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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
What a brilliantly simple and well written story! One of my new favorites.
Ugh. I really wanted to love this book and i even went in with the attitude of “I’m going to love this book” and usually with that type of mission, it serves as a self fulfilling prophecy.
Not this time.
I dreaded picking up this book.
I never quite “fell into it” so each time i picked it up, i had to reread a few pages and hope i could remember what was going on.
I did not love the writing format (second person). I don’t mind alternating timelines but when things bounce around within each time frame, it gets confusing. The characters were largely forgettable and not very likable. I don’t love when there is too much cynicism (too much like real life!!).
The ending is underwhelming . But so was the middle too.
The beginning starts off with a bang and then it goes downhill from there.
Not this time.
I dreaded picking up this book.
I never quite “fell into it” so each time i picked it up, i had to reread a few pages and hope i could remember what was going on.
I did not love the writing format (second person). I don’t mind alternating timelines but when things bounce around within each time frame, it gets confusing. The characters were largely forgettable and not very likable. I don’t love when there is too much cynicism (too much like real life!!).
The ending is underwhelming . But so was the middle too.
The beginning starts off with a bang and then it goes downhill from there.
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is not a spy novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat every page. It's about more than spying. It tackles the ideologic tensions of the Cold War, different ideas of being American, and the part race place in that. I liked the storytelling, the jumps in time, and the honesty of the main character with the reader. This is not the best story I've ever read, but it is one that got me in a reading flow that I haven't experienced in a while.
This, at least to me, was a unique book. First off, it's inspired by true events so as you're reading it you find yourself likely thinking, "this could have happened." Second, it's written as if it's a letter from the main character to her sons, making it entirely first-person perspective, which does help you understand why Marie says and does the things she does. Third, almost every chapter is a time jump and goes back and forth from when she was a child growing up, a young woman, during her career, and the present. It took me a few chapters to get used to this and figure things out, but eventually I got it. It felt slow to me during many points but was intriguing enough for me to read it in less than two days. There’s espionage, suspense, drama, has a deep focus on the family of the main character, and it isn't until near the end that you discover the answer to (what felt to me) the two mysteries of the book (I won't spoil). Overall, I think it's worth at least giving a shot.
Rating:
S:1, L:2, V:2
Rating:
S:1, L:2, V:2
3.5 stars rounded up because I didn’t really feel engaged with these characters until almost the very end.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a complicated book to review. The marketing of this book makes it seem like a thriller, but it’s actually an exploration of black American womanhood and family. Sometimes the author’s writing hit the nail a little too on the head, but for the most part her ruminations about identity and state violence were poignant, if underdeveloped.
The pacing and narrative were an odd issue. The narrative felt very stop-start, like the book was actually two separate works crammed together. This caused the themes of the book to be delivered unbalanced. I think if the journaling style of the novel had been leaned into more, it could have alleviated this issue.
Overall a debut with some definite flaws but a promising author. I’ll keep a look out for her upcoming work.
The pacing and narrative were an odd issue. The narrative felt very stop-start, like the book was actually two separate works crammed together. This caused the themes of the book to be delivered unbalanced. I think if the journaling style of the novel had been leaned into more, it could have alleviated this issue.
Overall a debut with some definite flaws but a promising author. I’ll keep a look out for her upcoming work.
I liked this book overall but ebbed and flowed. Interesting plot, twists and characters but the pacing or maybe length devoted to different sections felt off.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, War
Minor: Car accident, Colonisation