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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
dark
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
Woof. I skimmed this to the end, but I'm calling it a DNF because I certainly didn't "read" this.
Sometimes I pick up books I think I probably won't like out of curiosity, and maybe I'll end up enjoying it! Not this time. Part of the issue with this book is the marketing as horror or even a thriller. This book is the opposite of suspense. The writing is like stodgy furniture. I've read some boring books, but this is literally just 100+ pages of minutiae stretched out like it's somehow important, before limping to a predictable and underwhelming conclusion. There is a dead body, but never has a corpse felt so... weightless. So "well, that happened."
Even if this wasn't marketed as being "thrilling," it still doesn't work. The formatting is annoying with all the timeline jumps, like it's trying do Do Something. It does nothing. Every chapter gives both the time AND its relation to midnight ("12:06 AM, six minutes after midnight." Like, duh?? You realize you only had to say one of those things, right) And the main character never felt like a real person. I deal with anxiety, I should have related to her, but she was made of cardboard. Reading this dishwatery writing right after a rollicking Stephen Graham Jones book where the MC's personality jumps off every page was probably a mistake. But... nobody expects this level of dullness when they pick up a book, especially a "horror" book.
Sometimes I pick up books I think I probably won't like out of curiosity, and maybe I'll end up enjoying it! Not this time. Part of the issue with this book is the marketing as horror or even a thriller. This book is the opposite of suspense. The writing is like stodgy furniture. I've read some boring books, but this is literally just 100+ pages of minutiae stretched out like it's somehow important, before limping to a predictable and underwhelming conclusion. There is a dead body, but never has a corpse felt so... weightless. So "well, that happened."
Even if this wasn't marketed as being "thrilling," it still doesn't work. The formatting is annoying with all the timeline jumps, like it's trying do Do Something. It does nothing. Every chapter gives both the time AND its relation to midnight ("12:06 AM, six minutes after midnight." Like, duh?? You realize you only had to say one of those things, right) And the main character never felt like a real person. I deal with anxiety, I should have related to her, but she was made of cardboard. Reading this dishwatery writing right after a rollicking Stephen Graham Jones book where the MC's personality jumps off every page was probably a mistake. But... nobody expects this level of dullness when they pick up a book, especially a "horror" book.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Not very suspenseful or a thriller at all. Very little action and happens all at the end
This was an interesting, shorter novel with horror and thriller elements. I think Verona does a great job of setting up context and vibes of the environment. It's very creepy yet homey. When I first finished this book, I think it didn't feel like it was what was initially expected. I had this expectation that it might be more creepy or thrill based, like a typically thriller or slasher movie (especially with Amy's like of slasher flicks). But it ended up feeling a bit more mundane and unfortunate. And then I realized, that this was probably the point. The ending results in us seeing more confidence and stronger bonds between characters, while also acknowledging the unnecessary loss that came from decisions other characters made. Overall, I really liked this!
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-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
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No