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myrtle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Stalking, Mental illness, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Suicide
Minor: Body shaming
alishbaaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Death, Kidnapping, and Violence
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Author: Lisa Jewell
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: April 24, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Suspenseful • Compelling • Dark
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Ellie Mack has been missing for ten years. Her mother, Laurel, has been gripped by the hands of grief ever since, resulting in the dissolution of her marriage and a strained relationship with her other two children. Despite everything, she still holds out hope that Ellie will return one day.
When a handsome stranger named Floyd sweeps her off her feet. Before too long things have gotten pretty serious, and she is meeting his daughter, Poppy. When she sees Poppy for the first time, it takes her breath away as she has a striking resemblance to Ellie. The meeting stirs up all the unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel all these years.
💭 T H O U G H T S
After reading The House We Grew Up In I vowed to never read another Lisa Jewell book. Yet with a little encouragement from a friend and the opportunity of buddy reading it with her, I knew it was the ideal time to try again. Turns out I am glad I did.
It's been quite some time since I've picked up a thriller that held my attention beyond the first third, but this was definitely it! Lisa Jewell delivers a psychological thriller with emotional depth, and flawed, believable and well written characters. It kept me intrigued and guessing from start to finish, and I particularly valued the mother/daughter relationship. She constantly drops little hints throughout the story that eventually allows the plots to intersect flawlessly.
I don't know if it's my psychology/neuropsychology background but I always love trying to decipher the psychological aspects and how the characters brains work and the motivations behind their behaviours.
My one issue was the structure jumping around so much. The voice switched from one person to another at various parts, making it feel a tad disjointed at time. However, I admit there may not have been another option to properly flush out the narrative.
The icing on the top was Ellie's letter to help wrap things up, and leave me satisfied with the ending. The only thing I'd have wanted to change was Floyd's fate. Then She Was Gone helped me realized I like my thrillers with depth, and I'd consider for Lisa Jewell thrillers in the future.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Ruth Ware and Liane Moriarty
• readers who like the missing person trope
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"When I read a book it feels like real life and when I put the book down it's like I go back into the dream."
"Cooking doesn’t just nurture the recipient, it nurtures the chef."
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Stalking, Sexual content, Grief, and Suicide
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
beth_s98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Stalking, Violence, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
jasminealizae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual content, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Infertility, Mental illness, Violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Confinement, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, and Death
astoriareader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
hgyow'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
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
sprinumter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Violence
_youfloweryoufeast_'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? No
4.0
Genre: Thriller
Age group : Adult
POV : First person & third person & multiple POV
Characters: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Setting/Themes: 3/5 ⭐️
Writing: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thrill factor: 3/5 ⭐️
• Please check TWs & CWs
• mature language, kidnapping, drugging, torture, starvation, chile abuse, forced pregnancy, violence, murder, death, loss of a loved one, gore, suicide, guns
• HEA (as happy is it could get after a horribly heartbreaking traumatising event)
“To anyone who finds this note [it begins], my name is Ellie Mack.
I am seventeen. None of them must feel bad about what happened to me because I am brave and I am brilliant and I am strong.
Yours sincerely,
Ellie Mack”
Let me start by saying this was quite great. I will say that it’s extremely triggering and would advice everyone to search up thorough trigger warnings before venturing into this book. It was a good thriller and the way the story unfolded to readers before it did to characters in the book was good. I’m assuming it’s a deliberate play of the author’s. I liked it. The author references the kidnapping of Colleen Stan but this reminded me of the Fritzl case. Truly horrifying.
Then She Was Gone is the heartbreaking story of a family dealing with grief, the devastating story of a mother who lost her golden child, the terrifying story of how sick lengths some individuals will go to appease themselves and a keep someone tied to them, the story of a mentally bothered man who was nothing but a child to hold on to and the dark secrets he buries, ultimately it’s a story of gore, grief and the audacity. (I mean this in the meanest way possible, sick sick Noelle,SICK SICK Floyd)
Overall, I recommend. If you’re looking for a great thriller, give this one a try.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Death, and Violence
nicoleharris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence and Suicide