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thestoriedblog's review
4.0
Thought provoking and terrifying look at what we are all capable of if the drive to live is strong enough. It kept me up thinking about what it is that both terrifies and intrigues us about torture.
liznc's review
4.0
The subject matter was vile and brutal but most of the details were left out adding to the tension and emotion of the experience. Kudos to the author for employing a technique that in theory, seems like it wouldn't work, but in actuality worked exceptionally well.
hiking_pages's review
3.0
a very bold and impressive debut novel, centred around the main protagonist's dealings with her abduction and captivity 10 years prior, with the abductor now up for parole.
The Never List reads like any gripping, fast paced crime novel and i read most of it in about 2 sittings. Whilst the plot dares to take you on an unimaginable journey of suffering and life after, not to mention the seedy underworld of trafficking and BDSM, the characters are well-rounded. if a little unrealistic when faced with traumatic, horrifying circumstances.
I spent a good deal of the latter part of the book not actually believing the ex-abductees would put themselves in such remote, unimaginable danger for the sake of finding clues to the whereabouts of a suspected body. But, in this case, I went with it - as without it there would have been no conclusion and no answers.
Overall, the book is a great read, an interesting perspective and a few plot twists to keep you guessing.
The Never List reads like any gripping, fast paced crime novel and i read most of it in about 2 sittings. Whilst the plot dares to take you on an unimaginable journey of suffering and life after, not to mention the seedy underworld of trafficking and BDSM, the characters are well-rounded. if a little unrealistic when faced with traumatic, horrifying circumstances.
I spent a good deal of the latter part of the book not actually believing the ex-abductees would put themselves in such remote, unimaginable danger for the sake of finding clues to the whereabouts of a suspected body. But, in this case, I went with it - as without it there would have been no conclusion and no answers.
Overall, the book is a great read, an interesting perspective and a few plot twists to keep you guessing.
dave_white's review
3.0
Interesting premise, but felt rushed. Entertaining, but not using it's full potential.
hmonkeyreads's review
2.0
It's a page turner and well suited for a beach read but overall very annoying and predictable.
I liked the concept of what happens AFTER a person is held in captivity but this was just like reading the script of a bad Lifetime movie. I guessed the twist early on and kept hoping to be proven wrong but that wasn't the case. The more the network of evil was exposed the more ridiculous it seemed (like everybody in the book was involved) and it was reminding me of that bad TV show called The Following that was on this year.
It's not a total waste of time but its close.
I liked the concept of what happens AFTER a person is held in captivity but this was just like reading the script of a bad Lifetime movie. I guessed the twist early on and kept hoping to be proven wrong but that wasn't the case. The more the network of evil was exposed the more ridiculous it seemed (like everybody in the book was involved) and it was reminding me of that bad TV show called The Following that was on this year.
It's not a total waste of time but its close.
julie7's review against another edition
1.0
Paperback.
Not great. First couple of chapters were engaging and then it all became very unbelievable. I didn't really like any of the characters...all just a little irritating.
Not great. First couple of chapters were engaging and then it all became very unbelievable. I didn't really like any of the characters...all just a little irritating.
nagisasigh's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
I will take no criticism on my 5 star review! This book is the one that reignited my reading journey and I love it for that.
rennegade's review
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up. I had to think about this one a bit after I finished. It was definitely an engrossing book - I found myself unable or unwilling to put it down for the most part. I read it very quickly and was never disinterested in what was going on.
That said, I feel like it started better than it ended. I know that these types of stories are slowly becoming a dime a dozen, but I admit that I am one of those people who spends far too much time watching Investigation Discovery and is therefore always interested in them.
My main quibble is that it got to the point that there was just too much going on. I was very fascinated by the idea that this woman was trying to look into things to find some closure for herself after such a traumatic event, but when I began to feel like the author was just throwing loads of stuff at the wall to see what stuck. I was also fairly unimpressed with the major reveal at the end.
Either way, it was a fast and mostly interesting read. I would probably read something else by this author.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher to read and review.
That said, I feel like it started better than it ended. I know that these types of stories are slowly becoming a dime a dozen, but I admit that I am one of those people who spends far too much time watching Investigation Discovery and is therefore always interested in them.
My main quibble is that it got to the point that there was just too much going on. I was very fascinated by the idea that this woman was trying to look into things to find some closure for herself after such a traumatic event, but when
Spoiler
she gets kidnapped a second time and you learn that there was much more to the kidnap/torture thing than just her abductorEither way, it was a fast and mostly interesting read. I would probably read something else by this author.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher to read and review.
brooke_review's review
4.0
3.5 stars. An intriguing story, not the best characters. An interesting plot; not, at times, the most believable. I liked it. A good story, but some plot points were a little out there, a little too rushed, a little too much. I also think that you can't write a book that is supposed to feel "dark," yet describe the darkness simply as "torture." What exactly do you mean by torture? What did these girls endure?
vanessa_issa's review against another edition
3.0
Peguei a dica pra esse livro na Bienal de 2016 e só agora consegui fazer a leitura. Demorei, né? Mas, apesar disso, infelizmente achei o tema bastante atual. A violência contra mulheres parece crescer cada vez mais. É um tanto perturbador ler sobre as coisas horríveis que essas personagens enfrentaram durante 13 anos, porém a história se torna bastante interessante pela busca por justiça. Gostei!