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savreads28's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Gore, Gun violence, Cursing, Death, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Blood, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Abortion, Car accident, Death of parent, Addiction, Medical content, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide, and Violence
lovelymisanthrope's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"The Family Game" is a fast-paced thriller that follows a woman named Harry. Harry's life could be going better. She is struggled to write her second novel following the success of her first, but at least she has Edward. Edward is a seemingly perfect man, and he has just proposed to Harry. However, Harry has never met Edward's family. With the holidays just around the corner, now seems like the perfect time for Harry to meet all of the Holbecks, until Harry learns of their ruthless games and cutthroat attitudes towards one another.
This was a fast-paced, thrilling mystery with the added layer of a game. The Holbecks have some very eccentric holiday traditions, and honestly if I were Harry, I would have stormed out of the house far more quickly. As I have recently read "The Inheritance Games", this book reminded me quite a bit of that plot. The Holbecks do not come right out and say anything. They have a tendency to play games and leave riddles for people to try to guess what is really going on. "The Family Game" was also much more deadly.
The Holbecks have some dark secrets they are trying to keep buried, and those mysteries left me on my toes throughout the book. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another layer of the story was introduced, and I was thrown for a loop. Ultimately, I did not see the ending coming, and I enjoyed where the story ended up.
This book takes place during the holiday season, and because of that, it is very atmospheric. The depictions of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and snow made me excited for the season to come, and I highly recommend this thriller during the months of November and December.
Harry is an author in this book, but I did not think this fact did a lot for her character. I think the reader is supposed to see that Harry is an author and because of this she knows how to investigate. However, for me, her character felt very amateur in her sleuthing and the fact that she was an author was just a small part of the story.
I had a pretty good time reading this, and I will keep an eye out for more from Catherine Steadman in the future!
Graphic: Torture, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Suicide and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content
livvmarks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Gun violence, Medical content, Miscarriage, Suicide, Classism, and Abortion