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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
Good in a weird way
The book is hard to follow at times. The author's writing style is not for everyone. The characters felt a little flat to me for this reason. Even though they were written from different angles, everyone sounded the same. The ending made me feel some kind of way. I won't spoil it, but it wasn't expected.
The book is hard to follow at times. The author's writing style is not for everyone. The characters felt a little flat to me for this reason. Even though they were written from different angles, everyone sounded the same. The ending made me feel some kind of way. I won't spoil it, but it wasn't expected.
Could have used more more chapter from Snow's perspective.
dark
tense
fast-paced
I just can’t help it… I love books about absolutely horrible rich white people having petty problems and acting like entitled fools.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I only read this book because of the setting, a place I had visited recently and loved. Unfortunately, only half the book takes place there. In general, I would call this a bougie soap opera, a book exploring the vexed relationships between four mostly unlikable people. There's a bit of a mystery element at the end. If you liked the Sicily season of The White Lotus, this is the book for you!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Libby borrow, never finished (before trip to Sicily).
I really enjoyed this story of a holiday gone wrong - two couples, one with their 10 year old daughter, visit a little Italian island together. Every adult has a share in the narrative, sometimes showing different viewpoints of the same events, but not in a repetitive way. I enjoyed the way it all unspooled.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very fun, very fast-paced, voice-driven domestic thriller about two families vacationing together in Italy.
Okay, so this probably isn’t actually a fair review of the book. Because there was one glaring problem I had with it, and it was kind of my fault.
However, there was quite a bit of sex—though not overly detailed so that was at least convenient—and language, so I wasn’t a fan of that. Those my second and third biggest problems with the book, aside from the fact that the plot just wasn’t what I was hoping for. Not my thing.
Now, the biggest, glaring problem: I read the back of the book where it said it had the pacing of a psychological thriller. And somehow, my brain interpreted that as it actually being a psychological thriller. So know, this is a DRAMA, not a psychological thriller. Whoops, my bad.
Besides all that, the writing just wasn’t really my thing. Especially Michael’s point of view—my word, what is that man’s issue with himself as the subject? When he would outline things he did, jt was always, “Walked alone that night. Took the long way home. Opened the door to the hotel. Didn’t want to sleep.” I was BEGGING him for first person pronouns, my goodness.
I finished the book because I was hoping for a more exciting ending, but it didn’t really deliver. And it’s hard to summon sympathy for these characters—they’re not just unlikeable, they’re stupid, hypocritical, and extremely selfish. And I feel like their ‘unlikeableness’ didn’t even come to much. When it serves a purpose, when it propels characters, unlikeableness can work. Like the Great Gatsby—they’re all selfish, lying, cheaters, but it goes deeper than that. And you really see the consequences and the changes the characters go through in the story. This though—the characters’ unlikeableness was more just a fact about them, like the color of their hair, rather than a personality trait to make the story more interesting. I don’t know, it all kind of fell flat.
However, there was quite a bit of sex—though not overly detailed so that was at least convenient—and language, so I wasn’t a fan of that. Those my second and third biggest problems with the book, aside from the fact that the plot just wasn’t what I was hoping for. Not my thing.
Now, the biggest, glaring problem: I read the back of the book where it said it had the pacing of a psychological thriller. And somehow, my brain interpreted that as it actually being a psychological thriller. So know, this is a DRAMA, not a psychological thriller. Whoops, my bad.
Besides all that, the writing just wasn’t really my thing. Especially Michael’s point of view—my word, what is that man’s issue with himself as the subject? When he would outline things he did, jt was always, “Walked alone that night. Took the long way home. Opened the door to the hotel. Didn’t want to sleep.” I was BEGGING him for first person pronouns, my goodness.
I finished the book because I was hoping for a more exciting ending, but it didn’t really deliver. And it’s hard to summon sympathy for these characters—they’re not just unlikeable, they’re stupid, hypocritical, and extremely selfish. And I feel like their ‘unlikeableness’ didn’t even come to much. When it serves a purpose, when it propels characters, unlikeableness can work. Like the Great Gatsby—they’re all selfish, lying, cheaters, but it goes deeper than that. And you really see the consequences and the changes the characters go through in the story. This though—the characters’ unlikeableness was more just a fact about them, like the color of their hair, rather than a personality trait to make the story more interesting. I don’t know, it all kind of fell flat.