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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
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
Ok skriven men snörplig då det inte hände nåt???
dark
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
In Nothing Can Hurt you you get an interesting set of characters, all of whom are in some way related to, collage student, Sara Morgan and her murder done by her boyfriend while on drugs. The POV's shift every chapter and Nicola is able to use these shifts to elevate the book.
Though it is not a Mystery, the mystery has already been solved. Sure you could say it is a Crime novel but even then I wouldn't consider it to be that. It's not truly a Mystery, Crime, or Thriller book. But, it is still interesting and it doesn't fail to make you want to know more. The characters seem real and through their 20-40 something pages that include their POV they seem well written and you are able to see how each one was affected by Sara Morgans death.
This book definitely makes you think about the American justice system and what the difference between justice and revenge is.
Nicola is a great writer, if you enjoy mystery this might not be a good book for you, but if you like well written characters and a little bit of crime you will probably enjoy this.
Though it is not a Mystery, the mystery has already been solved. Sure you could say it is a Crime novel but even then I wouldn't consider it to be that. It's not truly a Mystery, Crime, or Thriller book. But, it is still interesting and it doesn't fail to make you want to know more. The characters seem real and through their 20-40 something pages that include their POV they seem well written and you are able to see how each one was affected by Sara Morgans death.
This book definitely makes you think about the American justice system and what the difference between justice and revenge is.
Nicola is a great writer, if you enjoy mystery this might not be a good book for you, but if you like well written characters and a little bit of crime you will probably enjoy this.
An original take on the ubiquitous "murdered woman" story, NOTHING CAN HURT you is more about psychological exploration than murder.
It pieces together the voices of a handful of people affected, directly or not, by the murder of Sara Morgan. It is a dark novel, but a quick read. Each voice is somber, death and cruelty are common themes. What is cruel? Who is cruel? And why? Faced with a senseless killing and no one to blame for it, those in the periphery reflect.
Goldberg writes poignantly and without articifice.
However, I think, ultimately, that this book struck me more as very well executed writing exercise than as a story that really captivated me.
It pieces together the voices of a handful of people affected, directly or not, by the murder of Sara Morgan. It is a dark novel, but a quick read. Each voice is somber, death and cruelty are common themes. What is cruel? Who is cruel? And why? Faced with a senseless killing and no one to blame for it, those in the periphery reflect.
Goldberg writes poignantly and without articifice.
However, I think, ultimately, that this book struck me more as very well executed writing exercise than as a story that really captivated me.
3.5 stars rounded down to 3 for Goodreads. Finished this one in less than a day. Quick, easy read with a final chapter that serves no real purpose. Definitely organized in a unique format exploring the ripples created by the murder of Sara Morgan. While I did enjoy the novel somewhat, I would not consider it true crime or a mystery. While the synopsis mentions the fact that a serial killer was considered at one point a possible suspect in Sara’s murder, this lead is quickly discounted, destroying any mystery that might exist. While the story may be “based on a true story,” that story was not conveyed and no real evidence was discussed beyond Blake’s confession. After seeing so many raving reviews about this one, I was definitely disappointed.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Nicola Maye Goldberg’s Nothing Can Hurt You is another novel in a growing subgenre I’ve seen developing in literary mystery novels. For decades, mysteries have focused on solving the crime. Some bold writers choose to tell the story from the perspective of the victim. But now I’m starting to see novels that explore the emotional ripples that spread from a murder to family and friends two or three levels removed from the victim and the killer. Nothing Can Hurt You may be the most diffuse example of the genre I’ve seen yet...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Nothing Can Hurt You is based on a true story and Nicola Maye Goldberg’s debut novel follows the 1997 murder of college student Sara Morgan and her boyfriend Blake Campbell who confessed to killing her. Instead of the traditional novel which may follow a couple of characters throughout the plot, every chapter is a vignette of a different person who is somehow involved in or influenced by Sara’s death. Each new character that is introduced in Goldberg’s novel is unique with details, friends, and family who are only part of their world, and the reader only has the opportunity to meet most of these characters once. References to various characters are found throughout the vignettes so there is a connection to the plot throughout the entire novel.
