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megelizabeth's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
"But there’s always something more, isn’t there? Something else to strive for. Perfection is a state which is always at least one step ahead of where you already are."
This ended up being a pretty middle-of-the-road thriller for me. The most frustrating thing is that I found it predictable, but I don't know if I would have done (or at least if I would have found it so predictable) if the title and blurb hadn't given so much away. I was still intrigued to find out exactly how everything would play out, but unfortunately I ended up being pretty unsurprised. Additionally, despite the plot being predictable, it manages to be pretty convoluted at the same time. There was, though, one element that was a bit of a shock to me, so at least that's something.
This is mostly well-written, though I did find some of the dialogue a bit unrealistic. I liked the conversations around the pervasiveness of village life and gossip and around the impact of men's crimes on their families. I found Beth an interesting character, and I liked that I was constantly questioning her reliability as a narrator. However, we don't find out enough about her past for some of her actions to really make sense, so I think that element could've been improved upon.
The chapters detailing the murders are incredibly graphic, disturbing, and stomach-churning, so please be aware of that going in. I do appreciate that you can never know quite what to expect with this kind of thriller, but it was personally a bit too much for me. Ultimately, then, this was a decent enough read, but not one I'd rave about or particularly recommend.
This ended up being a pretty middle-of-the-road thriller for me. The most frustrating thing is that I found it predictable, but I don't know if I would have done (or at least if I would have found it so predictable) if the title and blurb hadn't given so much away. I was still intrigued to find out exactly how everything would play out, but unfortunately I ended up being pretty unsurprised. Additionally, despite the plot being predictable, it manages to be pretty convoluted at the same time. There was, though, one element that was a bit of a shock to me, so at least that's something.
This is mostly well-written, though I did find some of the dialogue a bit unrealistic. I liked the conversations around the pervasiveness of village life and gossip and around the impact of men's crimes on their families. I found Beth an interesting character, and I liked that I was constantly questioning her reliability as a narrator. However, we don't find out enough about her past for some of her actions to really make sense, so I think that element could've been improved upon.
The chapters detailing the murders are incredibly graphic, disturbing, and stomach-churning, so please be aware of that going in. I do appreciate that you can never know quite what to expect with this kind of thriller, but it was personally a bit too much for me. Ultimately, then, this was a decent enough read, but not one I'd rave about or particularly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Emotional abuse, Rape, Murder, and Blood
cuppacora's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief
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