Reviews with content warning for Death - Picnic at Hanging Rock

I liked it and it was pretty interesting, and emotionally it did have a clear ending
I don't think it was built correctly for the ending it had (which - yeah, there was another chapter that got cut, I guess the plan was a bit different), and it's more about the life of people around the disappearance rather than the actual mystery itself but it was still a nice read

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floatinthevoid's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Such a perfect summer read!!

It has been a while since I read a third perspective book, and it's a delight to be able to read one that is enjoyable. I like the storytelling of the narrator. It's the kind of voice like a bard telling tales from road to road about a mystery that happened on Hanging Rock.

"The soft summer air caressed and healed like water. They wept a little, embraced long and tenderly, abandoning themselves after the first impassioned greetings to the silent luxury of sorrow shared. There was so much to be said, so little that ever could or would be said. The shadow of the Rock lay with an almost physical weight upon their hearts."

I must say tho, there's a change of pronouns in the narrator's voice so suddenly that it just make no sense. Using "I" when there's no indication that the all knowing narrator is involved in the story, a little bit weird. But even then, the story is well-paced. The story that happens feel slow, but my reading experience is not. I dare say if I don't get distracted by real life things I can finish this in a day.

I love the vibe of this book. If you're familiar with dark fairycore aesthetic, you might like this book. It's happened in a village near the forest so there will be trees, cliffs, white gowns, long hair, boarding school, female friendship, and also the haunting air of the night, the silver moonlight, disapperances, maladies, etc. And this all is very vividly described by the author with intricate details about nature without it being too boring. Love love the vibe so much.

Other things I want to mention is that

the mystery aspect of this book is mystery for the sake of mystery, and not something that is intended to be solved. In one hand, I find that makes the book can be categorized as a light read, as there's actually not much clues are given so the readers can't solve yet that's why readers are brought to just enjoye the journey.

On the other hand, I was expecting more things to happen. So that's that.

This is the kind of book that I will really get lost into if I have all my leisure time in my hand. A solid and pleasing read!

"It is probably just as well for our nervous equilibrium that such cataclysms of personal fortune are usually disguised as ordinary everyday occurrences, like the choice of boiled or poached eggs for breakfast."

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