The novel can be best described as a deconstructed psychological thriller. Goldberg deconstructs the traditional novel by using the plot to connect each of the characters with little to no communication between each other. She forces the reader to rethink what they know and to learn a fresh new way of reading and comprehending a novel.
Each chapter in Goldberg’s novel changes not only the focus character but also the voice of each character, the setting, minor characters, and even the tense. It is clearly apparent that the author took the time and put in the effort to make each character and their life unique, which are all then linked without making any of them sound like the character before. The characters throughout Nothing Can Hurt You are all connected to Sara or the murder of Sara in some way. There are 12 very different and unique characters to tell Sara’s story through their own eyes and it is evident throughout that Goldberg uses her characters to make it clear that society in general views gendered related murders as a normal part of society. Goldberg also uses her characters to discuss how male killers are viewed as celebrities and how the female victims are more likely to be forgotten.
The writing style is incredibly unique and Goldberg is able to create scenery and characters using stunning prose that is as fluid as a rushing stream. Not once throughout her novel does something feel out of place; everything that Goldberg writes is meant to be there. It leaves the reader thinking, and after letting the entire novel sink in, the reader will understand what it is that Goldberg wants to across in her novel.
It is difficult to compare Goldberg’s debut novel to anything else out there because of how unique it is, but if you are a fan of psychological thrillers and feminist writings, then you need to get a copy of Nothing Can Hurt You. After finishing the novel I had to take a couple of days to process everything that happened because it is so out of the ordinary. I am not saying that this is a difficult read, but the reader needs to go into this novel with an open mind and trust that Goldberg knows what she is doing, because she does. She essentially has reinvented what a novel is and how it’s meant to be comprehended. This was a bold move for a debut novel and Goldberg has written Nothing Can Hurt You brilliantly.
https://www.thenerddaily.com/nothing-can-hurt-you-by-nicola-maye-goldberg/
Originally posted on The Nerd Daily, link above.
*Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC and for The Nerd Daily for making it happen!*
The novel can be best described as a deconstructed psychological thriller. Goldberg deconstructs the traditional novel by using the plot to connect each of the characters with little to no communication between each other. She forces the reader to rethink what they know and to learn a fresh new way of reading and comprehending a novel.
Each chapter in Goldberg’s novel changes not only the focus character but also the voice of each character, the setting, minor characters, and even the tense. It is clearly apparent that the author took the time and put in the effort to make each character and their life unique, which are all then linked without making any of them sound like the character before. The characters throughout Nothing Can Hurt You are all connected to Sara or the murder of Sara in some way. There are 12 very different and unique characters to tell Sara’s story through their own eyes and it is evident throughout that Goldberg uses her characters to make it clear that society in general views gendered related murders as a normal part of society. Goldberg also uses her characters to discuss how male killers are viewed as celebrities and how the female victims are more likely to be forgotten.
The writing style is incredibly unique and Goldberg is able to create scenery and characters using stunning prose that is as fluid as a rushing stream. Not once throughout her novel does something feel out of place; everything that Goldberg writes is meant to be there. It leaves the reader thinking, and after letting the entire novel sink in, the reader will understand what it is that Goldberg wants to across in her novel.
It is difficult to compare Goldberg’s debut novel to anything else out there because of how unique it is, but if you are a fan of psychological thrillers and feminist writings, then you need to get a copy of Nothing Can Hurt You. After finishing the novel I had to take a couple of days to process everything that happened because it is so out of the ordinary. I am not saying that this is a difficult read, but the reader needs to go into this novel with an open mind and trust that Goldberg knows what she is doing, because she does. She essentially has reinvented what a novel is and how it’s meant to be comprehended. This was a bold move for a debut novel and Goldberg has written Nothing Can Hurt You brilliantly.
https://www.thenerddaily.com/nothing-can-hurt-you-by-nicola-maye-goldberg/
Originally posted on The Nerd Daily, link above.
*Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC and for The Nerd Daily for making it happen!*