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courtknee_bee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is one of those "every marriage is awful in it's own way" kind of books. (Cannot relate.) I've labeled it as a mystery-thriller, but it's really more of a domestic drama with a little dash of whodunit to keep things interesting. I also read The Push by Ashley Audrain, and The Whispers feels like its spiritual successor. Audrain gives her characters such depth and nuance, even if they're "bad" people.
Just like The Push, this one also ends with a big "OMG" last sentence. I find this kind of ending lazy, but it's fun!
Extreme trigger warnings for fertility issues, pregnancy loss, etc.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Child abuse, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Infertility, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Mental illness and Medical content
Minor: Cancer and Injury/Injury detail
thecrankyginger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Ableism, and Mental illness
windowplant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, Infidelity, and Mental illness
sincerely_inayah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I ate this up. Would read again, would read another book by this author.
Graphic: Infertility, Pregnancy, Blood, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Vomit and Mental illness
morganpsmith's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child death, Ableism, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Grief
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
WOW!!! An incredibly fascinating second novel from Ashley Audrain. I was immediately invested in the deep tangle of suburban domesticity between the three families at the helm of this story, and even the fourth family’s insights sprinkled throughout. Audrain commands your attention with every page, every insane detail that feels hot in your hands, like juicy but disturbing neighborhood gossip you’re only so lucky to be privy too. Like you are one of the periphery moms, whispering about only the surface of the twisted, mangled iceberg.
This is as much a novel about marriages and parent-child relationships under pressure as it is a novel of suspense. Which is to say, this isn’t exactly a thriller, but very much so an intense domestic drama that leaves you clutching at your pearls, as they say, as the characters’ lives unravel. A child in a coma, due to mysterious circumstances. His parents, his neighbors, none of them quite who they seem. Rumors everywhere. Lies as abundant as a cup full of sugar.
I throughly enjoyed this one. I loved the intensity, the explicitness, the shock, every character interwoven into another in the most unexpected ways. This is a deliciously spiraling novel that makes you think a whole lot about the lives of those acquaintances around you that may be entirely different from what you only see from the end of the driveway. Or overheard from an open window…
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Cursing, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Alcohol, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts
kaseymkelley's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, and Mental illness
Minor: Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
markedwithanm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse
emmasbookishself's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What’s said and done behind closed doors isn’t just your secret when you live in a closely housed community.
It all starts with a fabulous party hosted by Whitney Loverly and her husband Jacob! The guest list includes a few neighbours like Blair and Aiden, Ben and Rebecca, Mara, other moms and many acquaintances.
The party becomes a standstill when Whitney is overheard screaming atrocities at her son, Xavier. Her non so perfect life is revealed in a startling way.
Nine month later and Xavier is found outside her bedroom window, as if he’d fallen out.
Was it an accident? Could Whitney’s rage have gotten the better of her this time?
It’s natural with any trauma that the family and those close to the family will be asked questions to ensure it was an accident. In a small closely housed community things will have been seen and heard, outside of the outburst that happened at the party… will anyone share what they’ve seen or heard?
Blair is having difficulties of her own, her marriage isn’t great, her daughter Chloe is devastated about Xavier and she’s convincing herself that her husband is cheating on her with none other than Whitney.
Rebecca and Ben have been trying desperately for a baby, and has suffered many miscarriages. Rebecca works at the hospital that Xavier was taken to and has kept a close eye on his case. She also knows about that night at the party… should she bring it up?
She’s keeping a secret of her own right now, after Ben stating he was done trying for a baby. Around that time Ben started visiting Xavier, playing softball but keeping it from Rebecca.
Mara lives right next door to the Loverly family and Xavier reminds her so much of her own son, with all his peculiar behaviours. They spend time together that’s peaceful and understanding. She gifts him with an old airplane that was once her sons, which Xavier treasures.
Blair, Whitney, Rebecca and Mara are all neighbours but for the most part that’s the main tie to their relationships. Whitney and Blair are closer but Blair tends to keep her secrets close.
With heavy character narrative the events surrounding Xavier’s accident are told in a week long timeline with some chapters from the past describing bits of the women’s lives that help the reader understand why they’ve become the way they are.
Intense. Distressing. Character Driven.
Graphic: Child abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Self harm