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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
I loved every page of this. It was harrowing and heartbreaking. So many images that feel seared into me, details that truly threaten to haunt me for years. It was a deliciously thematic book while staying grounded and weaving stories that feel real, and focused.
This book terrified me, upset me so much I felt I was gonna be sick, and made me weep with happiness, because perhaps there was hope left too. Kukafka is extremely respectful of the weight of the material, treats it with careful and purposeful moves, and in some ways feels deeply reverent. I don’t know if this was personal story to our author, but it felt like it was.
It’s a masterclass in storytelling. Narrative structure wise, I could sing its praises for years. The use of perspective??? I was thrilled when second person started because !!! it was the PERFECT and ONLY choice for the thematic scaffolding, its awe inspiring work.
This was a book written for writers by a writer who LOVES other writers, LOVES writing, and LOOOOOVES talking about writing with other writers, I’d be willing to put money on it. Would kill to book club this with her, Danya you’re crazy for this one, I now swear fealty to your house, so long as we both shall live. Thank you for your service <3
This book terrified me, upset me so much I felt I was gonna be sick, and made me weep with happiness, because perhaps there was hope left too. Kukafka is extremely respectful of the weight of the material, treats it with careful and purposeful moves, and in some ways feels deeply reverent. I don’t know if this was personal story to our author, but it felt like it was.
It’s a masterclass in storytelling. Narrative structure wise, I could sing its praises for years. The use of perspective??? I was thrilled when second person started because !!! it was the PERFECT and ONLY choice for the thematic scaffolding, its awe inspiring work.
This was a book written for writers by a writer who LOVES other writers, LOVES writing, and LOOOOOVES talking about writing with other writers, I’d be willing to put money on it. Would kill to book club this with her, Danya you’re crazy for this one, I now swear fealty to your house, so long as we both shall live. Thank you for your service <3
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t like being so extreme when giving a book review, but honestly this reading experience felt embarrassing, frustrating, and incredibly boring. There was too much superfluous language that was obviously intended to be poetic or lyrical but just came across as contrived and honestly a little dramatic sometimes. I forced myself to finish this book, because since it didn’t give me any satisfaction whatsoever when reading it, at the very least I’m getting one more book added to my yearly reading challenge.
The writing does not make you feel any empathy towards any of the characters’ painful experiences, which if you think about it, is talent in itself lol. Almost every character is insufferable or just boring.
I have so many issues with the way our main characters are written. Saffy is exposited to us multiple times to be an outstanding detective with many accolades including the highest arrest record in the department, but she definitely didn’t show us any of that intellect or brilliance in anything she did. It seems like all she ever said was that she just had a ‘feeling’ it was Ansel behind the murders, but she knows that feelings aren’t enough to convict someone. But did she ever really try to find evidence to convict him? NO. All she does is stalk Ansel for years, watching him obsessively, based on nothing but her gut feeling. It was SO incredibly unbelievable how much conviction Saffy had in the beginning of this case that Ansel was behind the killings. Yes, the readers all know he did it, but Saffy suspected him purely based on the criminal’s psychological profile and the fact that he did this one thing to her when they were both in the orphanage?????? Suspending disbelief at the coincidence of them knowing each other when they were kids and him showing her his psychopathic tendencies then, it was simply inconceivable to me that this supposedly incredible detective doesn’t even bother trying to find an ounce of evidence (apart from speaking to Jenny which goes nowhere because of her own incompetence) to support her case and instead religiously obsesses over him based on a gut feeling.
The only writing I think was done somewhat well was that of the relationship between Hazel and Jenny, and the complexity of twin dynamics.
The writing does not make you feel any empathy towards any of the characters’ painful experiences, which if you think about it, is talent in itself lol. Almost every character is insufferable or just boring.
I have so many issues with the way our main characters are written. Saffy is exposited to us multiple times to be an outstanding detective with many accolades including the highest arrest record in the department, but she definitely didn’t show us any of that intellect or brilliance in anything she did. It seems like all she ever said was that she just had a ‘feeling’ it was Ansel behind the murders, but she knows that feelings aren’t enough to convict someone. But did she ever really try to find evidence to convict him? NO. All she does is stalk Ansel for years, watching him obsessively, based on nothing but her gut feeling. It was SO incredibly unbelievable how much conviction Saffy had in the beginning of this case that Ansel was behind the killings. Yes, the readers all know he did it, but Saffy suspected him purely based on the criminal’s psychological profile and the fact that he did this one thing to her when they were both in the orphanage?????? Suspending disbelief at the coincidence of them knowing each other when they were kids and him showing her his psychopathic tendencies then, it was simply inconceivable to me that this supposedly incredible detective doesn’t even bother trying to find an ounce of evidence (apart from speaking to Jenny which goes nowhere because of her own incompetence) to support her case and instead religiously obsesses over him based on a gut feeling.
The only writing I think was done somewhat well was that of the relationship between Hazel and Jenny, and the complexity of twin dynamics.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a book!
It was soul crushing. The book was about a serial killer and his victims and the lives of the women he affected. I’ll try my best to explain how the book affected me:
- The prose was beautiful. The book wouldn’t have been half as good as it is if not for the beautiful sentences the author wrote.
- The structure: the author intelligently has developed a timeline and created a structure that helps us understand the narrative. This was important.
- Themes: the concept of justice and how it is perceived by different people was fascinating. A police officer obsessed with a case for years, family of the victim, victim’s relative and finally the victim themself, each perceive justice in their own way. Justice doesn’t necessarily brings satisfaction to all and I feel that’s the biggest failure of the system. This should be talked about more.
- The concept of good & bad: I do agree with the theory described in the book. That it’s the circumstances and also the choices of what we do with what we have been dealt with is what makes us who we are. We could be good with the good people. But nothing can negate the fact that when that choice is taken away one can do bad or did the bad thing and hence should suffer the consequences. Morality isn’t a black and white concept.
- The brilliance of the contrast of how Ansel Packer finally realised how his trauma was a simple thing, that in the end he wasn’t someone extraordinary vs all others - media and victims’ families and nosy people - thought he was an enigma, a magnanimous villain, someone worth the attention and needed to be studied.
The book will force you to think about morality, redemption, forgiveness, justice, malevolence and many many things. But the conclusion is yours to reach. Despite everything I felt nothing for Ansel Packer because while the author has beautifully blended the narrative of the killer and his victims and the other important women of this book, Ansel Packer remains a very pitiful guy.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was objectively dreadful. Clunky try-hard prose, cartoonish depictions of abuse, the most clichéd Serial Killer Backstory you can imagine with paper-flat characters. I'm genuinely shocked at how bad this is
What you want to read instead: Long Bright River
What you want to read instead: Long Bright River
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautifully written, this book felt like it sits entirely in the grey area of life and I loved the complex characters!!