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bearystarry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Overall this was Fine for me. The characters are very trope-y and the plot is pretty typical.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Grief, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Vomit, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, and Cursing
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Cancer, and Sexual content
Minor: Domestic abuse and Abandonment
kuritsahreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
This was a very quick read that I enjoyed overall. The intrigue definitely had me turning the pages, as I tried to figure out how the different POVs connect to each other.
This is a very dark book, and I can't say that the ending left me happy. The book touches on a handful of topics in gloomy details, from self-harm to alcoholism to how families can fall apart after losing a child. After each reading session, the story weighed on me, but I must say that I like how to author described and navigated through these topics.
Two things I sadly did not enjoy were the POVs with time changes (I think ? There were 2 really bizarre passages about
Graphic: Self harm, Grief, Car accident, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Murder, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Death, and Drug use
ziemia_do_nany's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
~ I won it in Storygraph giveaway
Graphic: Stalking, Addiction, Self harm, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Cancer
Minor: Sexual content
lavenderbtcpodcast's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Animal death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic relationship
skillyillian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The plot isn't bad, the writing is fine, but some stuff was oddly specific while other things were extremely vague. Every time music was playing, it was listed by specific songs, albums, and artists. Which is fine, other than it being the same 5-10 artists no matter who was playing music or where. But there were almost no actual character descriptions? Like we know Tom has a beard, but not his hair color? The best description we got of the murder victim was when her mother saw a missing persons poster at a liquor store, and it just said "hair: brown" etc and that was it. We know almost nothing about what these people look like.
It became clear pretty early on where the story was going and what had happened to Megan, but I don't think the author was going for some big, surprise plot twist anyway.
One thing I found odd was the way the POVs switched. Another reviewer said it would've been easier to divide the POVs into their own chapters, and I agree. Having eight long chapters feels unnecessary when you're switching characters every few pages. Another thing I found odd was that it was almost impossible at times to tell how much time had passed, or what day it was. For example:
Early on, Tom thinks Kevin Strand killed Megan, and after we hear about Kevin, it cuts to a summary of Kevin's career as a serial killer? And says something like "he would be executed x amount of time later" but why tell us Kevin's future? It would make more sense to let the reader wonder if it was Kevin, without us knowing what happens to him until later. Even then, I don't think Kevin's fate is relevant. We learn later when Tom interviews him that he's on death row and set to die, so why specify earlier? I feel like that could've been cut. But anyway, after that, we go back to another pov, and then back to Kevin, but it's Kevin's past, where he was burning a purse. Like, I guess, but?? Why in the past? And why not clarify that was in the past? We just had to use context clues to realize it was before Kevin was caught.
Anyway, overall this is fine? Not my favorite, the story didn't feel like it flowed super well. Minor details were very specific while important things were left too vague. Some things could've been taken out but they didn't necessarily ruin the story? But yeah, not my favorite.
Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Self harm, Blood, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Animal death
emory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The plot itself is pretty decent (even if I found it a bit annoying to make the case a cold case but then have three different characters discover the culprit independently through three different extremely simple investigative avenues); however, it lacks the suspenseful turns of a gripping thriller and also the character interiority that drives a tragedy about grief. Since I'm not sure exactly which one this book is going for, I'm not sure which to be more disappointed about. Hannah's character shone through (I would assume the series will follow her investigations, with this installment serving as a bit of an origin story), but even in her segments of narrative, we're told her emotions bluntly and clinically rather than shown through actions or relayed with any kind of warmth. Though emotional turmoil makes up a large part of each character's story, both the narrator and the characters themselves talk about them in the same flat tone as the rest of the novel. The death of
One last little reservation I have is a bit of an odd tone surrounding vigilantism and the PIs using aggressive tactics that cops cannot. It's nothing you won't see in a typical police procedural, but still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
Overall I had my criticisms, but I did like the style of writing even with my reservations about the details it chooses to give or withhold. I wouldnt rule reading out more of the series.
Graphic: Alcohol, Violence, Alcoholism, Drug use, Self harm, Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, Rape, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Gun violence
A main character struggles with self harm and there are two scenes that feature a very explicit description.