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frances_frances's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
3.0
I've now read both of Aimee Molloy's novels (this one and Goodnight Beautiful) and I feel similarly about each of them. I enjoy her prose and the relationships between her characters, but the actual plots of her books are just ok. The Perfect Mother had some compelling aspects. I enjoyed seeing how each mom reacts to the kidnapping and how it affects them over time. However, we never really get to know Winnie. Though the story revolves around her missing baby, we barely get any sense of who she is. We only know her through the other characters' observations (and they themselves don't even know much about her). Winnie's behavior is also just confusing and left mostly unexplained.
This book had so many side plots and detailed backstories that had little, if anything, to do with the main story. It felt like Molloy wanted to pack in as many ideas as possible. I'd rather she invested more energy into the main plot. All that being said, The Perfect Mother kept me entertained and engaged.
This book had so many side plots and detailed backstories that had little, if anything, to do with the main story. It felt like Molloy wanted to pack in as many ideas as possible. I'd rather she invested more energy into the main plot. All that being said, The Perfect Mother kept me entertained and engaged.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Rape
Minor: Stalking
lindseyrwenzel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Child death, Grief, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide attempt
half_bloodreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
Bilingual Review / Crítica Bilingue (🇬🇧 & 🇵🇹)
🇬🇧 Written in 1st & 3rd person, present tense. Multiple pov
1st person is from the disturbed pov of whoever takes the baby
3rd person changes between the relevant players
I was at page 17 when I latched onto a suspect, way before the baby disappeared, and I was right. Which in itself is fine, finding out who did it doesn't mean I don't enjoy a book, because the execution matters to me.
I suppose the 1st person pov is meant to bring the psychological thriller into the book, but it mostly felt like drama: newbie mother problems + regular life problems + some revelations about their pasts I wasn't interested in at all. So this bestseller didn't live up to the hype for me, unfortunately.
I didn't feel the triller genre here at all. I didn't feel the effects this genre usually produces in me, and psychological thriller is possibly my favourite of the genre!
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🇵🇹 Narração na 1ª e 3ª pessoas do presente. Ponto de Vista múltiplo
1ª pessoa é do Ponto de Vista perturbador de quem leva o bebé
3ª pessoa muda entre os jogadores relevantes
Estava na página 17 quando declarei um suspeito, muito antes de o bebé desaparecer, e estava certa. O que por si só não tem problema, descobrir quem cometeu o crime não significa que não desfrute de um livro, porque a execução é importante para mim.
Suponho que o Ponto de Vista da 1ª pessoa pretendia trazer o thriller psicológico para o livro, mas parecia sobretudo drama: problemas de nova mãe + problemas da vida normal + algumas revelações sobre o passado deles, nas quais não estava interessada de todo. Portanto, este best-seller não correspondeu à hype para mim, infelizmente.
Eu não senti o género thriller aqui. Não senti os efeitos que este género geralmente produz em mim, e o thriller, suspense psicológico é possivelmente o meu favorito do género!
🇬🇧 Written in 1st & 3rd person, present tense. Multiple pov
1st person is from the disturbed pov of whoever takes the baby
3rd person changes between the relevant players
I was at page 17 when I latched onto a suspect, way before the baby disappeared, and I was right. Which in itself is fine, finding out who did it doesn't mean I don't enjoy a book, because the execution matters to me.
I suppose the 1st person pov is meant to bring the psychological thriller into the book, but it mostly felt like drama: newbie mother problems + regular life problems + some revelations about their pasts I wasn't interested in at all. So this bestseller didn't live up to the hype for me, unfortunately.
I didn't feel the triller genre here at all. I didn't feel the effects this genre usually produces in me, and psychological thriller is possibly my favourite of the genre!
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🇵🇹 Narração na 1ª e 3ª pessoas do presente. Ponto de Vista múltiplo
1ª pessoa é do Ponto de Vista perturbador de quem leva o bebé
3ª pessoa muda entre os jogadores relevantes
Estava na página 17 quando declarei um suspeito, muito antes de o bebé desaparecer, e estava certa. O que por si só não tem problema, descobrir quem cometeu o crime não significa que não desfrute de um livro, porque a execução é importante para mim.
Suponho que o Ponto de Vista da 1ª pessoa pretendia trazer o thriller psicológico para o livro, mas parecia sobretudo drama: problemas de nova mãe + problemas da vida normal + algumas revelações sobre o passado deles, nas quais não estava interessada de todo. Portanto, este best-seller não correspondeu à hype para mim, infelizmente.
Eu não senti o género thriller aqui. Não senti os efeitos que este género geralmente produz em mim, e o thriller, suspense psicológico é possivelmente o meu favorito do género!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Rape
kaci422's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Abortion, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, and Stalking
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