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musicgirl_gwyn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Grief
angiebradley's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Self harm, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abortion
hibiscusheaven's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Abortion
kathleen_theresa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicide
Minor: Abortion and Murder
mirandalikesbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
The private-school friends were unbearable. Their bro behavior was appropriate for the characters, but I still didn't like them. There was a lot of casual sexual harassment and misogyny which isn't my favorite theme for a book.
All together, this book kept me coming. I flew through the last 100 pages.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Abortion
Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Classism
rowiash's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
My enjoyment of this book was brought down by how hateable some of the characters were, those awful prep school ”good old boys” behaving like coked up howler monkeys. So I guess you can call me a Hannah. I also felt the book ended very abruptly, I wanted more time to bask in the payoff and tie up loose ends.
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Self harm, and Murder
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Abortion, and Classism
melanielk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Abortion and Suicide attempt
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Author: Lucy Foley
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: February 20, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Atmospheric • Twisty • Clever
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The bride - The plus one - The best man - The wedding planner - The bridesmaid - The body
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It's a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride's oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn't wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I chose Lucy Foley as one of twelve authors for my '2024 Author Taste Test' project. She's a hugely popular author among the mystery/thriller genre and it surprised me I hadn't yet read anything she'd written. I decided to start with The Guest List simply because I had it on my shelves and I didn't know much beyond that fact it was set on a secluded island.
Told through alternating points of view, giving the story an added layer of depth and intrigue and continually adding layer upon layer to the mystery until the big reveal. There were certainly some holes in the mystery, yet it is the setting and unlikeable cast of characters that kept me turning the pages. What starts out as a series of different stories, eventually Foley is able to seamlessly draw them together in a satisfying manner.
The Guest List was a fast=paced whodunit perfect for relaxing lakeside during my recent summer vacation at the cottage. It certainly has a number of popcorn thriller elements making it hard to put down, yet the writing itself felt juvenile. I could easily see this one being adapted to the big screen down the road.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• dark secrets
• island settings
• Agatha Christie
⚠️ CW: death, child death, grief, murder, toxic relationship, toxic friendship, emotional abuse, gaslighting, bullying, child abuse, emotional abuse, self-harm, cutting, classism, sexual harassment, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, suicide, pregnancy, abortion, alcohol, drug use, blood, vomit, sexual content, cursing, mental illness, PTSD, depression, infidelity
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"In my experience, those who have the greatest respect for the rules also take the most enjoyment in breaking them."
"But no matter what happens, life is only a series of days. You can’t control more than a single day."
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Cursing and Sexual content
cutting, PTSD, depressionmeagherc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Self harm and Abortion