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reshambrook666's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An amazing and emotional book. It’s tough content but well worth the struggle. Highly recommended for readers with an open mind.
theboldbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
This is not an easy book to read. It's heartbreaking and engraging. It's sick and twisted and truly horrific. It is also well-written and pushes boundaries. It's along the same lines as Tampa by Alissa Nutting, but I found it much more disturbing than that. There are scenes in the book where Connor says what they're doing feels dirty and I felt dirty reading it. So why would anyone want to read a book like this? Because it has an impact, it gets one thinking, and it elicits emotion. Definitely stay away from this one if you can't handle abuse of a child.
mariesreads's review against another edition
4.0
So creepy and disturbing. Really really disturbing. And yet so compelling and elegantly written. Gave me the willies.
aaronlindsey's review
5.0
I finished this novel 48 minutes ago and my pulse is still racing. I'm not making that up.
This novel is similar to Tampa, but with some major differences.
Mona Straw teaches 4th grade at Cutts School. But unlike Tampa, Mona is completely normal when the novel begins. She has a husband, daughter, nice house and everything she could want.
Her insanity happens slowly, and we, the readers, are along for the entire ride.
Graphic and disturbing, this novel is not for the squeamish, but if you made it through Tampa, you can probably handle this one.
This novel is similar to Tampa, but with some major differences.
Mona Straw teaches 4th grade at Cutts School. But unlike Tampa, Mona is completely normal when the novel begins. She has a husband, daughter, nice house and everything she could want.
Her insanity happens slowly, and we, the readers, are along for the entire ride.
Graphic and disturbing, this novel is not for the squeamish, but if you made it through Tampa, you can probably handle this one.
rcy's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Pedophilia, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
litwrite's review
4.0
Great book but one I'm not sure I would widely recommend due to the choice of topic, which covers the same material as [b:Tampa|17225311|Tampa|Alissa Nutting|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1393784199s/17225311.jpg|23731028] and to a lesser extent, [b:What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal |13258|What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal |Zoë Heller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386922976s/13258.jpg|18650].
The direct comparison to Tampa would be more likely as they are both tales told from the perspective of a female child molester - however where Nutting presented her narrator as a straight up unfeeling monster, Conlon's narrator slowly descends into madness and mania throughout the story. Where I think this book shines and where it disturbed me a lot more than Tampa was in its representation of the young male victim - a lot of the things that the boy says felt spot on to what people say are the biggest psychological effects to victims and it was pretty intense to read.
I can't say that I enjoyed it because I was always low level uneasy throughout the whole book but I recognize that it was bravely and well written especially considering the topic.
The direct comparison to Tampa would be more likely as they are both tales told from the perspective of a female child molester - however where Nutting presented her narrator as a straight up unfeeling monster, Conlon's narrator slowly descends into madness and mania throughout the story. Where I think this book shines and where it disturbed me a lot more than Tampa was in its representation of the young male victim - a lot of the things that the boy says felt spot on to what people say are the biggest psychological effects to victims and it was pretty intense to read.
I can't say that I enjoyed it because I was always low level uneasy throughout the whole book but I recognize that it was bravely and well written especially considering the topic.
heart_eater's review
1.0
Huh?
If you couldn't guess from the description of the book, the premise of this story is very dark and disturbing, but on a different level than any other book I've read. It will probably be the same for most other people who take the time to read this. There were several different times I was so disgusted that I nearly stopped reading it, but I was unfortunately curious how it would end. As the story progressed, I really just looked forward to the part where Mona would get caught; that is pretty much the only reason I continued trudging on. I don't really know what to say about the book, aside from the fact that I hated it, based on the subject matter and not the writing, which was fine. Who wants to read a story that goes into graphic, too graphic detail of child molesting? This is seriously something I'd be embarrassed to tell anyone I read. I feel there could have been a lot less super descriptive sex scenes and more story. Overall, hated it and wish I hadn't wasted my time, and polluted my brain, reading it. Ugh.
If you couldn't guess from the description of the book, the premise of this story is very dark and disturbing, but on a different level than any other book I've read. It will probably be the same for most other people who take the time to read this. There were several different times I was so disgusted that I nearly stopped reading it, but I was unfortunately curious how it would end. As the story progressed, I really just looked forward to the part where Mona would get caught; that is pretty much the only reason I continued trudging on. I don't really know what to say about the book, aside from the fact that I hated it, based on the subject matter and not the writing, which was fine. Who wants to read a story that goes into graphic, too graphic detail of child molesting? This is seriously something I'd be embarrassed to tell anyone I read. I feel there could have been a lot less super descriptive sex scenes and more story. Overall, hated it and wish I hadn't wasted my time, and polluted my brain, reading it. Ugh.
moormanmak's review
5.0
pretty much made me want to throw up and then never leave my house again but I read it in basically one sitting so