Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Survivors by Jane Harper

24 reviews

popsicleplease's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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nodogsonthemoon's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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jhbandcats's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Not as tense and riveting as other books of Harper’s that I’ve read, this is more a slow burn as the tension gradually ratchets up. There isn’t a sense that the protagonist and his family are in danger, a typical plot device when inquisitive people question suspicious characters, but the danger is ever-present in the forbidding landscape and its history.

This book is all about grief, guilt, and regret, and the ways families and friends draw apart with silent recriminations, not to mention outright hostility. There’s an emphasis on families - the protagonist has a baby daughter and loving partner, whereas none of his friends do - and how they can draw one in closer and provide stability or, conversely, push one away.

While not a pulse-pounding thriller, this mystery is well thought out, with more depth and insight than I’d anticipated. Jane Harper always provides a good read. 
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ktdakotareads's review

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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souppiggy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

So it has quickly become evident that Jane Harper is an instant buy author for me. Every one of her novels pulls you in, grips you tight and doesn’t let go until the story has been told. The Survivors is an tense story about grief, guilt, and the past. I found the intro a bit clunky as there were too many characters introduced at once. However once you start you can’t stop. 
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becksreadsbooks's review against another edition

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mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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whathillarygraceread's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I'm a huge Jane Harper fan - The Lost Man is one of my favorite books - and I liked this more than Force of Nature, but not as much as The Dry and The Lost Man. The story is good and I like that there are some deeper themes examined, but the ending left me feeling a little meh. Landscapes are looming characters in all of Harper's books and the Tasmanian Coast was the perfect setting for this story.
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thebakerbookworm's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I liked this book, in that it gave me an intriguing mystery to listen to while I was driving on my road trip, but I really don't think it'll be one that I remember in the long run. I'm writing this review a few weeks after finishing and already struggling to remember the details.

There are a lot of characters, and it took a while to get familiar with everyone. And the mystery doesn't quite grip you from the start. It's definitely a slow build that never really takes off but I was interested enough to want to know what happened.

I didn't figure out the mystery, but I was disappointed with the end. Let's just say it left much to be desired, and then just abruptly ended after the big reveal.

This was a nice "background" listen—no need to pay attention to every word but keeps you hooked enough to finish the book. The setting may have been the best part.

Thanks to Libro.fm, Macmillan Audio, and the author for my ALC!
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zlad13's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this. 
It had a bit more social commentary than I was expecting, but I thought it was woven in mostly well. It felt a bit similar to The Dry by the same author.
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bigheartedbibliophile's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 
  • SPOILERS
  • “Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home. Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn. When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away...”
  • I loveeeee thrillers/mysteries, and this was no exception. From the very beginning, you are wondering what happened, and why Kieran left his hometown in the first place. In the end, you are left absolutely breathless and in shock. I could not put this book down, I needed to know what happened! 
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