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samburkhouse's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Grief, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Terminal illness, Infidelity, Bullying, Death of parent, Ableism, and Cancer
Minor: Deportation, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
misskitty14'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
4.0
The reason I don't give this book 5 stars is because of the ending. Prose fell into the classic murder mystery trope of keeping valuable information from the reader.
Graphic: Murder, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Chronic illness, Classism, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Bullying, Terminal illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
mercy killingalba_marie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The book is a "murder mystery" in a hotel in which a maid becomes implicated. The entire time though the mystery felt like it took the backseat, and a detailed account of Molly the Maid's life was the main story.
I really struggled to connect with Molly the maid throughout the whole book. This made it hard to enjoy the novel, as it was a largely character-based story rather than a proper murder mystery. Though never explicitly said, Molly is on the spectrum somewhere – probably on the higher end of the spectrum. She’s obsessed with cleanliness. She has very limited social skills – to the point of exhibiting a child-like innocence at times – doesn't do well with change, and can't read social situations or facial expressions. Sarcasm is lost on her, and she struggles to grasp the gravity of certain situations. I'm sorry to say it but her life is very simple and very boring.
She was a tough character to connect with, and spending hours upon hours in her mind was exasperating for me. I was exhausted by the end (well before the end, actually) of the book, and delighted to be out of her life. Her world is very constricted and offers little in terms of stimulation or interest. I think it'd be hard to find anyone that cares that much about cleaning!
The story itself was simple and the murder wasn't hard to work out. There was no cat and mouse chase, no hunting down the clues, no working towards understanding the victim's or suspects' secret lives, no red herrings or secret agendas or exciting chases or nail-biting moments. The detectives were 2-D, flat characters. The baddies were so obviously baddies to everyone but Molly. The end took far too long to materialise, and then the murderer was caught and there was still 1 hour left and I was like, noooo!
Anyway, I wouldn't recommend it. It was not well written, it was pretty boring, there was nothing unique or interesting or fun about it, and I just couldn't engage with Molly or her world. When I finished listening (on double speed just to get there....), it was with an enormous sigh of relief.
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Deportation, Emotional abuse, and Classism
spworley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Bullying, and Terminal illness
jessismoore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Drug use, Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Alcoholism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Grief
sarahna'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
3.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Death, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Cancer, Medical trauma, Suicide, Torture, Ableism, Gaslighting, and Medical content
travisppe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Death
fiagarrod96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Abandonment, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
andatherrin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Grief, Drug abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
saltycoffee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Cancer, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief