completly different stories.
The story line was actually good and pushed me to finish the book but I feel like the author didn't connect the plot. I think more of the parts could of been connected to together to make more sense, otherwise I feel like I was reading three or four completly different stories.
debi_g's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of thoughts about this book:
If you read this book, prepare to devote thought to the intriguing angles presented on the following topics: parenting/family dynamics, idealism vs. ideology, life as an instrument of change, innocence and vigilante justice, and attitude as opposed to fact.
The splintered narrative, complete with documents, interviews, and fractured chronology demand patience at the beginning, but the plot and characters emerge and take hold.
I can't help but think it's intentional that the line from which the title is drawn is uttered on page 111.
Most chapters close with incredibly strong lines that produce a lump in the throat and a new train of thought.
The circus trope is used deftly and serves more than one purpose.
Having lived in a rural area outside a small town, I appreciated the portrait of how exclusionary, secretive, and sinister such places can be.
Most every character, however briefly noted, rings true. Especially Dale's mother.
I do and do not want to know more about who was involved in what happened, and how it came about...just like the reporter in the story (who is a great character).
Finally, an interesting author bio that doesn't try too hard.
3.5 stars
If you read this book, prepare to devote thought to the intriguing angles presented on the following topics: parenting/family dynamics, idealism vs. ideology, life as an instrument of change, innocence and vigilante justice, and attitude as opposed to fact.
The splintered narrative, complete with documents, interviews, and fractured chronology demand patience at the beginning, but the plot and characters emerge and take hold.
I can't help but think it's intentional that the line from which the title is drawn is uttered on page 111.
Most chapters close with incredibly strong lines that produce a lump in the throat and a new train of thought.
The circus trope is used deftly and serves more than one purpose.
Having lived in a rural area outside a small town, I appreciated the portrait of how exclusionary, secretive, and sinister such places can be.
Most every character, however briefly noted, rings true. Especially Dale's mother.
I do and do not want to know more about who was involved in what happened, and how it came about...just like the reporter in the story (who is a great character).
Finally, an interesting author bio that doesn't try too hard.
3.5 stars
ablotial's review against another edition
3.0
This book had SO MUCH potential to be amazing, but just didn't cut it. First of all, the author kept doing that thing that I hate where they mention things cryptically but don't give you enough information about it because they don't want you to know about it yet. But if they don't want you to know about it, they shouldn't mention it at all! I guess they try to get you curious... which works well the first, and MAYBE the second time the cryptic thing comes up. But after more than that, it just gets annoying. And when they are doing it about 10 different cryptic things instead of just one, like this author did, it is even worse.
Finally, about 3/4 of the way into the book, Hoffman finally decides to let you in on all the secrets that she's been keeping throughout the book. Things come together, you have that "oohhhh" moment, and then the book ends, rather abruptly. And it wasn't about what you thought it was about at all.
I still think this book could have been amazing. The subject matter it covers is a great one for a book -- it makes you think a lot about personal accountability and people you think you know well and crimes against women. Coming from a small town, I related a lot to the characters. I especially liked Alice and related a lot to the way she thought about the world.
I gave away my copy of this book through PaperbackSwap, but I'd like to revisit it again someday.
Finally, about 3/4 of the way into the book, Hoffman finally decides to let you in on all the secrets that she's been keeping throughout the book. Things come together, you have that "oohhhh" moment, and then the book ends, rather abruptly. And it wasn't about what you thought it was about at all.
I still think this book could have been amazing. The subject matter it covers is a great one for a book -- it makes you think a lot about personal accountability and people you think you know well and crimes against women. Coming from a small town, I related a lot to the characters. I especially liked Alice and related a lot to the way she thought about the world.
I gave away my copy of this book through PaperbackSwap, but I'd like to revisit it again someday.
kgee19's review against another edition
3.0
Overall I liked it. Ended up having too much backstory, which made me lose interest at times. Wish there was more beef, less bread.
jconfess's review against another edition
2.0
This just didn't do it for me. Too many points of view. The prose is to flowery and meandering. Get to the point!
anneb42's review against another edition
4.0
Dark, but not unpredictable. Some of the narrative voices bothered me a bit, but they also helped me keep the multiple narrators straight, so it worked out. I was hooked by the suspense and got through this pretty quickly.
I do have to say - the satisfaction I feel with what Alice did is one of the more complex parts of it, and I appreciate that. A lot of the descriptions of rape culture as a whole really resonated. I don't think some of the plot points or characters were very realistic, but I don't mind that too much either.
I do have to say - the satisfaction I feel with what Alice did is one of the more complex parts of it, and I appreciate that. A lot of the descriptions of rape culture as a whole really resonated. I don't think some of the plot points or characters were very realistic, but I don't mind that too much either.