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aliena_jackson's review
3.0
In the end, the answer to the question, “What happened to Esther?” wasn’t quite what I expected, and I’m still processing my feelings about that.
kirstenerickson5's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
andreatypesbraille's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This was an incredible first audiobook experience for me. At 10 and a half hours, I wasn't sure how I would like devoting that much time to this book, but I ended up bingeing it over the course of 3 days. I didn't want to stop listening!
The audiobook I found to be incredibly immersive. The narrator did a fantastic job really diving into each character. The author did a wonderful job creating such an atmospheric story. The sweltering heat of rural Australia in summertime I think has as much a role as any other character.
The story itself is not a happy one. There was no happy ending here, for most of the characters, however it is a satisfying ending.
Young Esther Bianchi goes missing on her way home from school in her small, rural Australia town. The story is about the search to find Esther, but also uncovering secrets in this small dusty town. The story unravels slowly, being told from different perspectives in each chapter: Esther's two best friends, Esther's mother, Esther's mother's best friend, the detective sergeant in charge of the search and investigation into Esther's disappearance. There's also the "Greek chorus" that has chapters sporadically throughout the book. I found this Greek chorus to be an interesting touch. It gave more perspective to the lives of the children in Durton. Not just one child's life, as we see with Ronnie and Lewis, but the town's children's overall experience, things both widely known and spoken of as well as the more unspoken truths, growing up in this small town.
Overall, I think the audiobook deserves a 5 stars. The narrator was really fantastic. It helped further cement the mood to have the Australian accent speaking throughout.
The book itself is 4.5 stars. I just had one issue with it, but it pulled me out of the story every time the character of Ronnie has a scene or is speaking. Ronnie, for whatever reason, doesn't seem like a 12 year old. She's incredibly impulsive and juvenile, she doesn't respond in an appropriate way to learning her best friend has gone missing. It's a bizarre choice, and pulled me out of the story, because I kept checking to see whether Ronnie and Esther were supposed to be 12 or 7 or 8 years old.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It's a fantastic story and one that I will wholeheartedly recommend to others in the future, maybe not my students though.
The audiobook I found to be incredibly immersive. The narrator did a fantastic job really diving into each character. The author did a wonderful job creating such an atmospheric story. The sweltering heat of rural Australia in summertime I think has as much a role as any other character.
The story itself is not a happy one. There was no happy ending here, for most of the characters, however it is a satisfying ending.
Young Esther Bianchi goes missing on her way home from school in her small, rural Australia town. The story is about the search to find Esther, but also uncovering secrets in this small dusty town. The story unravels slowly, being told from different perspectives in each chapter: Esther's two best friends, Esther's mother, Esther's mother's best friend, the detective sergeant in charge of the search and investigation into Esther's disappearance. There's also the "Greek chorus" that has chapters sporadically throughout the book. I found this Greek chorus to be an interesting touch. It gave more perspective to the lives of the children in Durton. Not just one child's life, as we see with Ronnie and Lewis, but the town's children's overall experience, things both widely known and spoken of as well as the more unspoken truths, growing up in this small town.
Overall, I think the audiobook deserves a 5 stars. The narrator was really fantastic. It helped further cement the mood to have the Australian accent speaking throughout.
The book itself is 4.5 stars. I just had one issue with it, but it pulled me out of the story every time the character of Ronnie has a scene or is speaking. Ronnie, for whatever reason, doesn't seem like a 12 year old. She's incredibly impulsive and juvenile, she doesn't respond in an appropriate way to learning her best friend has gone missing. It's a bizarre choice, and pulled me out of the story, because I kept checking to see whether Ronnie and Esther were supposed to be 12 or 7 or 8 years old.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It's a fantastic story and one that I will wholeheartedly recommend to others in the future, maybe not my students though.
22divinem's review
4.0
The ending made me tear up a little wth
Most character-focused mystery I’ve read and now I’m sad
Most character-focused mystery I’ve read and now I’m sad
blessedjess's review
4.0
This book has a great opening that really hooks you in with questions you want answered. Yet it took me a while to figure out the cast of characters and to get into the plot. The story is told from alternating perspectives of some of the main characters with a mystery character entitled just “we” that gives you a look into the goings ons of the small Australian town. This small struggling town experiences the tragic disappearance of one of its children. What happened to her and is anyone safe? The young characters' voices are powerful as they struggle to come to terms with one of their own being in their lives one day and unexpectedly out of it the next. I would definitely recommend this book to those who want a book that explores the emotional impact of a tragic mystery in a small town. I did find that the ending was a bit drawn out. Another good Australian mystery!
shirleytupperfreeman's review
Oooh - this was a great listen for a long car trip. We loved the narrator and the story (in spite of the tragic set-up). Twelve year-old Esther doesn't arrive home from school one Friday afternoon in small town Durton, Australia. Many complications and secrets come to light as Esther's parents, friends, the town, the local police and some out-of-town missing persons specialist police try to find out what happened to Esther. Most of the characters, both children and adult, have some intriguing back stories. This one kept us glued to our (car) seats.
vandermeer's review
5.0
Well written, good characters. I guessed what had happened quite early on, but still was invested in the story and its protagonists.
sevsbenny's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
sammy_3003's review against another edition
4.0
Continuing with the theme of Australian authors writing Australian crime novels comes Dirt Town. Intended to read as a physical book but listened to the audiobook to and from work instead.
This story follows the disappearance of a young girl on her way home from school.
Firstly the stuff I liked. The story was told from different points of view in each chapter and the plot helped to anchor the different point of view together.
The Australian landscape and community feel of Australian towns was shown well if not slightly over done by the chapters titled 'we' which spoke for the community as a whole.
The actual story was good and I didn't piece it together early.
Secondly, the stuff I didn't like. The audiobook is read by one author which is fine but I found the chapters from the children to be read in a 'childish voice' which was irritating to listen to. This is personal preference and I can be picky with audiobook narrators who do not speak loudly and clearly the whole way through.
Due to different points of view, the plot was often repeated which I found unnecessary. For a book that is classified as a mystery and thriller, I need gaps and suspense so my mind jumps to different conclusions.
The last point is being picky again but the constant mention of characters eating foods. Maybe it was a bid to demonstrate Australian foods but unless it related to the plot, I found it unhelpful and annoying.
This story follows the disappearance of a young girl on her way home from school.
Firstly the stuff I liked. The story was told from different points of view in each chapter and the plot helped to anchor the different point of view together.
The Australian landscape and community feel of Australian towns was shown well if not slightly over done by the chapters titled 'we' which spoke for the community as a whole.
The actual story was good and I didn't piece it together early.
Secondly, the stuff I didn't like. The audiobook is read by one author which is fine but I found the chapters from the children to be read in a 'childish voice' which was irritating to listen to. This is personal preference and I can be picky with audiobook narrators who do not speak loudly and clearly the whole way through.
Due to different points of view, the plot was often repeated which I found unnecessary. For a book that is classified as a mystery and thriller, I need gaps and suspense so my mind jumps to different conclusions.
The last point is being picky again but the constant mention of characters eating foods. Maybe it was a bid to demonstrate Australian foods but unless it related to the plot, I found it unhelpful and annoying.