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katiekat19's review
mysterious
medium-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? No
3.5
sarahkline's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
libabbywilliams's review against another edition
4.0
Good but confusing
This book had a really good ending. But a really slow and confusing start. Definitely a creative idea, and a book I would read again.
This book had a really good ending. But a really slow and confusing start. Definitely a creative idea, and a book I would read again.
holdenkillfield's review against another edition
1.0
A quote from the book is the ultimate unintentional meta-joke the author did not intend, BUT applies to this book too perfectly and my exact feelings about reading this book:
"So Avery went up to her room and lay down on her bed and started reading. Which was something she generally liked to do.
But this book was painful.
The same way old movies sometimes were, with their incredibly long opening credit sequences and slow starts.
She started to skim.
Then tried to get herself to stop, to focus.
Then started to skim.
Then focused.
Then finally hit the meat of the story and powered through."
I slogged through this book that had a very stilted writing style, one-note characters, and extremely jarring artistic license to make the text look like 90s WordArt and do crazy grammar and punctuation art (?) all over the pages. What was the purpose? This is a bad rip-off of trying to make an impact à la House of Leaves. The beginning starts off strong for the first 50 pages and then suddenly it's just a bore-fest of teen drama and romance for over 300 pages. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN? The whole middle was unnecessary and the ending was so unimaginative leaving you with more questions.
"So Avery went up to her room and lay down on her bed and started reading. Which was something she generally liked to do.
But this book was painful.
The same way old movies sometimes were, with their incredibly long opening credit sequences and slow starts.
She started to skim.
Then tried to get herself to stop, to focus.
Then started to skim.
Then focused.
Then finally hit the meat of the story and powered through."
I slogged through this book that had a very stilted writing style, one-note characters, and extremely jarring artistic license to make the text look like 90s WordArt and do crazy grammar and punctuation art (?) all over the pages. What was the purpose? This is a bad rip-off of trying to make an impact à la House of Leaves. The beginning starts off strong for the first 50 pages and then suddenly it's just a bore-fest of teen drama and romance for over 300 pages. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN? The whole middle was unnecessary and the ending was so unimaginative leaving you with more questions.
marjosmom's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
reillsreads's review
3.0
Honestly went on too long, still had a lot of questions post read. Appreciated the concept but the pages were also like reading confusing poetry?
telemanusjellybeanco's review
1.0
The only good thing I have to say about this book is that it's not actually as long as it seems. The author uses creative writing and spacing for the narratives of two main characters, so there is a lot of blank space, which makes for a quick read. However, a quick read does not always equal a satisfying read. This book was not satisfying. I had an extremely difficult time connecting to any of the characters. I couldn't love them and I couldn't hate them because they all came off as so ignorant, and you really can't hate ignorant, only pity it.
On the first day of kindergarten, six children disappear. 11 years later, 5 of them show back up with no memory of what happened. I was extremely disappointed that, out of the 5 kids to return, only 2 of them have first person narratives in the book. Which becomes very frustrating when those other three kids are talked about, but we never get to hear their side of the story.
There were just too many loose ends in this book for me to enjoy it. If a series was planned, I may have been kinder in my rating.
When I pick up a book about a returned kidnapping, I want to know what exactly happened during said kidnapping. There is no AH-HA! moment for any of the returned kids. Thoroughly disappointed.
On the first day of kindergarten, six children disappear. 11 years later, 5 of them show back up with no memory of what happened. I was extremely disappointed that, out of the 5 kids to return, only 2 of them have first person narratives in the book. Which becomes very frustrating when those other three kids are talked about, but we never get to hear their side of the story.
There were just too many loose ends in this book for me to enjoy it. If a series was planned, I may have been kinder in my rating.
When I pick up a book about a returned kidnapping, I want to know what exactly happened during said kidnapping. There is no AH-HA! moment for any of the returned kids. Thoroughly disappointed.
supermomcrazytown's review
4.0
This book was really hard to put down. It was compelling and had just the right amount of mystery and clues to all your questions without actually telling you until the time was right. I wanted more. I wanted to know what ever happened to the person/people responsible for everything that happened. I wanted an explanation from them... which I kind of got but it wasnt satisfying enough. I wish there had been a happier ending.
This story really hit me because I have a son who just finished kindergarten and I could just imagine how terrible this would be for him.
All in all, it was a really good book. An easy read because of the layout. I liked that each person's parts were on the short side so I was never waiting too long after a cliffhanger clue.
I cant pick out much I dont like, except for what was already mentioned.
This story really hit me because I have a son who just finished kindergarten and I could just imagine how terrible this would be for him.
All in all, it was a really good book. An easy read because of the layout. I liked that each person's parts were on the short side so I was never waiting too long after a cliffhanger clue.
I cant pick out much I dont like, except for what was already mentioned.
writer_amaya's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Violence