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robyn5771's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.5
stationannie's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, rounded up.
I liked the story, but I could not warm up to Diana. I understand her character is complex, and the decisions she makes are based wholeheartedly from a place of what she believes to be good intentions. She is so unmoved by the plights of her family, and I just can’t help but hate her for it.
I get that she wants her children and their respective spouses to understand the value of money and to not rely on handouts, but it’s to the detriment of their happiness. I believe that a parent’s duty is to not only teach values, but also to help your children when they are in need if you have the means to do so. They did not ask to be born on this hellish earth.
When Diana’s children ask for money, she could have easily made it a loan with stipulations of repayment. I know she had no help from her parents in her time of need, but instead of breaking that cycle, she chooses to punish her children. I struggled to reconcile that. She does appear to have some character growth, but it’s minimal and takes a really long time to get there.
In the end, I wasn’t surprised at how things transpired. The only surprise was the who. I think the family dynamics in this book were much deeper than Hepworth’s other ones, which is what kept me going. Had Diana been a more likable character, I think the book would have been an easy 4 stars. It was a unique take on a domestic thriller, and I certainly don’t regret reading it.
through_my_eyes81's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed this read. Bit of mystery in the different characters stories and kept me intrigued until the ending.
cady_sass's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sally writes amazing characters and depictions of family dynamics, and each novel really showcases that talent. This one walks the line of being a thriller but doesn’t quite get there, mystery is perhaps more suitable but it doesn’t pretend to be unpredictable. At the beginning it’s unclear who these characters are as people and what their motivations are, and if they are even reliably narrating, but we slowly unspool each of them to come to the ultimate climax of the story and conclusion. It is well crafted, but not as emotionally gripping and consuming as some of her others
codergrl's review against another edition
3.0
This book felt rushed. I enjoyed it but i feel like there was so much lost potential. I would have liked to learn more about the characters and their relationships.
cakeybarkid's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lilbookowl's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
kelseylitsliftsanddips's review against another edition
3.5
This started out a little slow for me, and didn’t really pick up with the twisty turns until the last 1/4th of the book. And to be honest, the payoff wasn’t there for me. I saw all the “big” twists coming, which is always a disappointment. Even in that case, I still enjoyed the book well enough. I always enjoy Hepworth’s writing style, and this was a decent enough thriller break after reading some heavy lit fic.