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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
3.5 stars rounded up - made me angry and disappointed because it is so close to the real world
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Abortion
Did not like it, had very little plot and was full of filler social media dialogue
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just couldn’t get into it. Read as part of a book club and found lots of others felt the same. Just wasn’t my thing.
My biggest problem with this book, I think, was simply in how heavy-handed it was. I definitely agree with the point being made here - violence against women very much is a real issue, and it is a real issue that it seems like society doesn’t care until it becomes a story to obsess over, media to consume. That, for sure, is real, and there’s a big conversation to be had about how the fascination with true crime can desensitize people to the real, human suffering behind these violent stories. But I feel like too much of this novel was just spent wagging a finger over it and saying over and over how terrible violence against women is, but not really going much deeper than that. I dare say that no one who intentionally picked up this book to read needed to be told this message.
The flow of this book was… strange. I genuinely enjoyed the first third or so, that was from Cole’s point of view. It’s a little uncomfortable being in the mind of a “one of the good guys” guy, but it’s meant to be, and that’s good. But then the rest just got kind of… jumbled. Mel’s POV largely felt extraneous, since from context we could already glean more or less what had happened, but I guess seeing her POV and how it led up to hermeeting Lennie and their plan coming together was interesting. Then the last third of the book was just… I get it, I do. And there’s value in showing various perspectives, especially in demonstrating the scope of how the story of the girls’ disappearance has become a big thing in the media. But I felt like it hurt the flow of Lennie’s narrative parts, when her perspective was the most interesting part of the novel. This book kept exactly what their plan had been obscured for long enough (genuinely, it felt like some of the social media posts were just padding to keep people on their toes longer) that by the time the ‘reveal’ was laid out, it was underwhelming, but maybe it was meant to be.
I do think there is something to be said for how none of the characters were great. I mean, assuming that was intentional. Like, I totally understand Lennie and the girls’ motivations, but also, for fuck’s sake. They’re all a little fucked.
The flow of this book was… strange. I genuinely enjoyed the first third or so, that was from Cole’s point of view. It’s a little uncomfortable being in the mind of a “one of the good guys” guy, but it’s meant to be, and that’s good. But then the rest just got kind of… jumbled. Mel’s POV largely felt extraneous, since from context we could already glean more or less what had happened, but I guess seeing her POV and how it led up to her
I do think there is something to be said for how none of the characters were great. I mean, assuming that was intentional. Like, I totally understand Lennie and the girls’ motivations, but also, for fuck’s sake. They’re all a little fucked.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
medium-paced