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hcool's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Eh. Lots of useless details and filler pages. I loved The Wife and The Widow by Christian White but this just fell flat for me.
spclteach's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting
A different take on the classic child kidnapped and raised by....... I recommend this to everyone, because you won’t be disappointed.
A different take on the classic child kidnapped and raised by....... I recommend this to everyone, because you won’t be disappointed.
mollruss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
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? No
5.0
molly_mitchel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
jakelipman's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, what a great read! Looking forward to Christians next release, because this was a belter that was hard to stop reading!
punkinmuffin's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed the reading experience of this one. Great entertainment while I spent the day sitting very still because of a dodgy back. Couldn't wait to finish it and find out what happened. Would make a really good tv mini-series!
mandyherbet's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
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
4.0
paulabrandon's review against another edition
3.0
Kim Leamy is approached by a guy who claims to be a journalist, and claims that she is actually Sammy Went, who went missing 28 years ago when she was only two years old. Kim lives in Melbourne, Australia, but Sammy went missing from Kentucky in the US. Kim travels to the US and starts meeting up with her long-lost family members. Her visit starts to uncover some of the secrets that have been hidden from that time, and links to a snake-handling cult.
Solid suspense story that was just a bit too slow-burn to really wow me. The characterisation is excellent, but the plot twists are few and far between, and most of them are predictable. The chapters in the past dealing with the sheriff's investigation tended to drag the proceedings to a halt: we know what happened to Sammy and there was no real purpose to reading about him tracking down false leads. The chapters in the past exploring the grief and pain of Sammy's family members were more effective and necessary. There is also a completely pointless chapter in which Kim goes for a walk and photographs stuff (?) It goes nowhere and doesn't reveal anything about the plot or Kim's psyche, and I couldn't figure out why it was there.
The climax is very effective and shiver-inducing. Eek! This was Christian White's first novel, and his follow-up, The Wife And The Widow, was even better. I'm looking forward to checking out his latest, The Wild Place.
Solid suspense story that was just a bit too slow-burn to really wow me. The characterisation is excellent, but the plot twists are few and far between, and most of them are predictable. The chapters in the past dealing with the sheriff's investigation tended to drag the proceedings to a halt: we know what happened to Sammy and there was no real purpose to reading about him tracking down false leads. The chapters in the past exploring the grief and pain of Sammy's family members were more effective and necessary. There is also a completely pointless chapter in which Kim goes for a walk and photographs stuff (?) It goes nowhere and doesn't reveal anything about the plot or Kim's psyche, and I couldn't figure out why it was there.
The climax is very effective and shiver-inducing. Eek! This was Christian White's first novel, and his follow-up, The Wife And The Widow, was even better. I'm looking forward to checking out his latest, The Wild Place.
carolyn0613's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. The story quickly unfolds to reveal that Kim, a young Australian woman, is actually Sammy, an American who went missing when she was very young. Kim has no memory of being Sammy and had lived a happy normal life in Australia with her mother and stepfather. Kim travels to America and to the hometown. The story darts back and forth between the present day and Kim's journey, and the past leading up to the time that Sammy went missing. There is a lot going on in the small town, most especially the fundamentalist church that Sammy's mother is heavily involved in. There are some dramatic moments - some a little far-fetched, like Kim putting herself into a dangerous situation. Also I don't think it was explained how Kim was tracked down to Australia. But these are small issues and it's a pacy and very readable story overall.
lilyandme123's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🎤 Katherine Littrell
📚 dual timeline 1st person + 3rd person
Do I recommend this book: 👍