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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Marcie R. Rendon's Where They Last Saw Her takes off strong with a gripping premise: Quill, a Native woman from the Red Pine reservation, has spent her whole life running from the pain in her community. But when she hears a scream during her marathon training and finds evidence of another disappearance, she decides it's time to stop running.
The story really nails the small details — Quill's fierce determination, her ride-or-die friends Punk and Gaylyn, and her loving family, who keeps her grounded. You can feel Rendon's care for the community she's writing about, which adds a lot of depth to the book. Plus, the cultural elements sprinkled throughout give it a genuine, lived-in feel that makes the story real.
But let's be honest — the pacing could use some work. The mystery is there, but it's often overshadowed by Quill's personal reflections, and I wished the plot could pick up the pace and match her energy.
All that said, Where They Last Saw Her is a good story with a lead you can't help but root for, even if the journey gets a little long at times. It's not a sprint, but if you're into character-driven stories with a side of mystery, it's a book worth reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced readers copy. My thoughts and opinions are all my own.
The story really nails the small details — Quill's fierce determination, her ride-or-die friends Punk and Gaylyn, and her loving family, who keeps her grounded. You can feel Rendon's care for the community she's writing about, which adds a lot of depth to the book. Plus, the cultural elements sprinkled throughout give it a genuine, lived-in feel that makes the story real.
But let's be honest — the pacing could use some work. The mystery is there, but it's often overshadowed by Quill's personal reflections, and I wished the plot could pick up the pace and match her energy.
All that said, Where They Last Saw Her is a good story with a lead you can't help but root for, even if the journey gets a little long at times. It's not a sprint, but if you're into character-driven stories with a side of mystery, it's a book worth reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced readers copy. My thoughts and opinions are all my own.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Kidnapping
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Murder
Overall, the book was okay. The protagonist is a bit annoying, but some of the supporting characters (her friends) help out a lot. I have two issues with the book.
1. All the men in this book are incompetent, weak, and/or bad. You can make a book about strong women without making all the men weak.
2. The protagonist is the hero, but most of her actions
seem unrealistic.
1. All the men in this book are incompetent, weak, and/or bad. You can make a book about strong women without making all the men weak.
2. The protagonist is the hero, but most of her actions
seem unrealistic.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Trafficking
Minor: Rape
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes