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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
A fast paced book with a lot of twist and turns! Super good book!
This book was SO slow, I had the worst time getting into it, I finally just gave up and left it on my DNF list. I almost always finish books, but this one, I just couldnt.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
#TheMurderGame #NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
3.5 stars
First of all, the cover is a great attention grabber! Secondly, solid mystery with plenty of red herrings. I thought I had figured it out fairly on and I ended up being right in the end but there were plenty of times I was second guessing myself. For me, this is a mark of a good mystery. I appreciate that the author respects the reader enough to create a clever, nuanced plot with clues that can be sussed out without having to be told every little thing. This is a good example of show not tell. Third, it is mostly believable. Yes, you will have to suspend your disbelief for it all to work, but it’s entertaining. The adults are, as usual, pretty thick and behave in a decidedly non adult, capricious manner, teachers and parents, and bystanders included. Fourth, fans of boarding school fiction will enjoy! Yes, it’s a serious sub genre! Fifth, the protagonist is male, which is somewhat uncommon in YA mysteries. Or perhaps just in those I choose to read? At any rate although he has a sensational (sensational as in an over the top, incredulous way) backstory that seems tangentially unnecessary, he’s a decent protagonist with flaws and hubris that get in the way. The backstory is incomplete and that was majorly irksome. Which is why I think it’s entirely unnecessary as a plot device. It just doesn’t add enough oomph to change or make more credible the trajectory of the current day story to merit inclusion. Lastly, it has only mild profanity and it’s kept to a reasonable minimum. Fine for middle school readers. Which is an important distinction because murder mysteries can be hard to come by for middle school readers. Most middle grade mysteries are too elementary and a lot of YA mysteries are too mature.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
3.5 stars
First of all, the cover is a great attention grabber! Secondly, solid mystery with plenty of red herrings. I thought I had figured it out fairly on and I ended up being right in the end but there were plenty of times I was second guessing myself. For me, this is a mark of a good mystery. I appreciate that the author respects the reader enough to create a clever, nuanced plot with clues that can be sussed out without having to be told every little thing. This is a good example of show not tell. Third, it is mostly believable. Yes, you will have to suspend your disbelief for it all to work, but it’s entertaining. The adults are, as usual, pretty thick and behave in a decidedly non adult, capricious manner, teachers and parents, and bystanders included. Fourth, fans of boarding school fiction will enjoy! Yes, it’s a serious sub genre! Fifth, the protagonist is male, which is somewhat uncommon in YA mysteries. Or perhaps just in those I choose to read? At any rate although he has a sensational (sensational as in an over the top, incredulous way) backstory that seems tangentially unnecessary, he’s a decent protagonist with flaws and hubris that get in the way. The backstory is incomplete and that was majorly irksome. Which is why I think it’s entirely unnecessary as a plot device. It just doesn’t add enough oomph to change or make more credible the trajectory of the current day story to merit inclusion. Lastly, it has only mild profanity and it’s kept to a reasonable minimum. Fine for middle school readers. Which is an important distinction because murder mysteries can be hard to come by for middle school readers. Most middle grade mysteries are too elementary and a lot of YA mysteries are too mature.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes