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emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent mystery...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Classism
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
CW: deaths, grief, ableism, bullying, physical abuse, suicide
I liked Molly, she seemed to have a touch of OCD and autism, as do I, so her character was relatable to me, if not the general public.
I liked Molly, she seemed to have a touch of OCD and autism, as do I, so her character was relatable to me, if not the general public.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Physical abuse
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read 50% and then skimmed the rest.
The portrayal of neurodivergent-but-unlabeled Molly bothered me. It made me feel like I did back in middle school when one of the neurodivergent-but-unlabeled students in my class would think they were getting along with a group of people for a change, but it was clear to everyone else that he was being used for entertainment. Even if they weren't saying anything openly hurtful, it was still a gross thing to do. I can't say how accurate of a portrayal Molly is because maybe there is someone out there who experiences the mental inconsistency of being perceptive and astute one moment and completely gullible and naive the next, but the treatment of the character in her own narrative didn't sit right with me.
I have more complaints. The writing is aiming for a more simplistic and whimsical style that flattens all the characters and undercuts any attempts at emotional depth in the storytelling. There is nothing to latch onto with any sense of grounding.
Also, in my opinion a central purpose of a mystery is that the reader should be able to see the clues and connect the dots as they read. Perhaps they are hard to find and there are red herrings, but you should be able to get to the reveal and feel that it is plausible with the information you have. This bookarguably breaks the promise of the genre in favor of having the POV character obscure relevant information from an otherwise very detailed internal monologue. I did figure it out before the reveal, but not for the right reasons, and I can see how a reader would feel their trust in the mystery had been betrayed. It would be like reading a romance novel where you spend 90% of the book with one couple and then at the end they break up and date other people who were mentioned briefly in a random early chapter. That's not satisfying and that doesn't really qualify as a romance.
The portrayal of neurodivergent-but-unlabeled Molly bothered me. It made me feel like I did back in middle school when one of the neurodivergent-but-unlabeled students in my class would think they were getting along with a group of people for a change, but it was clear to everyone else that he was being used for entertainment. Even if they weren't saying anything openly hurtful, it was still a gross thing to do. I can't say how accurate of a portrayal Molly is because maybe there is someone out there who experiences the mental inconsistency of being perceptive and astute one moment and completely gullible and naive the next, but the treatment of the character in her own narrative didn't sit right with me.
I have more complaints. The writing is aiming for a more simplistic and whimsical style that flattens all the characters and undercuts any attempts at emotional depth in the storytelling. There is nothing to latch onto with any sense of grounding.
Also, in my opinion a central purpose of a mystery is that the reader should be able to see the clues and connect the dots as they read. Perhaps they are hard to find and there are red herrings, but you should be able to get to the reveal and feel that it is plausible with the information you have. This book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder
Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Deportation
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was interesting. I really loved Molly, her character was very engaging. Clearly neurodivergent (likely autistic), I thought her personality was very charming, with her devotion to being a maid and her sweet demeanor and her old-fashioned phrases learned from her grandmother
I got so stressed out as the accusations ramped up and she kept being misunderstood and used. I almost cried when she finally got people in her corner
The mystery is less of mystery than I expected, in that the goal isn’t to solve the murder but to prevent Molly from going to jail. We do find out the killer tho, rest assured
The found family is sweet, and I love Juan Manuel. I’ll keep going with the series
I got so stressed out as the accusations ramped up and she kept being misunderstood and used. I almost cried when she finally got people in her corner
The mystery is less of mystery than I expected, in that the goal isn’t to solve the murder but to prevent Molly from going to jail. We do find out the killer tho, rest assured
The found family is sweet, and I love Juan Manuel. I’ll keep going with the series
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Violence
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hate it! The idea is fun but the writing is awful. Everything feels like a giant stereotype.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder
Moderate: Racism
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Murder
Minor: Suicide
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Grief
Minor: Violence
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Terminal illness, Grief
Minor: Alcohol
hopeful
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:
Complicated
I love Molly! When we meet her, we see her neurodivergence and her vulnerability. Her world is narrow in many ways, and she works hard at doing everything the correct way.
As a guest is murdered in the hotel she works at, fingers are pointed at Molly. Who is ally, and who isn't?
I really enjoyed the twists, and the fact that I didn't see the final one coming.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
As a guest is murdered in the hotel she works at, fingers are pointed at Molly. Who is ally, and who isn't?
I really enjoyed the twists, and the fact that I didn't see the final one coming.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Classism, Deportation