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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-paced
This was painfully slow but I did appreciate how atmospheric it was!
I didn't go into this expecting so much, but everything about it amazed me.
I haven't read much recently - life hasn't been going well for me these past few months, internship taking a bit of a toll on me and I didn't have any motivation to read. I started couple of books - one after another, couldn't get into any of them. Then gave up. Re-read some of my childhood favorites last month, that was it.
When I started this one - I thought this too would be a DNF. But surprisingly - it reminded me of the complete thrill of reading crime stories. I literally could not put it down for a second. Finished in one sitting. So good.
I love this type of setting in books - old orphanages, creepy stories going around, unhinged people. I didn't know it's based on real-life events. But when I got to know, I googled & read about St. Joseph's orphanage. The vibe was more grim afterwards.
It's just an excellent book overall. Highly recommended for thriller/true-crime lovers.
I haven't read much recently - life hasn't been going well for me these past few months, internship taking a bit of a toll on me and I didn't have any motivation to read. I started couple of books - one after another, couldn't get into any of them. Then gave up. Re-read some of my childhood favorites last month, that was it.
When I started this one - I thought this too would be a DNF. But surprisingly - it reminded me of the complete thrill of reading crime stories. I literally could not put it down for a second. Finished in one sitting. So good.
I love this type of setting in books - old orphanages, creepy stories going around, unhinged people. I didn't know it's based on real-life events. But when I got to know, I googled & read about St. Joseph's orphanage. The vibe was more grim afterwards.
It's just an excellent book overall. Highly recommended for thriller/true-crime lovers.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief
fast-paced
After her last true crime book left her a bit disgraced, Alex Kelly accepts a ghost writing gig that tells the troubled history of an old orphanage, Coram House. However, as she digs into the past and learns more about the children who were abused at the orphanage, she starts to uncover that there is more to the story than she was led to believe.
Coral House is a slow burn — there is not a ton of action, and a lot of the focus is on slowly revealing information and exploring Alex as a character. I liked Alex quite a bit; she’s clearly struggling after the death of her husband & her failed last book, and she does not make great decisions, but she felt very real to me. If a somewhat messy, difficult main character sounds interesting to you, this will be a good fit.
The mystery itself is compelling and delivered in an engaging way. There’s Alex’s POV as she’s researching, as well as transcripts from interviews of the children who were involved. I liked getting both of those perspectives. There is a twist, but it is pretty easy to see it coming. This is more character study than mystery, in my opinion.
While this doesn’t necessarily do anything new for the genre, it’s a well written story that kept me eager to read more. It was a great palette cleanser between some of the really heavy lit fic I’ve been reading, and I definitely recommend it as a light slow burn mystery.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was a little dry, but overall I enjoyed the mystery. Until the betcha-didn't-guess-that-one twist which felt like the author was trying too hard to surprise people instead of just telling a good story.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated