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reneerianne's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
There were many aspects to this novel that I normally like: a private school, a murder mystery, engagement with contemporary phenomena like the MeToo movement and podcasts as a medium, different writing styles mixed together. However, there was a bit much of all of these things thrown together that made me feel rather underwhelmed. None of the separate elements were done well enough to make it truly tick any of the boxes. I doesn’t help that I really did not like our main character. I don’t mind a flawed narrator, but she was mostly just bland. Especially near the end when she keeps telling us she can’t talk to anyone about the trial and yet continues to do so every 5 pages really annoyed me. The plot was a bit meh, and while it felt like a murder mystery, I came out of this feeling like I read more of a political statement which made the resolution of the mystery bland and predictable. I do think Rebecca Makkai is a good storyteller and that I would generally enjoy her work, I was just not particularly engaged by this mix of styles.
I received an ARC for this book through Netgalley.
I received an ARC for this book through Netgalley.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Murder
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