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cwerber'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
One of the characters really made me roll my eyes. Seriously, you've been a stalker sweetheart. It's not loyalty or concern. It's stalking. And then to turn around and accuse the narrator of sleeping with the person you're stalking? Ugh. Sorry, Marigold, you're a bit too much for me.
And Leo (Freddie's friend or whatever), no. Nope. You're much too good to be true.
The info we found out about Whit came a little too late. He was also much too charming and I didn't like him at all. But then again, I don't think I like many people at all so that could be me.
The reader is made to believe that Cain is the murderer from almost the get-go. Shady past; time spent in jail; living on the streets, etc. But Marigold and Whit seem too eager to pin it on him very quickly.
I guess it brings me to Freddie, our main character and narrator of the story, an Australian living in Boston on a scholarship to write her book for a year. She seemed determined to want to fall in love with Cain. I could see tantalizing glimpses of her life - a dead sister whose death Freddie witnessed - but they were glimpses.
I take that back, each character could have done with fleshed-out backstories. But there you have it. I should have stopped when I struggled but I finished.
This book, obviously, wasn't for me. A reverse locked room mystery set in Boston with questionable or naive characters.
Graphic: Gun violence and Blood
Moderate: Murder
purplepenning's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Classism, Blood, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Medical content, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, Addiction, Death, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
hubes's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Murder and Blood
aseel_reads'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
1.5
Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, Blood, and Death
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Racism, and Toxic friendship
angela005's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Child abuse, Medical content, Racism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
madisonfrank's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual assault, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, and Stalking
stampest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Physical abuse, and Rape
laceystairs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I loved the unique way this book told multiple unrelated yet related stories.
The main focus of the book is on Freddie, an exchange student studying in Boston on a writers scholarship, and the three friends she meets in the Boston Public Library.
Freddie is an aspiring author looking for inspiration when three interesting individuals sit down at the same table. In enters Freud Girl, Heroic Chin and Handom Man. This begins the second story, being the ongoing project Freddie is inspired to write staring her new acquaintances and the chilling scream they hear in real life, which echos through out the silent halls of the historic library.
The third story being told is discovered when the reader sees that the chapters about Freddie & Co are actually the manuscript of an author who is corrisponding via email with an associate.
Soon the reader is hit with the knowledge that the murder mystery within Freddie's world is not going to be solved easily. And the goings on outside of the manuscript is a wonderful example of live mirrors art (or vice versa?).
Although it's challenging to explain to people (I have several times) this story is fun and easy to follow between plot lines.
The characters and writing style were so interesting and I can't stop (trying to) tell people about this book. A great thriller/mystery.
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Murder, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Grief, Gun violence, Confinement, Classism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Domestic abuse