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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Really enjoyed this book, although I got confused at some points with the storyline. Lots of twists I wasn’t expecting. Would definitely recommend.
I never got into this book. Thought about not finishing but so many people gave it great reviews that I stuck with it. I was confused often by the timeline jumps. The characters were introduced but not well. And as much I wanted to care about this story I just didn’t. With more detail this could have been such a powerful story but instead it fell flat for me.
Eh. It was ok. Yes, there was a small twist that I didn't guess but I thought it was pretty predictable. And to be honest, the writing did not surpass the theme, which was just sad. I will say that I really liked the way each chapter represented one of the kids, even though the book was written from Girl As perspective. And I loved how the house seemed like a character.
Slow read. Hard to follow with all the time hopping.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**I received an advance copy from the publisher because I am a librarian and librarians are awesome**
One of those pseudo-ripped-from-the-headlines books that I just cannot ignore when I come across it. It's got that mix of torture-porn (not actual porn) and semi-unreliable narrator that is tres chic in suspense titles today.
A quibble - there was enough inconsistency in the section headings and narrator's accounting of the number of siblings that I actually thought that perhaps this ARC was much rougher than most and that a sibling had been edited out at some point in the story -
Regardless, this is a page turner, if you like back and forth stories of survivors and the horrific abuse they suffered as children. But it was no Room, which is the standard that I hold all captive children books to.
One of those pseudo-ripped-from-the-headlines books that I just cannot ignore when I come across it. It's got that mix of torture-porn (not actual porn) and semi-unreliable narrator that is tres chic in suspense titles today.
A quibble - there was enough inconsistency in the section headings and narrator's accounting of the number of siblings that I actually thought that perhaps this ARC was much rougher than most and that a sibling had been edited out at some point in the story -
Spoiler
but it turned out, no, that "missing" sibling was a part of the sad secret.Regardless, this is a page turner, if you like back and forth stories of survivors and the horrific abuse they suffered as children. But it was no Room, which is the standard that I hold all captive children books to.
Does not live up to the hype
Admittedly I'm not a huge fan of thrillers in general and certainly not of these kind of 'house of horrors' stories, but all the rave reviews convinced me to give it a try.
The book certainly doesn't live up to the hype: "Sensational. Gripping, haunting, and beautifully written", "A masterpiece", "Incredibly well written, devastating in a good way, and intriguing to the last page" are just a few quotes I've seen.
The story is well-written, despite the fact that a lot of the narrative switches between the present (Girl A settling the estate), life in the House of Horrors and the lives of the children after they were saved from this House, which can sometimes lead to confusion.
But there are sufficient twists to the plot to keep things interesting and hold the reader's attention.
However it's not more than that either: a good psychological thriller, with the emphasis on psychological and not on thriller. Except for one scene at the end you can hardly call it a 'thriller' at all. Fans of the genre will undoubtedly be delighted with it, but for me...I'll have forgotten the plot in a few months.
Admittedly I'm not a huge fan of thrillers in general and certainly not of these kind of 'house of horrors' stories, but all the rave reviews convinced me to give it a try.
The book certainly doesn't live up to the hype: "Sensational. Gripping, haunting, and beautifully written", "A masterpiece", "Incredibly well written, devastating in a good way, and intriguing to the last page" are just a few quotes I've seen.
The story is well-written, despite the fact that a lot of the narrative switches between the present (Girl A settling the estate), life in the House of Horrors and the lives of the children after they were saved from this House, which can sometimes lead to confusion.
But there are sufficient twists to the plot to keep things interesting and hold the reader's attention.
However it's not more than that either: a good psychological thriller, with the emphasis on psychological and not on thriller. Except for one scene at the end you can hardly call it a 'thriller' at all. Fans of the genre will undoubtedly be delighted with it, but for me...I'll have forgotten the plot in a few months.
I can’t exactly place what is stopping me from giving it 5 stars. Realistically, it’s probably more of a 4.5 book for me versus a 4, but something in me doesn’t want to round up. It’s definitely a good book that is layered with many interesting/twisty themes. I think my disappointment in the book might come from the current day perspective, there just seemed to be something missing.
This is a fictionalized retelling of the Turpin Family's House Of Horrors that made headlines a few years ago. There are many blatant and shocking details that are exactly the same in this work and in the information uncovered by police and investigators when it happened in real life.
Girl A, Alexandra, was the one who escaped her chains and lead the authorities to her other bound, filthy, starved, malnourished, and broken brothers and sisters. As she and her siblings are recovered and adopted out separately, this novel focuses on the psychological damage that heavy abuse leaves on an individual and how to cope with it even as an adult. There is family disconnect and drama, but not much insight into the house itself or what happened in it.
I was extremely disappointed in this book! As a true crime lover, I was excited to delve into the mind of a man who can so easily hurt his family with no remorse. Morbid? Absolutely. Interesting? Absolutely! Unfortunately, our unreliable narrator didn't provide any insight or detailing into what went on with her father, the relationship between her parents, and how her siblings dealt with the abuse they were also victims of. I would have really loved to see more of the dynamics between the mother and father. There was obvious abuse going on there, but I found the mother's character to be so incredibly interesting. I couldn't help but feel the author's missed opportunity to have more POVs and add so much more meat to the story. There was so much written about Alexandra's boring travels and boring work, and not enough written about what she went through. The only likeable characters featured here were the people who adopted Girl A. AND MOST OF ALL, the crazy alternating time periods in every other paragraph! It was difficult to understanding where and when we were in the narrative, all the time. I can appreciate the author's artistic choice here in hoping to further drive home the mental headspace abuse can put it's victims in, but it did not work for me. Again, I think hearing from different POVs would have made this so much more enjoyable for me as well. There are many closed doors that we never get to see behind, and it was frustrating.
Overall, I think the subject matter was interesting. I like the details we did get from the time spent in the house. I think the author just really missed the mark in certain places, and took too much time to write about things I didn't care about.
Girl A, Alexandra, was the one who escaped her chains and lead the authorities to her other bound, filthy, starved, malnourished, and broken brothers and sisters. As she and her siblings are recovered and adopted out separately, this novel focuses on the psychological damage that heavy abuse leaves on an individual and how to cope with it even as an adult. There is family disconnect and drama, but not much insight into the house itself or what happened in it.
I was extremely disappointed in this book! As a true crime lover, I was excited to delve into the mind of a man who can so easily hurt his family with no remorse. Morbid? Absolutely. Interesting? Absolutely! Unfortunately, our unreliable narrator didn't provide any insight or detailing into what went on with her father, the relationship between her parents, and how her siblings dealt with the abuse they were also victims of. I would have really loved to see more of the dynamics between the mother and father. There was obvious abuse going on there, but I found the mother's character to be so incredibly interesting. I couldn't help but feel the author's missed opportunity to have more POVs and add so much more meat to the story. There was so much written about Alexandra's boring travels and boring work, and not enough written about what she went through. The only likeable characters featured here were the people who adopted Girl A. AND MOST OF ALL, the crazy alternating time periods in every other paragraph! It was difficult to understanding where and when we were in the narrative, all the time. I can appreciate the author's artistic choice here in hoping to further drive home the mental headspace abuse can put it's victims in, but it did not work for me. Again, I think hearing from different POVs would have made this so much more enjoyable for me as well. There are many closed doors that we never get to see behind, and it was frustrating.
Overall, I think the subject matter was interesting. I like the details we did get from the time spent in the house. I think the author just really missed the mark in certain places, and took too much time to write about things I didn't care about.
dark
emotional
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes