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linesiunderline's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I hadn’t expected to like this one very much - in fact, quite a few meh / disappointed reviews almost had me passing it on to another reader. But it was a birthday gift, and so I felt I should give it a try. I’m so glad I did.
This is a quiet, character driven, literary style of mystery (otherwise known as my favourite kind of mystery). Yes, it’s slow paced. Yes, not a lot “happens,” and what does happen doesn’t come in any kind of rush. But somehow French creates a foreboding sense that kept me turning the pages, curious to know where things were going, and fine with the slow and steady telling.
A strong sense of place is one of the winning qualities of this read, and the relationship between Cal and Trey is quite wonderful. I was surprised to find this one really quite moving by the end. And the audiobook was excellent. Well worth the time - my review lands on the “read it” side of things.
This is a quiet, character driven, literary style of mystery (otherwise known as my favourite kind of mystery). Yes, it’s slow paced. Yes, not a lot “happens,” and what does happen doesn’t come in any kind of rush. But somehow French creates a foreboding sense that kept me turning the pages, curious to know where things were going, and fine with the slow and steady telling.
A strong sense of place is one of the winning qualities of this read, and the relationship between Cal and Trey is quite wonderful. I was surprised to find this one really quite moving by the end. And the audiobook was excellent. Well worth the time - my review lands on the “read it” side of things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Hate crime, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, and Transphobia
moon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
while tana french's writing is definitely a strong point of this novel, i find it hard to feel as positively for the plot. the pacing was quite slow so it was a challenge for me to get through the first part and the fact that the mystery was so boring didn't help in keeping my attention either. i mostly just kept going because i hate leaving things unfinished. the fomo is strong in this one (me). the conclusion to the mystery was pretty lacklustre and disappointing too because i had the impression that more shit was gonna go down.
that said, i'm a huge fan of the way tana french moulds her characters. all of them feel so authentically human, with their flaws and individualities that set each character apart from the rest. i have my reasons for disliking the main character and others as well, which is why i answered that i didn't find the characters lovable, but trey and lena are an exception. the way i got so attached to trey like she was my own sibling...
my point is, i didn't hate this book due to the brilliant writing, but the other things could be better.
that said, i'm a huge fan of the way tana french moulds her characters. all of them feel so authentically human, with their flaws and individualities that set each character apart from the rest. i have my reasons for disliking the main character and others as well, which is why i answered that i didn't find the characters lovable, but trey and lena are an exception. the way i got so attached to trey like she was my own sibling...
my point is, i didn't hate this book due to the brilliant writing, but the other things could be better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Hate crime
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