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beccilee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
suzquinn97's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
finneas's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ellenewt's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Ableist, anti-vax, sympathetic toward adult who sexually assaults a minor, far too graphic
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Sexual assault
ebrooks5's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hollysar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.75
llfoofaye's review against another edition
2.0
Another book about terrible people doing terrible things (talking about you The Girl on the Train and The Light Between Oceans) I guess this one had one decent character (Young) but we didn’t get to spend enough time with her. Then when the “twist” was revealed everything wrapped up and was done. Way to hurried of an ending. You don’t even realize you want more time with Young until it’s too late. Oh the protesters? Seem like a total afterthought by the author and didn’t play nearly big enough part to even be mentioned.
headingnorth's review against another edition
4.0
What an interesting premise, and so well executed. I had barely begun and was just fascinated by how every single person was lying. The mystery that slowly unfurled about who was lying about what kept me pretty riveted. There’s so much to unpack here about the relationship between parents and their children, about parenting kids with disabilities, not to mention the controversies about autism and various therapies. Really super interesting. This would be great for a book group.
trin's review against another edition
3.0
The courtroom drama aspects of this book were excellent: vivid and captivating and as real as an author can make them without adding the tediousness of reality. You can tell Kim is a lawyer. I struggled more with her depiction of autism and how throughout the book it's only ever discussed as something parents of children with autism need to deal with. I know the mothers are very much the focus here, but the lens of the novel nevertheless sort of erases autistic people as people, rather than a problem to be solved. (See also: the protestors representing the alternate point of view being depicted mostly as crazy and wrong.) I also didn't like that Kim uses as a device to hasten the end of the novel; that's a narrative cheat I particularly hate. I would love to read more legal thrillers from her, but had some major issues with this one.
Spoiler
suicidekgentry4's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I like the concept here, and I was really into it at the start, but overall, this book was a bit arduous. It just draws on and on, and by the end, I pretty much hated all but one character. Three stars for a solid storyline, but that's the best I can do, as I had to keep making myself pick it up.