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ashluvbooks's review against another edition
1.0
DNF (yeah I didn't finish ahhahaa)
After I finished the first chapter I got bored of it and lost interest in it eventually. I tried to finish the book but I just can't do it. The chapters are way too boring, whenever I pick up the book (I really want to finish the book) I have to put it down after one second because it's just not my type.
After I finished the first chapter I got bored of it and lost interest in it eventually. I tried to finish the book but I just can't do it. The chapters are way too boring, whenever I pick up the book (I really want to finish the book) I have to put it down after one second because it's just not my type.
in_and_out_of_the_stash's review against another edition
5.0
i really enjoyed this, I'm guessing the writing drew me in.
libreroaming's review against another edition
4.0
While the title implies a classic murder mystery, "Who Killed Christopher Goodman?" is not about discovering the person responsible for his death. Instead, the novel's multiple POVs include the murderer's but mostly all those who may have nudged circumstances one way or another that led to the sequence of events. It is more a rumination on the web of interaction we all have with each other, and readers who expect grisly plot twists will find themselves disappointed in a story that is relatively straightforward and tense only in the way teenage pranks backfiring can be.
That said, I thought that the many characters worked overall. They all had their own voices, with Doc's the most rounded out, Squib's the most engaging, and Leonard's the most distinct as his passages take on a spoken word quality. The plot jumping from after, to before, to after again serves the purpose of seeing how the characters come to brush up against their involvement with Christopher on his last night.
That said, I thought that the many characters worked overall. They all had their own voices, with Doc's the most rounded out, Squib's the most engaging, and Leonard's the most distinct as his passages take on a spoken word quality. The plot jumping from after, to before, to after again serves the purpose of seeing how the characters come to brush up against their involvement with Christopher on his last night.
audrey_elayne's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.0
latelykelsey's review against another edition
2.0
This has a lot of promise but it fell flat for me. I normally am one for multi-narrative books, but this one was more confusing than interesting. I think there was too many narratives and not executed well. And the story isn't so much about the murderer of Christopher but everything that led up to it, which I didn't care much for.
brennadonahue's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very quick read. I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives - it helped speed things along. Without that, I think this would have been a bit bland. I didn't tag this as a mystery/thriller despite the title. It didn't have any typical mystery elements. I saw another reviewer call this a fictional memoir which, after reading the author's note, seems very accurate. So tragic that this is based on a real crime and I appreciate the author letting us into his memory/grief this way. But overall it was just each character's perspective of the events leading up to the murder. Since it was obvious who the killer was from the start, that shock factor or reveal was gone. I was frustrated and sad at times but really didn't develop any strong connections to the characters.
abbypneal's review against another edition
2.0
I'm torn on this book. For the first 90% or so I really disliked it- the format was weird and inconsistent, the story didn't seem to be going anywhere, none of the characters were fleshed out beyond a few archetypical traits, and the dialogue was unnatural and unconvincing (no one really talks like that).
However, the ending of the novel was decent, and brought in a small shred of meaning to the story. This novel is not a thrilling story of murder, it is at its core a story about guilt, and reads as almost a cathartic undertaking for the author, who was involved in the murder upon which this book was based. As I read the last section of the book and the author's note, I found myself enjoying the book for the first time throughout my reading experience, as I realized how much of it is based on fact- not only the events that actually happened, but also on the emotions the author and his community felt.
Ultimately this book was disappointing. I thought it would have a mystery element or at least an element of an investigation or details of the trial. It doesn't have any of those things, and I think it was brought down by the fact that it's mainly exposition to when the actual murder happens. All things considered, it was a really quick and easy read, and it was relatively enjoyable.
However, the ending of the novel was decent, and brought in a small shred of meaning to the story. This novel is not a thrilling story of murder, it is at its core a story about guilt, and reads as almost a cathartic undertaking for the author, who was involved in the murder upon which this book was based. As I read the last section of the book and the author's note, I found myself enjoying the book for the first time throughout my reading experience, as I realized how much of it is based on fact- not only the events that actually happened, but also on the emotions the author and his community felt.
Ultimately this book was disappointing. I thought it would have a mystery element or at least an element of an investigation or details of the trial. It doesn't have any of those things, and I think it was brought down by the fact that it's mainly exposition to when the actual murder happens. All things considered, it was a really quick and easy read, and it was relatively enjoyable.
ecote525's review against another edition
4.0
loved the format of this book and that it was based on actual events.
molly_dettmann's review against another edition
2.0
Eh? I wanted to like this, but it was way too short and it was really hard to care about any of the characters when I'd read two pages of their POV and then it switches to another and then another and then three more. I love short reads, but this one didn't feel developed enough. Stray observation: Christopher Goodman is totally a manic-pixie-dream-boy.
christianscarlett's review against another edition
4.0
It was good, but lacked a level of depth in plot. It's more fun than inspiring, but fun nonetheless. It wastes a lot of paper in that the pages are thick and there is a lot of indenting. The poetry is too obscure to be meaningful. Fun, read it if you're in the mood for something a little meaningful but not too much.