Reviews with content warning for Death - Scenes of a Graphic Nature

This has been on my radar since last summer when I saw it at YALC, so when I noticed that the audiobook was on Scribd, I thought I'd give it a go. And it was a really engaging, funny, and yet also heart-wrenching novel. I liked Charlie as a character, even though she was unreliable and disorganised at times. I always appreciate characters whose self-awareness increases as the novel progresses, and I liked this aspect of Charlie; she realises that she's been selfish and flighty at times, as well as bitter over Laura's successes and has, on a number of occasions, made excuses for her lack of ambition and career progress.

I enjoyed the thought-provoking exploration of her friendship with Laura and I thought the way Laura changed over the years (especially after she found out that Charlie is a lesbian) was very realistic to real life. The critique of casual homophobia was very validating and the way the mystery unraveled kept me hooked. The final chapter was melancholic (as expected) and yet also hopeful for a brighter future, and I thought the author struck a really good balance between the two emotions.

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bella_cavicchi's review

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I found this a bit of a mixed bag. It holds a strong premise, and I appreciated how Irish history (and the relatable tension between pride and shame over one's country) is woven throughout. But I also thought the execution of the narrative itself fell flat, the pace oftentimes moving too quickly and conveniently for me to appreciate the weight of the story. Likewise, the characters felt more like sketches than fully drawn out -- which is a shame because the foundation is there!

All said, it made for good commute reading :~)

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hollymileham's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

what a big slog of a read this was
definitely the best written book ive read by her, however the pacing of the plot just did not hit the spot and it got to the point where i just wasnt rooting for anyone and didnt care at all, everyones very unlikable and i feel like the whole conspiracy plot could have been a lot more interesting

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abigailc0x's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

this got better as it went on and so maybe a 3.25
i’m glad in the end you actually find out what happened but i feel as though there were a lot of things just left open and maybe that was the point but idk
i’m glad it got a happy ending but it doesn’t mention certain characters that id have liked to know abou

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cascar's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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becca_thegrimreader's review

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I absolutely loved this book. In the words of Caroline O’Donoghue herself, it’s a banger. Charlie is an aspiring filmmaker. Her father is dying from cancer and Charlie struggles to balance her career and her family. She has just made a film based on a childhood tragedy of her father’s. He was the sole surviving child in a fatal gas leak in his school on the island of Clipim. Charlie travels to Ireland, and subsequently to Clipim where she must confront the past and discover the truth.

Charlie’s trip to Ireland is quite funny initially as she considers herself Irish but has never visited the country before. The book tackles many romantic stereotypes that Ireland has been given by many. Ireland is often seen as a friendly, welcoming, and happy nation, yet the real truth is that we have as many issues and dark historical secrets beneath the surface. The book delves into the cover-ups and the denial of the truth. A warning to readers that it does discuss the abuse of women and children at the hands of the Catholic Church.

Charlie herself is someone that you are rooting for from the very start. She is lost and hurt that her career has not taken off like her friend Laura. She is also mourning her friendship with Laura, who in my mind does not treat her well. Laura’s off-hand remarks about past situations between the two, and even about remarks about LGBTQ+ were incredibly hurtful. Yet the relationship and feelings between the two felt agonisingly real. The pain of watching your friend move on with their life, their career taking off, and feeling left behind are ones that many can relate to in this book.

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