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surefinewhatever_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Let me start with the one redeeming quality of this book, Tana French can write a damn house! Just like the home in The Likeness, I could picture the Ivy House perfectly! It was cozy (until it wasn’t) and atmospheric and just so vibrantly written.
But that skill is not enough to save this book. Not only is every single character (except Hugo, whom I felt affection for and wanted to see more of) unlikeable, but our protagonist is the *most* unlikeable of the bunch. Seriously. Irredeemably so. I guessed the killer prior to the reveal, but that’s not saying a whole lot as this book is SLOW. And lastly, though frankly most importantly, this book is ableist and fatphobic as FUCK. Like, jarringly so. I felt like I was constantly being pulled out of the story because I was taken aback by the ableist comments. Bad bad bad.
Graphic: Ableism, Alcohol, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Drug use, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Fatphobia
ellipalmer's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Death, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
vanlaire's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Violence
caidyn's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Thanks to Viking for a copy in exchange for an honest review! Publishing October 9th!
CW: bullying, attempted sexual assault, homophobia, burglary, graphic beating, and cancer
I’m really conflicted about this book. Really, really conflicted. Because, on one hand, it wasn’t at all what I expected and was something new from French, who is an author I love from her Dublin Murder Squad series, yet it also wasn’t as exciting as I wanted it to be. It waffled between three and four stars for me, but I landed on four.
At first, I thought this was a retelling of Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm, a famous unsolved mystery from England. But it’s just inspired by it. Which works because there are so many weird theories and thoughts about that case, so she was able to take the idea of a body found in a tree without dealing with anything else.
But, what is this book really about?
It’s about Toby, a man who has the whole world going for him… until a brutal home invasion leaves him scarred, both physically and mentally. His uncle, Hugo, is dying of cancer and, for a break, he moves in with him as a caretaker. One day, his cousin Susanna’s kids are playing and finds a skull in the witch elm in the lawn.
From there, the secrets pour out.
It’s a slow read. Like, it took nearly 40% of the book to get to actually finding the skull — which is why I think the synopsis gives too much away, but also the title immediately calls the unsolved mystery to mind so it’s hard to get away from spoilers. Then the hunt took forever. The reveal came at 80%. Then there was still 20% to build-up.
That’s a huge con for me, honestly, yet it oddly worked at the same time?
It’s a family drama. Okay? It’s not a crime procedural like she’s done in all her other books. It focuses on the family Toby has. His dying uncle Hugo, his own memory loss, his stay-at-home-mom cousin Susanna, and his gay, wandering cousin Leon. And everyone’s important to the book in some way. The story revolves around this family drama and the unsaid things and secrets kept.
I can’t say too much more than that, honestly. It’s one of those weird books where everything happens but nothing happens. If you want something thrilling, this isn’t the book for you. If you want something that meanders the path to get to the conclusion, you’ll like it.
6/29/18
I.
GOT.
AN.
ARC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to Viking for an e-copy of this in exchange for an honest review!
Original review (6/28/18):
IS THIS A TELLING OF THE WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WYCH ELM CASE?????????????????????????
i need it
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Bullying, and Cancer
Moderate: Drug use