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mkzach'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
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Vomit, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Terminal illness
greatestheights's review against another edition
I wanted to like Charlie. I wanted to like this plot. I wanted so many, many things, namely for Charlie to get out of the goddamn car and/or take ANY of the numerous opportunities she had to get tf away from this terrible situation. I thought I was going to lose my mind when a cop was literally RIGHT THERE and she still willingly GOT BACK IN THE CAR WITH A DUDE SHE THOUGHT WAS A VICIOIS SERIAL KILLER.
Also, we need to talk about how bad Sager is at writing women and mental illness. Just
stop, buddy. After The Last Time I Lied and now this, I think I'm solidly done with this author.
Alllll of that said, I devoured the book in less than 24 hours, so props to Sager and the audibook narrator. I also was genuinely surprised with one twist and pleased with myself that I guessed the second. Is it weird that I enjoyed listening to this book and simultaneously hated it? Probably, and that's why I gave it an extra star.
Graphic: Car accident, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Terminal illness
morganhill121's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Gun violence
abbiemreads'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
2.0
I liked the tense parts but honestly saw the twists coming and it felt like adding in the other perspectives from Charlie’s was because the author didn’t trust their readers to understand what was happening
Graphic: Grief and Kidnapping
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Suicide, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
emilymbrown'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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, and Body horror
Minor: Abandonment, Cancer, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
erinrlreader1994'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
2.0
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Murder
karamelka_kar19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, Gaslighting, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gun violence, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Terminal illness, Cancer, and Car accident
sib_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was my first Riley Sager thriller. As expected, this was a very fast-paced novel with lots of twists and turns, increasing towards the end of the book especially. It is set over the course of one night and there is a lot to unpack in such a short space of time. I didn’t realise that the book is formatted like a screenplay (maybe because it was an ARC and on kindle) until right near the end, but it is obvious that the author is penning a love letter to movies.
Initially I did not enjoy the ‘movie in my mind’ trope of the main character Charlie. However, I warmed to the idea more as the book went on and it was undeniably gripping to read from the POV of an unreliable narrator. I also enjoyed that this book tied up every loose end uncovered throughout. Every question had an answer by the end of the novel, though maybe there was slight over-explanations at points.
The ending of this book was full on crazy. There was so much action and drama, and so obviously it is easy to imagine this book as a movie itself. It was a very far-fetched concept but it surprised me how hooked I was.
In my opinion, you really can tell that this book was written by a man. The main character Charlie was so unlike any woman that exists in real life. She had no common sense and made some infuriating decisions the entire way through the book.
Even though this book did not blow me away (and even irritated me at points) I still could not put it down and read it all in one sitting. That is why I have gone with a mid-tier 2.5 star rating.
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Chronic illness, Confinement, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, and Car accident
yvettesvibes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence
jsantia59's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Car accident, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Minor: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content