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mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think this is the book where I give up on Jessica Goodman thrillers. With her first being my worst book of 2021 and her second only getting a 3.75 from me, I was hoping this book would be the one to convince me she could follow through on her enticing premises. But with a 3.25 rating, I think I can safely say that this author consistently fails to deliver, at least to the level that I want.
My main issue is with the MC. This is a make or break point for any book, but especially one using first-person narration. Unfortunately Goldie is such a non-character. I truly cannot describe her personality, interests (beyond camp), motivations, or desires. She just seemed very… blank. This was truly fatal flaw in the book for me because it made the whole thing seem very two-dimensional, and left me with the question: why was this story written? What did it seek to achieve?
Another thing I didn’t like was that the toxicity of Heller wasn’t properly addressed. At the end of the book you’re left with the impression that he truly loved Goldie and given time they would have gotten back together. In reality, he drove under the influence, paralysed his best friend, lied about his involvement and sacrificed Goldie’s future for his own, then ghosted Goldie and encouraged people to bully her, even participating in the bullying himself . I wouldn’t call that love.
Furthermore, the writing style was contrived at times and made me cringe a little. It was too dramatic when it didn’t need to be and so undermined moments that were supposed to be meaningful.
The mystery was fine for YA, although the motive wasn’t that compelling; I never find financial motives to be so . I think that multiple avenues of suspicion and investigation needed to be built up from the beginning. Also, the book doesn’t deliver on its promise of a thriller.
I can pay this book some compliments, though, seeing as I gave it 3.25 stars! The setting was a shining star. American summer camp settings are one of my all-time favourites so that was already a win; on top of this it was written excellently by Goodman. You could tell she was drawing on her own personal experiences. Nearly everything happens at the camp and I had a vivid picture of what it looked like. Also, the nostalgia Goldie had for her own experiences was potent and only served to deepen the sense of place.
Additionally, I think the friendship aspect was dealt with quite well. I appreciated that it didn’t go down the black-and-white toxicity route but showed the complexity of maintaining childhood friendships when you’re growing and changing so much as a teen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: divorce, drowning, menstruation
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not my favorite Jessica Goodman thus far. Where [book:They'll Never Catch Us|55648616] had that thriller feeling, this one lacks the tension from her previous novels. Maybe because I didn't feel like the stakes were as high? I also figured out the mystery/twist a little early in the novel, which might be a side effect of reading a lot of YA mystery/thriller books. I'm generally good at guessing them now.
Outside of the plot, I also didn't find the characters to be all that likeable. I mean, they were fine. Just getting along. But I wasn't super invested in their stories or the circumstances that they found themselves in. I was pretty disappointed by the ending because I also felt like there was something missing? It just didn't feel satisfying overall as a book.
That being said, if you love summer camp vibes with a bit of murder mystery, this might be up your alley! It just wan't necessarily my cup of tea.
Outside of the plot, I also didn't find the characters to be all that likeable. I mean, they were fine. Just getting along. But I wasn't super invested in their stories or the circumstances that they found themselves in. I was pretty disappointed by the ending because I also felt like there was something missing? It just didn't feel satisfying overall as a book.
That being said, if you love summer camp vibes with a bit of murder mystery, this might be up your alley! It just wan't necessarily my cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Car accident
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Blood, Alcohol
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a compelling read. Every step of the way had me gripping the wheel (I listened to it while I drove) with nervous anticipation. I actually cried. This is probably my favorite mystery I have read this year!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Vomit, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Medical content, Toxic friendship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent