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amanda_reads13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This one pulled me right. We follow Isabelle, an mother whose son is missing, she is grieving, suffering from PTSD, and barely sleeping. She is the definition of an unreliable narrator, yet you want to believe her. We are steeped in her grief and paranoia. You are right with her the entire time picking apart the pieces and trying to make sense of it all.
There are definitely a few red herrings along the way. Did she do something to him while sleep walking? Was it her narcissistic husband? Is Whalen the guilty one? Was it the creepy man down the street? What are the cops hiding?
We find out that when she was younger, Isabelle had a history of sleep walking. One night her sister died in the marshes behind the house.
The whole time I thought it was the husband.
I was shocked when
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Misogyny
amanda_reads18's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
hollydyer328's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Child death
chocolateturtle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
throwback682's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think the author did a really good job of keeping you guessing and adding plenty of twists without it being heavy handed or corny. The narrator is both deeply sympathetic and deeply unsympathetic at the same time somehow. This was one I couldn’t put down.
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Suicide, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Child death, Mental illness, Death, Grief, and Infidelity
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Infertility, Sexual content, and Stalking
It’s hard to give TW without spoiling but many of the major trigger warnings surround motherhood in some waytartar94's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicide, Child death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
juliemariesmith3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
sagesanctum's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is my first real venture into the horror/thriller genre; typically I'm more of a "only books with a guaranteed happy ending" type of reader. I read to improve my mood, so I usually don't try anything I think might be too depressing. Despite this, I joined the local book club in an effort to broaden my horizons, and All the Dangerous Things was the book chosen.
Right out the gate, I wasn't thrilled to be reading this one. I'm a parent to young children and I DO NOT enjoy reading literally anything involving even the possibility of child harm or death, so the idea of reading a book about a missing child truly did not appeal to me. And honestly, for a good... half? three-quarters of the way through the book? Still wasn't vibing with it. Most of the characters are unlikable. Isabelle herself, despite being a sympathetic character because of her circumstances, quickly and progressively becomes less likable through the story. Other characters--either through their own behavior or simply because we're learning about them through Isabelle's lens--are also unpleasant for different reasons. Some things that happen in the book? Not my cup of tea.
However, I did like the writing style. Some people complained about the sprawling descriptions and metaphoric language, but I really liked it. I feel like it fits Isabelle's character, given her career choice. I do agree the pacing could use some more progressive ramp-up, since I think I didn't really start feeling much tension until maybe 200+ pages in? Which I suspect is a bit slow for a thriller. That being said, the twist was spectacular and the ending was both unexpected and satisfying.
Thus, I am giving it 3.75 stars. It's solidly written, the conclusion makes the story worth a try if you can tolerate the initially-slow buildup, but I don't think I'd read it more than one time.
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Drug abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, Infertility, Vomit, and Kidnapping
lrecord's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I really love how the author wrote her characters as women who made good choices, bad choices and everything in-between. There is so much nuance to the characters and why they do the things they do.
There were definitely twists and turns.
Moderate: Child death, Murder, Violence, Infertility, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
cursed_sapphire's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I won't say this is the most groundbreaking thriller with the most unique plot, most amazing characters, or the most fascinating twists. But I will say this book is thriller done right.
It probably helped that the main character's sleep deprivation and clearly-defined childhood traumas helped explain away some of the conclusion-jumping and bad decisions that I've come to learn are synonymous with modern thrillers. Where in most books I find that kind of thing infuriating and poorly-handled, here it made perfect sense for our protagonist, who hasn't had a full night's rest in a year.
This book also handled it's themes better than most thrillers I've read. While all the characters are hiding secrets, I didn't leave the novel despising everyone like I have with some other thrillers. This book also refreshingly had a well-written, non-horrible male character
So if you're looking for a solid thriller read, even if you're as tired as mediocre ones as I am, I still say give this one a try. It's not a perfect novel-the middle drags a bit and there are some characters that aren't as well defined as others, among a few other nitpicks- but it's overall a compelling, entertaining time.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Child death, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Pregnancy