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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I found this novel to be very captivating. Two women cousins from California take their families on a cruise ship vacation to South America. After a series of small scares, which made this reader initially fail to take this story very seriously, the kids disappear. We get to follow a variety of characters as they all try to deal with what comes at them. I liked the author's use of Spanish throughout the book, and her diverse and very imperfect characters. When bad things happened, however, I was caught off guard. This book is more serious than it first appears.
If cozy beach-reads are not your thing, this book might fit the bill! Two seemingly perfect nuclear families go on a tropical cruise for Christmas together, but when a day trip on an island goes horribly awry, all of the children are missing and the vacation grinds to a halt.
I loved that the book was told through all of the characters' perspectives, from the youngest child—about 6 or so—who really doesn't have a full understanding of the complete and utter danger they are in, to all of the parents in their various states of shock and resolve, to the peripheral characters who may only have a short chapter to tell their piece. Meloy got into all of their heads, offering a unique and intense perspective of this story.
The book is so fast-paced too, it becomes so terrifyingly believable that something like this could truly happen. Easy even, for so many kids to just disappear out from under the noses of several watchful parents.
An excellent book; Meloy is one to watch.
I loved that the book was told through all of the characters' perspectives, from the youngest child—about 6 or so—who really doesn't have a full understanding of the complete and utter danger they are in, to all of the parents in their various states of shock and resolve, to the peripheral characters who may only have a short chapter to tell their piece. Meloy got into all of their heads, offering a unique and intense perspective of this story.
The book is so fast-paced too, it becomes so terrifyingly believable that something like this could truly happen. Easy even, for so many kids to just disappear out from under the noses of several watchful parents.
An excellent book; Meloy is one to watch.
I couldn’t put this book down. I needed to know what happened. The adults in the story represent the typical American tourist. Unfortunately, in this book their fears come true. But the story was addicting.
This was my first book by this author, and it was terrific! There were a few dark, but realistic for the narrative, story lines. It is gripping and so good. Two couples - the wives are cousins and best friends go on a cruise with their children. Ashore excursion goes way wrong and then....gripping read
Amazing book that is at heart full of nonstop suspense after its gentle lead-in. Two families with four younger kids between them embark on a winter cruise. Hooking up with a third couple on board with two teens, they are all having a fine time. When they decide to go on land for an excursion, the men go one way and the women/children go another. Their lives will never be the same.
This is a most interesting character study shaped by terror. The author is so subtle but so definite about including issues of class, race, egos, clueless rich Americans, children shielding one another, sexual assault, juvenile diabetes, crooked police, drug trafficking, problems for immigrants, poverty, and the list goes on.
It's also about what might break a marriage, a lifelong friendship, what makes a man a man, and a touch of feminism. There might be a not-so-subtle hint that we should all be speaking at least two languages.
Definite page-turner. You'll be rooting for those kids.
This is a most interesting character study shaped by terror. The author is so subtle but so definite about including issues of class, race, egos, clueless rich Americans, children shielding one another, sexual assault, juvenile diabetes, crooked police, drug trafficking, problems for immigrants, poverty, and the list goes on.
It's also about what might break a marriage, a lifelong friendship, what makes a man a man, and a touch of feminism. There might be a not-so-subtle hint that we should all be speaking at least two languages.
Definite page-turner. You'll be rooting for those kids.
Not sure I would recommend this - but it did pass the time on the train!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
While this book is not what I anticipated, I overall enjoyed it. Each chapters switches to a different scene which gets a little confusing especially since things are happening at the same time in separate chapters. Throughout the book, I think I had a hard time following some of the timing aspects. Some of the characters bothered me with their attitudes, but again, I overall enjoyed the book. Not quite a 4 star read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 because Nora was too annoying and Penny also. And George--aw man, don't do this terrible cruel illegal thing AGAIN, Sheesh. But it was a gripping story and my heart raced for these kids. And I'm never going on a cruise.