Scan barcode
jesshindes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I had high hopes for this one, which came decorated with all the usual quotes about how gripping it was (including one from Hilary Mantel!) but for some reason it never quite grabbed me. The book pivots on the central mystery of the men's disappearance, and there's some question about whether it's supernatural or natural along with the obvious whodunnit element, but the whole thing had strong vibes to me of an ITV Sunday night thriller, maybe a three-part adaptation, a few people from Line of Duty in it, maybe Keeley Hawes, you get my drift. Which is fine, but probably goes to say that all of the characters felt a bit thin - which is a problem in a book which spent a lot of time on character work and relationships. There were some moments that I liked - some stuff about the relationships between the keepers and their wives, the bits that veered closest to the supernatural - but ultimately I felt like the whole thing was a little wishy-washy, that it didn't commit to the weirdness (unlike Our Wives Under the Sea, which does the nautical mystery thing in a much more satisfying, stranger way) and that too many of the revelations fell flat. With that said, I think on TV it might work, so if it pans out that way I will watch it!
Graphic: Murder and Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Stalking, Animal cruelty, and Infidelity
questingnotcoasting's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Rape
aimsro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death and Murder
elerireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
What I will say is that I thought the suspense wasn't handled that well in some places. I understand the tack of dropping subtle but gradually more obvious hints about some mystery or other over the course of the book before a dramatic reveal, but (a) this wears a bit thin if you do it for every single interesting detail; and (b) the hints in this were not AT ALL subtle. It was like HERE IS AN INTERESTING THING I'M REFUSING TO TELL YOU ABOUT followed by loads of unrelated stuff. Imho that kind of mystery is much better handled with a quicker turn-around, i.e. you can make it super clear that there's something we don't know so we're left guessing for a few pages, but then the next chapter has to resolve it. Much more satisfying reading experience that way anyway, although maybe I'm just too impatient 😂
Graphic: Mental illness, Child death, Violence, Murder, and Stalking
nicoles_reading_corner'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
alyx_d's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Cursing, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Child death
Moderate: Murder and Mental illness
Minor: Rape, Blood, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Suicidal thoughts
booksandmo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Vomit, Violence, Murder, and Confinement
Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Cancer
diana_dea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I listened to the audiobook for this and the narrators was amazing while the format also worked really well with the narrative style of this book.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, and Grief
abbie_'s review against another edition
.
This book draws inspiration from the disappearance of three lighthouse-keepers in the Hebrides in 1900, but this is set in Cornwall in 1972. Three keepers vanish into thin air, leaving their wives and girlfriends wondering over their fate. Those left behind have been paid well in compensation by Trident House, the lighthouse-keepers’ employers, to make sure they don’t go digging. But when a thriller writer starts writing a new book trying to solve the mystery, old ghosts are resurrected.
.
It flits back and forth between the keepers’ POVs in 1972 and the women left behind in 1992, and while I enjoyed both narratives, it was that of the present-day(ish) women that had me truly gripped. How do you move on with your life with the question of your partner’s fate constantly looming over you? How could you go on living a normal life without knowing what happened to your loved one, without any closure? Emma Stonex explores this, and the answer is - not easily!
.
I’m not sure how satisfied I was by the ending. It wasn’t bad by any means, I just didn’t have that feeling of a story wrapped up - maybe I’d even have preferred it if it weren’t wrapped up!! I do like an ambiguous ending.
.
But the writing, atmosphere and characters - I can’t fault those!
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Rape
nialiversuch'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
4.5
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail