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lovelymisanthrope's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I was SO pleasantly surprised by how enthralled I was by this book. I had heard good things about Mary Kubica as an author, and I had heard that this story in particular was incredible, so when I saw a copy at a library book sale, I knew I had to pick it up!
This book follows multiple points of view and alternates between the past and the present for all of the characters. The story takes place in a seemingly small town, where years ago, there was a young mother whom went missing, and not long after, another woman and her daughter went missing. No one could figure out the full story, and now years later the town is still trying to figure out where Delilah, the young child that went missing, could possibly be. Delilah unexpectedly makes her return, but her reappearance causes more questions than relief.
This book was incredibly well written, and despite being in a format some might find difficult to follow, I think it was well done. Each character had their own unique voice, which made deciphering between their narratives easier. This book is VERY graphic at times, so I would caution to look at content warning before picking it up. Once I started on this mystery, I could not put it down! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Mary Kubica threw a curveball that I did not see coming and I had to rethink each characters' motivation to commit these grizzly acts. One of the characters, the woman who went missing with her daughter, Meredith, is a midwife, and it was so fascinating to read about her experiences and commitment to her job. She just wants to help women, and she does so at the expense of her own family time. Shelby, the first woman to go missing, was one of Meredith's clients. She is so young and seems to be in a bad marriage and I just wanted to scream at her that she can do better.
I do understand why some people did not like this book because they felt like the characters made implausible choices. The big "twist" and what starts to bring the stories together is held together loosely and the characters' rationale for their actions seems unrealistic. However, I was not bothered by this, and I enjoyed that Mary Kubica leaned into the absurdity. Life is not linear, and sometimes people's choices do not make sense, even to themselves.
I look forward to picking up more from Mary Kubica!
This book follows multiple points of view and alternates between the past and the present for all of the characters. The story takes place in a seemingly small town, where years ago, there was a young mother whom went missing, and not long after, another woman and her daughter went missing. No one could figure out the full story, and now years later the town is still trying to figure out where Delilah, the young child that went missing, could possibly be. Delilah unexpectedly makes her return, but her reappearance causes more questions than relief.
This book was incredibly well written, and despite being in a format some might find difficult to follow, I think it was well done. Each character had their own unique voice, which made deciphering between their narratives easier. This book is VERY graphic at times, so I would caution to look at content warning before picking it up. Once I started on this mystery, I could not put it down! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Mary Kubica threw a curveball that I did not see coming and I had to rethink each characters' motivation to commit these grizzly acts. One of the characters, the woman who went missing with her daughter, Meredith, is a midwife, and it was so fascinating to read about her experiences and commitment to her job. She just wants to help women, and she does so at the expense of her own family time. Shelby, the first woman to go missing, was one of Meredith's clients. She is so young and seems to be in a bad marriage and I just wanted to scream at her that she can do better.
I do understand why some people did not like this book because they felt like the characters made implausible choices. The big "twist" and what starts to bring the stories together is held together loosely and the characters' rationale for their actions seems unrealistic. However, I was not bothered by this, and I enjoyed that Mary Kubica leaned into the absurdity. Life is not linear, and sometimes people's choices do not make sense, even to themselves.
I look forward to picking up more from Mary Kubica!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Mental illness, and Medical trauma
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