Scan barcode
gmaz's review
dark
tense
medium-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
3.0
Overall, I did not like this book. I guess I'm a weirdo, because reading other reviews, people did not like the beginning, saying it started out too slow. I very much enjoyed the beginning, and I did not like part 3. The first part, especially, reminded me of Jonathon Franzen or Don Dellilo, psychological character studies, and I wanted more of that. I went into the book not realizing the "thriller" category it was in.
I could not get over Owen Darvish's death by Shelley. It didn't make any sense to me, except to set up all the thriller aspects in part 3. It seemed gratuitous. Sure, it shows Lemoine is a bad person, but that's not the only way. Why do we have to murder people to have be shown people are bad? Murder seems like such a cheap and lazy solution. I wanted the deep psychological aspects of character development to continue, people playing mind games or social tactics to get ahead. I really wanted to know who was going to win—Lemoine, or Birnam Wood, or the Darvishes? In the end, nobody won. We all lost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Violence
ellbutler's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Car accident
Minor: Gun violence
popsicleplease's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder
jacs63's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I never vibed with Catton's Booker prize winner 'The Luminaries' but I enjoyed 'Birnam Wood'.
Its not a 5 star read for me, but its up there.
It's well written and a page turner.
The first 2/3's of the book do drag a bit, as many have complained about, but I guess its how she sets up the plot and describes the characters.
Then all hell breaks loose in the last third, until a bit of a damp squib of an ending. I was feeling like it all just ran out of steam a bit.
Enjoyable, but was left wanting more.
Its not a 5 star read for me, but its up there.
It's well written and a page turner.
The first 2/3's of the book do drag a bit, as many have complained about, but I guess its how she sets up the plot and describes the characters.
Then all hell breaks loose in the last third, until a bit of a damp squib of an ending. I was feeling like it all just ran out of steam a bit.
Enjoyable, but was left wanting more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Gun violence, Genocide, Medical content, Car accident, and Violence
aileron's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Car accident
Moderate: Murder, Animal death, and Drug use
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide, and Gun violence
amesreads's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Stalking, Drug use, Death, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
petit_lecteur's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
kirstym25's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death
elenaj15's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Lots of run-on and long sentences seems to be the author’s style. There was a bit of a lull in the middle of this book but picked up pretty quickly afterward. Still confused by a minor detail of the ending that’s bothering me.
Edit: the more i thought about this book the more it made me mad
Edit: the more i thought about this book the more it made me mad
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death