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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
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
dark
mysterious
I had no idea Hemlock Island was coming out, as Kelley Armstrong is one of those prolific authors for whom only a few things have worked for me, so I don’t avidly follow her work. However, I was seeking more creepy reads in the lead-up to Halloween, and this one fit the bill.
I was instantly drawn into the rather claustrophobic atmosphere of Hemlock Island itself, from the fraught tensions among the characters keeping secrets from one another to the lurking danger of a killer on the loose. Not to mention the island itself being drawn in such a subtly creepy way, I found myself anxiously turning pages in anticipation of what would come next.
Laney is an interesting character to center the story around. Her panic attacks add a compelling layer to the story in an ordinary circumstance with people she doesn’t know, and are compounded by the dangerous situation she finds herself in.. The interpersonal drama she deals with involving her ex and best friend on top of that? Yikes.
The plot is fairly engaging, with a well-crafted supernaturally tinged mystery at the heart of the narrative. Some of the more “domestic” issues among the characters did slow down the pace of things, and I did consider jumping ship and DNFing at least once in the first half due to this lull in the story, but the story picked up again, and I was ultimately satisfied with how things turned out.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
What a ride. Sufficient creep factor. Did not see the ending coming.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Pandemic/Epidemic
I enjoyed the supernatural slasher vibes, but the other elements of the plot disappointed me. I am never a fan of plots that revolve around the characters trying to keep information secret from the reader, which was a huge part of this book. The "secret" was really obvious, and I think the story would have been much more interesting if it wasn't being used as a source of suspense.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No