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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1. def an addictive read
2. liked the format with the podcast and interviews, was fun
3. sometimes it dragged a lil, especially alix and nathan’s relationship was boring to me
4. sometimes of the plot felt predictable, but also i did really like and find cleverthe ending how it could be viewed that josie wasn’t crazy, i thought that was a nice change (ok edit there’s a bonus chapter that confirms the end where roxy killed brooke is true, that makes me enjoy it more, especially that it could be a commentary on true crime itself as a genre and perfect victims and it made the unreliable narrator of it all better. like josie is painted as a victim, then a villain, but in reality she is a mix. fuck walter tho.)
6. why was covid there
7. alix was annoying, also no 45 year old woman would have a name spelled that way
8.it’s been 30 minutes since finishing and i keep upping my rating by .25 (went from 3 to 4 stars). like at the time it wasn’t that good but like marinating on the ending i am appreciating it more and more. thinking about about how first when josie is telling her story something feels off and post-walter’s death definitely you think josie is a villain, a common trope now in thrillers. and then that’s why it feels predictable because the book is playing into your preconceived notions and yes josie is flawed, and once josie is the villain everyone else can explain away their part, and you as the reader will believe them. and ok josie and the kidnapping + murder was a lil underbaked. but the ending reveal i forgive it ok. and the bonus chapter i read (only available in the audiobook) def added so much. i don’t get why it wasn’t in the regular version. and now i am thinking back with all the little details i missed, mainly because i had seen josie as the villain. and the commentary on true crime was really good and how that feeds into needing a perfect victim, and how then walter (among others) was rehabilitated by the podcast. very compelling but a few weak spots (legit i hate that it brought up covid let me be free)
2. liked the format with the podcast and interviews, was fun
3. sometimes it dragged a lil, especially alix and nathan’s relationship was boring to me
4. sometimes of the plot felt predictable, but also i did really like and find clever
6. why was covid there
7. alix was annoying, also no 45 year old woman would have a name spelled that way
8.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5/5
I don’t think Lisa Jewell’s books are fully for me, when it comes to endings. It wasn’t satisfying, but am I just getting picky? Not sure. That being said, the journey to get there was suspenseful and a little unnerving as we learn more of what really happened. I liked it that way! The audio (full cast and immersive sound effects as if I were really listening to a podcast) was also a plus!!
I don’t think Lisa Jewell’s books are fully for me, when it comes to endings. It wasn’t satisfying, but am I just getting picky? Not sure. That being said, the journey to get there was suspenseful and a little unnerving as we learn more of what really happened. I liked it that way! The audio (full cast and immersive sound effects as if I were really listening to a podcast) was also a plus!!
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol