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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Two stars is generous. I have read a few other books of Laura Lippman's and really enjoyed them. I have no idea what happened with this one, what she was thinking.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
It took me a while to really understand the format but I really liked it once I got it.
(My favorite part of this read was knowing most of the Baltimore locations from when I lived there and being able to really imagine all the settings. Not at all knocking the story, I just really really had fun with that aspect.)
(My favorite part of this read was knowing most of the Baltimore locations from when I lived there and being able to really imagine all the settings. Not at all knocking the story, I just really really had fun with that aspect.)
Though I read this book FAST and it kept my attention, there were so many characters that were not needed and I was not fond of the ending at all.
This one surprised me! I loved how the author threw in bits and pieces that helped build the story and kept you guessing the whole way through.
informative
medium-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
This isn't a whodunit mystery. It's not a suspenseful thriller. It's easy to surmise early on who did what.
But it is a great piece of historical fiction. The bare bones are taken from 2 real life true crime cases, but the way Lippmann weaves them together is compelling.
Many reviews don't like that it's not a traditional, linear storytelling. But I think it works better for it, and it's simple to follow if you're paying attention. I'm not sure if the goal was tomirror the importance, or lack thereof, of the lady in the lake, but it's true to life. Cleo's (Black) death is kind of a footnote in a book titled about her.
The main character, Maddie Schwartz (Jewish), has *main character syndrome* in our own head. She believes every woman is jealous of her, every man should grovel to her, and she'll step on anyone to get ahead. And not in a girl boss, f*ck the patriarchy, play the game kind of way. It comes across as sleazy dirt bag, contributing to misogyny. On par for a white woman using people from the Black community to propel her career (to then forget that part of her history where she started).
But I tried to give her grace being a woman at the beginning of the (white) feminism movement.
I liked the chapters from the "side characters" in her orbit. The baseball guy could've been left out.
I loved Cleo's POV. She was a reminder that there are no perfect victims. Was she delusional about faking her death to run away with a man? Most likely. (She and Maddie both abandoned their children). Or maybe that was the author having wishful thinking? An ending that Shirley Parker, the real lady in the lake, would never have: to live a full life.
Read via audiobook. Susan Bennett was fantastic and I will see out more books from her.
But it is a great piece of historical fiction. The bare bones are taken from 2 real life true crime cases, but the way Lippmann weaves them together is compelling.
Many reviews don't like that it's not a traditional, linear storytelling. But I think it works better for it, and it's simple to follow if you're paying attention. I'm not sure if the goal was to
The main character, Maddie Schwartz (Jewish), has *main character syndrome* in our own head. She believes every woman is jealous of her, every man should grovel to her, and she'll step on anyone to get ahead. And not in a girl boss, f*ck the patriarchy, play the game kind of way. It comes across as sleazy dirt bag, contributing to misogyny. On par for a white woman using people from the Black community to propel her career (to then forget that part of her history where she started).
But I tried to give her grace being a woman at the beginning of the (white) feminism movement.
I liked the chapters from the "side characters" in her orbit. The baseball guy could've been left out.
I loved Cleo's POV. She was a reminder that there are no perfect victims. Was she delusional about faking her death to run away with a man? Most likely. (She and Maddie both abandoned their children). Or maybe that was the author having wishful thinking? An ending that Shirley Parker, the real lady in the lake, would never have: to live a full life.
Read via audiobook. Susan Bennett was fantastic and I will see out more books from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes