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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5*
while it was different from what i expected based on the back cover, i did find this book intriguing. the different points of view and different perspectives is something i haven’t seen a lot in books so far. overall, if we’re talking thrillers i wouldn’t put this very high on my list seeing as it’s retrospective, and not a ‘whodunnit’ kind of story which takes away from the whole thriller aspect
while it was different from what i expected based on the back cover, i did find this book intriguing. the different points of view and different perspectives is something i haven’t seen a lot in books so far. overall, if we’re talking thrillers i wouldn’t put this very high on my list seeing as it’s retrospective, and not a ‘whodunnit’ kind of story which takes away from the whole thriller aspect
Inspired by the true story of the murder of a college student this book has a unique and innovative approach to the exploration of the after affect of tragedy/murder(s) on a community. Each chapter presents a different persons actions and reactions from the half-sister of the victim, to the teenager the victim babysat and a junior reporter. Some of the responses are at first glance perhaps surprising but then human nature and psychology often is. For me this was just a little too disjointed. I never really had the opportunity to know the characters as few appear more than once. And there were so many characters. As a result I failed to feel any emotion for them or the wider community. I also struggled with the author's inclusion of the serial killer with the individual college girl murder. I couldn't understand the purpose - red herring, different community reactions, to provide a story line for the inclusion of one character, to highlight the prevalence of gender based violence - this just did not work for me. There were also too many unanswered questions - the psychic, the woman who found the body ...
This was very hard to read, because it’s all about violence and misogyny and several of the characters are young women and girls. That’s both praise and a warning; Goldberg doesn’t treat this violence lightly, which I appreciate, but it’s hard to sit with. The writing is spare and evocative, and unlike the last novel-in-stories that I read, I felt like this really hung together. A great pick for fans of Idaho by Emily Ruskovich.
painfully beautiful — each story knocked me out, and together they’re even more upsettingly good, with small details tracking among them while the wider expanse of violence — even more personal than murder — overwhelms
Often with stories told through Vignettes I lose track or get confused, but the names and characters were easily trackable and it flowed through the stories well.
I thought all the characters were convincing and was impressed by the dialogue especially. Most importantly, I loved how each girl was her own messy being and the ‘dead girl’ trope was subverted.
I thought all the characters were convincing and was impressed by the dialogue especially. Most importantly, I loved how each girl was her own messy being and the ‘dead girl’ trope was subverted.
I've been hovering between 3 and 4 stars for this one but have gone with the lower rating as essentially this is a collection of connected short stories rather than a novel.
After the death of a college student and the subsequent confession of her boyfriend we follow a number of characters whose lives are somehow touched by the incident.
Looking at the themes of loss, loneliness, death, mental illness and sexual assault I found that this book hovers at the edges of these issues without really going anywhere.
After the death of a college student and the subsequent confession of her boyfriend we follow a number of characters whose lives are somehow touched by the incident.
Looking at the themes of loss, loneliness, death, mental illness and sexual assault I found that this book hovers at the edges of these issues without really going anywhere.