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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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 liked this one. I genuinely did not guess the mystery, and Goodman does write a good twist. That being said, I disliked a lot of the characters. Ava and Imogen acted like Goldie signing an NDA and taking the blame for a driving accident that left a boy paralyzed and Ava's dad committing financial crimes were equally as bad. I disliked that Ava put a lot of blame on Goldie, and there was a brief discussion of classism, but it never went anywhere beyond pushing the three to talk to each other. I also wasn't a huge fan of the Heller posthumous redemption arc. He let Goldie take the blame for his actions, let her get bullied and harassed for something she didn't even do, all to protect his reputation. She threw everything away to protect him (which was a reckless and idiotic move, but teenagers), and he repaid her by abandoning her. He was the guilty one. He should have had to face the consequences. Sure he was ready to come clean in the end, but that doesn't undo the months of torture and emotional agony Goldie had to deal with.
mysterious
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
This book would have been much more enjoyable if it hadn’t painted Goldie in such an unlikeable manner. The backstory between Goldie and Heller was simply so extreme that it made her appear completely pathetic and him appear to be such a jerk that there was really no room to sympathize with either of them. There was really no reason that she needed to take the blame for Heller’s drunk driving accident. If he would have just broken up with her for a reason that was justified later, the entire rest of the story could have stood AND they would have been a much more relatable pair. Instead, I found myself asking why Goldie was acting so foolishly.
Additionally, it isn’t as egregious in this book as it was in “They Wish They Were Us,” but the author once again paints a picture of a family that should be solidly middle class as being desperately poor. The entire story would have stood just fine without this strange, half-baked concept of poverty and living in a “gross” small town.
The murder itself is actually pretty interesting and well-conceived, but having the main character be so unlikeable really caused it to suffer.
Additionally, it isn’t as egregious in this book as it was in “They Wish They Were Us,” but the author once again paints a picture of a family that should be solidly middle class as being desperately poor. The entire story would have stood just fine without this strange, half-baked concept of poverty and living in a “gross” small town.
The murder itself is actually pretty interesting and well-conceived, but having the main character be so unlikeable really caused it to suffer.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
4.5/5
This book was filled with the summer nostalgia, I didn’t know I needed! I love Jessica Goodman’s writing so I knew it wasn’t going to disappoint.
This book was filled with the summer nostalgia, I didn’t know I needed! I love Jessica Goodman’s writing so I knew it wasn’t going to disappoint.
TW: ableism, death, underage drinking and drug use, car accident, drowning
If you go into Goodman's books knowing they're more teen drama than thriller you enjoy them better. But this one? It was lackluster and the reveal was easily predicable. No tension or thrill at all. Now onto my more angry ranting:
Goldie's relationship with her boyfriend was toxic, he was a grade A jerk who let her life become hell due to his folly. This is never called out and in the end its revealed he actually 'loved her'. No he didn't.
This 'small town' of nearly 8000 people were ready to sacrifice this girl to the wolves for the drunk car accident she (supposedly) caused. Quite frankly I found this aspect very unbelievable. I came from a small town of 2000 conservative religious folks,and if this happened I gaurentee people would blame her, yes, but also pity and be sickeningly over-concerned for her. Not tell her she should have 'been the one to die' (and the townsfolk in the book say this to her even when the victom of the car accident wasn't even killed).
And this leads to the absolute casual ableism that was, frankly, unforgivable. A star hockey player was hit by Jerkface's car and now he's in a wheelchair. For this, he is only mentioned as the 'poor victim' his 'life ruined' and career destroyed. The town pities him, and he's only mentioned to advance the plot. Him loosing his ability to walk is a dark cloud over the town, his disability only a tragidy. Also, he never speaks a single line in this book. Not. Even A. Word.
Also I must warn the number of times I endured hearing about friendship bracelets. Were they part of the plot and the three friends wore them? No. Was one a murder clue? No. Where they discribed a lot because there was a scene of kids making them? Nope. Rather just continuous repeats of "kids loved camp and making friendship bracelets" scattered about 40,000 times through the text.
I thought this book was a mediocre disappointment but after writing my review I got so salty it dropped to a one. I loved your first book, Jessica Goodman. I believe you can do better next time.
If you go into Goodman's books knowing they're more teen drama than thriller you enjoy them better. But this one? It was lackluster and the reveal was easily predicable. No tension or thrill at all. Now onto my more angry ranting:
Goldie's relationship with her boyfriend was toxic, he was a grade A jerk who let her life become hell due to his folly. This is never called out and in the end its revealed he actually 'loved her'. No he didn't.
This 'small town' of nearly 8000 people were ready to sacrifice this girl to the wolves for the drunk car accident she (supposedly) caused. Quite frankly I found this aspect very unbelievable. I came from a small town of 2000 conservative religious folks,and if this happened I gaurentee people would blame her, yes, but also pity and be sickeningly over-concerned for her. Not tell her she should have 'been the one to die' (and the townsfolk in the book say this to her even when the victom of the car accident wasn't even killed).
And this leads to the absolute casual ableism that was, frankly, unforgivable. A star hockey player was hit by Jerkface's car and now he's in a wheelchair. For this, he is only mentioned as the 'poor victim' his 'life ruined' and career destroyed. The town pities him, and he's only mentioned to advance the plot. Him loosing his ability to walk is a dark cloud over the town, his disability only a tragidy. Also, he never speaks a single line in this book. Not. Even A. Word.
Also I must warn the number of times I endured hearing about friendship bracelets. Were they part of the plot and the three friends wore them? No. Was one a murder clue? No. Where they discribed a lot because there was a scene of kids making them? Nope. Rather just continuous repeats of "kids loved camp and making friendship bracelets" scattered about 40,000 times through the text.
I thought this book was a mediocre disappointment but after writing my review I got so salty it dropped to a one. I loved your first book, Jessica Goodman. I believe you can do better next time.