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marleens's review against another edition
mysterious
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
3.5
After enjoying my time with this book a lot, the ending was a letdown. I don’t mind not having everything tied up neatly but in this book so many questions are left unanswered, and plot points unexplained. It’s a shame because there was a lot of good stuff in here. I liked the writing style and the setting by and atmosphere, and really liked Michael and his relationships with Marie and Percy. With a few more answers at the end this could have been an excellent read overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Child abuse and Animal death
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Alcohol
paigestilwill's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Blake’s writing is quick-paced and spooky, and she does well to build tension and mystery over the course of the book. What I was less impressed with, like many other reviewers, was the sheer amount of unanswered elements left hanging at the end.
Additionally, for it being a piece set in the 50s, Blake wrote about the teens in a very modern way, a couple of times mentioning soda pop shops or drive-ins, but not really framing the language in any concrete way to make you FEEL like you were in that time period. In fact, many times I had to remind myself that it was set in the 50s, because the writing style and diction didn’t reflect that. Once I thought, why not check security cameras, completely forgetting that was not an option in the 50s 🤦🏻♀️
I also found many parts of this story unbelievable—how a 17 year old was allowed to investigate the most prolific serial killer in the country,Marie being covered in blood from throwing up on herself (what??? The physics don’t add up) , the lack of depth and complexity afforded many of the characters, including the Nebraskan DA, Steve’s friends threatening to shoot Michael for trying to get to the truth about his murder … the clarifications we do get seem half-baked and not well thought through.
In all, it was quick and the fast cadence of the plot made it a more gripping read, but it felt like much of the building action was pointless, and I expected and wished for more answers, even if it hadn’t been all of them. There’s nothing wrong with leaving readers wanting more, but this one had more loose ends than seemed necessary. I understand wanting the reader to make their own conclusions, just like the public had to when similar cases actually occurred in history. However, after 300 pages, the reader deserves some semblance of an explanation, rather than a half-hearted ending that raised its own questions more than answers.
I’m not sure if I’d return to Blake’s work in the future.
Additionally, for it being a piece set in the 50s, Blake wrote about the teens in a very modern way, a couple of times mentioning soda pop shops or drive-ins, but not really framing the language in any concrete way to make you FEEL like you were in that time period. In fact, many times I had to remind myself that it was set in the 50s, because the writing style and diction didn’t reflect that. Once I thought, why not check security cameras, completely forgetting that was not an option in the 50s 🤦🏻♀️
I also found many parts of this story unbelievable—how a 17 year old was allowed to investigate the most prolific serial killer in the country,
In all, it was quick and the fast cadence of the plot made it a more gripping read, but it felt like much of the building action was pointless, and I expected and wished for more answers, even if it hadn’t been all of them. There’s nothing wrong with leaving readers wanting more, but this one had more loose ends than seemed necessary. I understand wanting the reader to make their own conclusions, just like the public had to when similar cases actually occurred in history. However, after 300 pages, the reader deserves some semblance of an explanation, rather than a half-hearted ending that raised its own questions more than answers.
I’m not sure if I’d return to Blake’s work in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Minor: Gun violence
alibrareads's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
And now I understand this book’s relatively low rating! It was not good! The blurb is misleading: it says that Marie tells her story to Michael, but she does not. She doesn’t say jack about crap, even though Michael is “interviewing” her over the course of nearly 5 months. She tells him (and the reader) absolutely nothing of value and I’m just sitting here like… What “confession”? She hasn’t said anything at all!
None of the characters were interesting. The “plot” of this book is: a girl frustrating everyone (including the reader) by talking while saying nothing. There are a few things brought up that are NEVER addressed in the slightest the signs carved into the trees/gravestone and the random python scenes that are probably supposed to add to the “mystery” or “creep” factor of this book, but only leaves the reader confused. The book tries to hint at supernatural elements that never go anywhere.
And oh my god when Marie finally explains why she was covered in blood when she was first found, by drinking a bunch of blood then throwing her head back and vomiting it up all over herself, I actually laughed. Imagining her as a blood fountain was so stupid but hilarious and it’s like something from a Quentin Tarantino movie, but bad because it’s so out of place.
Pilson the DA was cartoonishly villainous, so determined to get Marie sentenced to death, but honestly I wasn’t given much reason to want Marie to live? She wasn’t charming or likable and (again) refused to tell anyone anything useful for months.
It was not a good story. Books can still be good even if they end ambiguously, but this was not one of those. I’m still interested in reading her Three Dark Crowns series because it is fantasy, and her writing is simple and easy to read, but this was not a winner for me.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/mpw2uHd2d2o
None of the characters were interesting. The “plot” of this book is: a girl frustrating everyone (including the reader) by talking while saying nothing. There are a few things brought up that are NEVER addressed in the slightest
And oh my god when Marie finally explains
Pilson the DA was cartoonishly villainous, so determined to get Marie sentenced to death, but honestly I wasn’t given much reason to want Marie to live? She wasn’t charming or likable and (again) refused to tell anyone anything useful for months.
It was not a good story. Books can still be good even if they end ambiguously, but this was not one of those. I’m still interested in reading her Three Dark Crowns series because it is fantasy, and her writing is simple and easy to read, but this was not a winner for me.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/mpw2uHd2d2o
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
sydresnik's review
slow-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Blood, Murder, and Stalking
vismyth's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
It's a 2 and a half for the interesting setup and initial ambiguity that really does drag you into the story wondering whether there is a supernatural twist or not and what happened to end up with a teenage girl drenched in blood surrounded by bodies
but that ambiguity is never resolved and the ending isnt satisfying enough to make up for it
but that ambiguity is never resolved and the ending isnt satisfying enough to make up for it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexism, Confinement, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Cannibalism
implied sexual assault, implied grooming of a minorbookwormsandcoffeestains's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Minor: Sexual assault
notpercyjacksonyet's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Why did I read this book? I wanted a thrilling mystery, but it ended up being such a slog, all to get a dissatisfying ending. If I wanted to be disappointed in the Justice system and never know the truth, I’d listen to true crime podcasts. I get that it’s supposed to reflect the real world, but that’s not what I want from a book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Grief
Minor: Bullying, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Fire/Fire injury
riflelizards's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Bullying, and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
hyperashley's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, and Gore