Reviews

The List by Carys Jones

Only show reviews with written explanations

lucyperry's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

ellgm's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

yasmineaston's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I found this started well but then had a bit of a weak finish. The direction the book took was not what I expected and I found myself thinking, well wouldn’t it have been easier if…, why didn’t they just…, etc.

I liked the initial build-up of finding more out about Beth, her discovering the list, and what the list could mean for her. I also enjoyed the snippets from the list writers’ point of view, it added something to the story. But the last third of the book went downhill and that’s what pulled my rating down.

Given the history of Beth I’m really surprised she didn’t make the connection straight away, it seems like an obvious jump when you learn more. Additionally, I’m sure Ruby could have moved further away or even to another country to avoid issues, but then that might be me over simplifying. I also struggled to believe the complete personality change of one of the later characters, it seemed unrealistic.

Overall, a good start with an interesting idea that was somewhat let down by the conclusion. However, it hasn’t put me off wanting to try other books by Carys.

booksandshan's review

Go to review page

4.0

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

The list was a twisty journey of paranoia and uncovering secrets. The different perspectives of Beth, the creator of the list and Ruby really made me question every page and every sentence.

I was hooked from page one. I found myself flying through it desperate to see what happens next. I did think, once the reveals started happening, that some things didn’t make sense in terms of actions of certain characters. I understand it was to perhaps throw us off however stepping away from the plot the characters would of acted differently then they did. Very hard to say without spoiling things.

The creator of the list left me wondering throughout so the reveal was great. However the connection of the two other perspectives were obvious to me early on. I did appreciate the ending and how everything connected.

This was a thrilling quick read and I recommend this to anyone.

megan7m's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

trisha_thomas's review

Go to review page

3.0

I was intrigued by the cover and the list - what could these names mean?
I liked the ultimate theme of the story. As the MC slowly unfolds her life for you, it was interesting to tie all the pieces together. But I found the story a little meandering to get there. It's such a unique twist because I don't think many stories pick up such a large theme, and one so violent. I just with the plot had been a bit more fast paced and had held me on the edge of my seat.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

suzanne_estevez's review

Go to review page

3.0

*Spoilers* I thought the story idea was a great idea for a book, so I’m disappointed to only award 3 stars. The first thing that really bugged me was that, anyone would have looked up ALL the names when finding the list. I didn’t buy the ‘she liked to be methodical and tackle one name at a time’ explanation. I challenge anyone to not look up every single name and try to make connections as soon as possible. Second, there was very little respite. Everything Beth did was haunted by her past. Granted, it’s a horrible past, but she’s managed to get a job, had a house and a partner. Surely not every single second of her life was cast over by this haunting past. So towards the end, Beth became quite exhausting to follow. Finally, when she finally realises who the people are in the list…how would you not immediately get on Google and try to find out everything about them all. You’d research them, you’d find out what they were up to now, and even warn them about what was happening. How intriguing would it have been to have a conversation between her and one of those remaining from the 6…especially Jacob. In conclusion, a good story but not completely executed to its potential.