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iv3tte's review against another edition
2.0
Molly’s constant quoting of her granny was pretty annoying. And hard to buy how naive she was. I get that people are sheltered, but it was pretty ridiculous.
ametakinetos's review against another edition
2.0
Reviewing this is difficult, because for the majority of the experience I enjoyed the ride. I want to eat some Olive Garden and explore an old fancy hotel. The "twists" and the absolute sin of omission committed to create a semblance of mystery, however, fell incredibly flat.
As time wore on, Molly's characterization began to feel repetitive and increasingly unbelievable. You're telling me no one involved in this story has ever encountered neurodivergence before? I am not sure if this book is laughing with her or at her, so to speak.
I dislike mysteries that are not solvable to the reader due to withholding information, unless they make up for it with atmosphere/characters/wit/etc. This did not.
Spoiler
What in the euthanasia agenda...SO randomAs time wore on, Molly's characterization began to feel repetitive and increasingly unbelievable. You're telling me no one involved in this story has ever encountered neurodivergence before? I am not sure if this book is laughing with her or at her, so to speak.
I dislike mysteries that are not solvable to the reader due to withholding information, unless they make up for it with atmosphere/characters/wit/etc. This did not.
frafrin's review against another edition
2.0
7/11/2022: I didn’t write a review for this book initially (though I did rate if 5 stars at the time) and nearly three months later I’m still thinking about it. Especially after reading The Kiss Quotient which also has a neurodivergent lead I need to revisit my rating and thoughts on this book.
I did very much enjoy the story of this book. I like that it is a who dunnit type mystery. I liked the side characters. I liked the Columbo references and the close relationships Molly had with such a variety of people.
I don’t like that it appears a non neurodivergent person wrote a character that seems to be very clearly on the spectrum as so many facets of Molly’s personality are pulled from the big stereotypes of autism. While I did enjoy the point of view of Molly’s interpretation of social interactions that were often in direct contrast with the people she was interacting with, it often felt pushed to 11 for spectacle. And that her divergence was used cruelly and almost felt fetishized at times.
In contrast, The Kiss Quotient is written by someone with personal, lived experience being neurodivergent and it is directly addressed both in the writing and in the author’s bio rather than implied or left a mystery. While that is a contemporary romance, the same type of personality traits are present but don’t feel disingenuous.
I did very much enjoy the story of this book. I like that it is a who dunnit type mystery. I liked the side characters. I liked the Columbo references and the close relationships Molly had with such a variety of people.
I don’t like that it appears a non neurodivergent person wrote a character that seems to be very clearly on the spectrum as so many facets of Molly’s personality are pulled from the big stereotypes of autism. While I did enjoy the point of view of Molly’s interpretation of social interactions that were often in direct contrast with the people she was interacting with, it often felt pushed to 11 for spectacle. And that her divergence was used cruelly and almost felt fetishized at times.
In contrast, The Kiss Quotient is written by someone with personal, lived experience being neurodivergent and it is directly addressed both in the writing and in the author’s bio rather than implied or left a mystery. While that is a contemporary romance, the same type of personality traits are present but don’t feel disingenuous.
lisas_library_factory's review against another edition
4.0
I love a good murder mystery and when this popped up during the Goodreads-Choice Awards Voting in 2022 (and even more important: it won the price), I was very intrigued. I enjoyed the setting in an old-fashiones luxury hotel very much and the collection of diverse characters was very well plotted. The only downside that sometimes put me off a bit was the extreme naivety of the main character Molly. Why it was funny at times, I sometimes also cringed a litte, when she really did not seem to see the obvious. On the other hand, this character trait made her quite lovable and she certainly is a heroine of a kind in an interesting and challenging murder case.
moonfawn's review against another edition
2.0
WARNING MINOR SPOILERS
*sighs* Where do I begin? Man, I really wanted to like this book. With all of the new hype around this story and the author, I really had higher hopes. What I thought was going to be a murder mystery ended up being me slogging through page after page of 'Molly the Maid' digging herself a deeper hole by getting mixed up with the wrong people.
Due to her extreme social awkwardness, she isn't able to pick up on people's social cues, expressions, or emotions. She had once relied on her elderly grandmother to tell her what was going on every time someone said something, but with her recent passing, Molly finds herself lost. She constantly reminds herself of "What would Gran Say?" This becomes extremely cliche and boring in every single chapter.
Without going into much more detail, I'll say this.
Nothing is really ever a surprise in this story. That's where I have my issues. I wouldn't mind not having too many surprises in other genres but for a murder mystery... it fell flat. From the beginning, you know who is up to no good and who is not. There are about two minor "plot twists"... if you can even call them that. One of them isn't even until the Epilogue, which makes you feel like the entire story is absolutely pointless.
This book was something I felt like I would've gotten assigned to read in High school to do a written paper over. While, I didn't mind listening to parts of it on audiobook, actually reading it was like pulling teeth.
The highlight was that it was interesting to read about a character that has social awkwardness and possibly even borderline autism, and how they interact with the world. In that sense, I found it eye-opening. Everything else though, not so much.
Please just save your time and don't read this. If you're looking for a murder mystery, maybe try elsewhere.
*sighs* Where do I begin? Man, I really wanted to like this book. With all of the new hype around this story and the author, I really had higher hopes. What I thought was going to be a murder mystery ended up being me slogging through page after page of 'Molly the Maid' digging herself a deeper hole by getting mixed up with the wrong people.
Due to her extreme social awkwardness, she isn't able to pick up on people's social cues, expressions, or emotions. She had once relied on her elderly grandmother to tell her what was going on every time someone said something, but with her recent passing, Molly finds herself lost. She constantly reminds herself of "What would Gran Say?" This becomes extremely cliche and boring in every single chapter.
Without going into much more detail, I'll say this.
Nothing is really ever a surprise in this story. That's where I have my issues. I wouldn't mind not having too many surprises in other genres but for a murder mystery... it fell flat. From the beginning, you know who is up to no good and who is not. There are about two minor "plot twists"... if you can even call them that. One of them isn't even until the Epilogue, which makes you feel like the entire story is absolutely pointless.
This book was something I felt like I would've gotten assigned to read in High school to do a written paper over. While, I didn't mind listening to parts of it on audiobook, actually reading it was like pulling teeth.
The highlight was that it was interesting to read about a character that has social awkwardness and possibly even borderline autism, and how they interact with the world. In that sense, I found it eye-opening. Everything else though, not so much.
Please just save your time and don't read this. If you're looking for a murder mystery, maybe try elsewhere.
neelix's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
sarahkreads's review against another edition
4.0
quick vacation read!
This is an excellent, almost cozy mystery perfect for a vacation. Molly reminds me so much of Sheldon from TBBT. Excited for the on screen adaptation!
This is an excellent, almost cozy mystery perfect for a vacation. Molly reminds me so much of Sheldon from TBBT. Excited for the on screen adaptation!
jflem's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
jsboswell22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0