Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Scenes of a Graphic Nature

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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itskathamilton's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

A sort of murder mystery meets “finding yourself and your heritage” travel story, with a lesbian protagonist who has complex relationships with her parents and best friend. There’s a love story in there too, making this an enrapturing read.

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isobel's review

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dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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nickc777's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

“Who could ever burn this?”

A brilliant example of a book that gets better as it goes on.

From the drive to Clipim, the novel was gripping, exciting and built tension and pace so well. The depiction of small town atmosphere, trauma and queer identity enthralled and I wouldn’t have thought about putting it down.

The first third however I found a little dull and as I read it seemed that this section was considered by writer or editor as necessary exposition rather than a gripping section of the novel. If this section was simply cut entirely, it would be five stars without a doubt.

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