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julie7's review against another edition
1.0
Audio.
Found this stilted and confusing. For me, there were far too many subjects being tackled in one go . It just felt really forced.
I see that my Goodreads friends either love or loathe this book.
Found this stilted and confusing. For me, there were far too many subjects being tackled in one go . It just felt really forced.
I see that my Goodreads friends either love or loathe this book.
jessorella's review
4.0
Really gripping potboiler of a book, set in the months following the Brexit result. It looks at the disturbing feeling that hung in the air in those weeks and months, and how it affected those on both sides of the argument. It’s also an unflinching exploration of the dynamics between a stepmother and stepdaughter, the latter of whom fully detests the former. Having been in a blended family myself, the parts of the book that dealt with these passive-aggressive undertones was really well done. Author Rachel Edwards has a beautiful turn of phrase that had me rereading certain paragraphs and turning the page corners down for later re-reference. The ending is a real jaw-dropper that I only wish lasted a little longer. Great read!
l1nds's review against another edition
4.0
Oh boy, this book, THIS BOOK! It is definitely one of those books that makes you go "what did I just read?!" when you've finished it. It would have confounded all of my expectations if I hadn't seen a slightly spoilery review when I added it to Goodreads, which made me connect some dots I might not have otherwise (thanks for that internet stranger), but the twists were still VERY twisty and compulsively readable. In fact it's so unputdownable that I finished reading it on a long bus journey despite the fact that reading on the bus makes me feel sick!
The book takes place in the months following the Brexit referendum, a peculiarly dark, depressing, and confusing period which fits the mood of the book perfectly. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Darling, with Lola's viewpoint scattered throughout. I have to say that the Darling chapters worked better for me - the Lola chapters felt like the 'teenage' voice was a little bit forced. That's not to say that the Lola chapters were bad. It was interesting to hear the other side of the story, and as both narrators had an air of Unreliable Narrator about them it was still almost impossible to decide who to trust!
I really loved this book, I've already told my best friends to read it (partly so I have someone to discuss it with!), and I sold it to them as "if Lianne Moriarty wrote a book set in Brexit Britain" which I think is fair! It's a cracking domestic thriller that also shines a light on the ugly side of Britain which is becoming (sadly) ever more prevalent.
The book takes place in the months following the Brexit referendum, a peculiarly dark, depressing, and confusing period which fits the mood of the book perfectly. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Darling, with Lola's viewpoint scattered throughout. I have to say that the Darling chapters worked better for me - the Lola chapters felt like the 'teenage' voice was a little bit forced. That's not to say that the Lola chapters were bad. It was interesting to hear the other side of the story, and as both narrators had an air of Unreliable Narrator about them it was still almost impossible to decide who to trust!
I really loved this book, I've already told my best friends to read it (partly so I have someone to discuss it with!), and I sold it to them as "if Lianne Moriarty wrote a book set in Brexit Britain" which I think is fair! It's a cracking domestic thriller that also shines a light on the ugly side of Britain which is becoming (sadly) ever more prevalent.
liznc's review against another edition
1.0
I really didn't like this book at all. I didn't like any of the characters and hated the writing style. Blech.
nyxtingale's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Suicide, Vomit, Hate crime, and Racism
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Incest, Xenophobia, Self harm, Islamophobia, Car accident, and Classism
black_matilda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sophiejessica415's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0