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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What an intense book! Unfamiliar with Tracy Sierra, I grabbed this audiobook from Libby this morning when I realized the one I had from the library was something I’d already read. “Psychological suspense” caught my eye, and boy was that accurate! I’m in the middle of a 677-page print book that I’d hoped to finish today, but it was difficult to pull away from this wild story. It really had me on the edge of my seat, so I carried my tablet around all day, when doing laundry, taking out the garbage, brushing my teeth, watering plants, etc.
While the main character was often irksome with her nagging self-doubt, the backstory interspersed throughout illuminated many of her issues. [Sometimes that back-and-forth in time makes things confusing, but it was well done here.] I enjoyed the image of a mom — however damaged — willing to fight for her children, even in a traumatic and confusing situation. Sierra threw in some mom-details that I’ve never heard in other books, and that was fun. The twists were great, even if a couple weren’t exactly shocking. And the end was just enough different from what I expected to make me happy.
Bonus with the audiobook: narrator Emily Ellet was fantastic! With a story this nerve-jangling, an overly dramatic read would have pushed it over the top. Ellet’s distinctive voicing of different characters was good enough for me to know who was speaking before the names were said. When the kids were upset, she didn’t exaggerate their words. The mom’s confusion and anxiety were detectable without whining or shrillness. She’s good enough that I’ll seek out books she narrates just like I would a favorite author.
While the main character was often irksome with her nagging self-doubt, the backstory interspersed throughout illuminated many of her issues. [Sometimes that back-and-forth in time makes things confusing, but it was well done here.] I enjoyed the image of a mom — however damaged — willing to fight for her children, even in a traumatic and confusing situation. Sierra threw in some mom-details that I’ve never heard in other books, and that was fun. The twists were great, even if a couple weren’t exactly shocking. And the end was just enough different from what I expected to make me happy.
Bonus with the audiobook: narrator Emily Ellet was fantastic! With a story this nerve-jangling, an overly dramatic read would have pushed it over the top. Ellet’s distinctive voicing of different characters was good enough for me to know who was speaking before the names were said. When the kids were upset, she didn’t exaggerate their words. The mom’s confusion and anxiety were detectable without whining or shrillness. She’s good enough that I’ll seek out books she narrates just like I would a favorite author.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another story where men don't believe women... Surprise!
I'M REELING. This book frustrated the hell out of me... but I think it was still good?
It was repetitive, simultaneously felt fast-paced but also like nothing was happening, and the way the main character's inner monologue is written and interspersed through the rest of the narrative was sometimes hard to follow/disrupted the flow (though I suppose that's the point).
AND YET - I was on the edge of my seat, desperate to figure out what was going on, feeling unable to trust literally any of the characters. It got two audible gasps out of me.
What a frickin ride.
It was repetitive, simultaneously felt fast-paced but also like nothing was happening, and the way the main character's inner monologue is written and interspersed through the rest of the narrative was sometimes hard to follow/disrupted the flow (though I suppose that's the point).
AND YET - I was on the edge of my seat, desperate to figure out what was going on, feeling unable to trust literally any of the characters. It got two audible gasps out of me.
What a frickin ride.
Here's the problem with a book that starts RIGHT OFF: It can only maintain that suspense for a short time. The first 50 pages were a thriller, and the last 20. Everything else was interviews with police, who grew increasingly frustrating.
I appreciated the flashbacks to our character's life, the lack of empowerment she felt, tied to the death of her mother, apparently a bad relationship with her father? (though that was really never fleshed out), her insecurities with her ventiligo, and her fraught relationship with her father-in-law. There's also a mutated mountain lion and maybe an assault in college? Despite being referenced to a few times, it's never fully explained. I think overall, the feeling of being watched in your safe space was well explained, but largely it was a bit of a snore. I would have liked less police interviews, and more in-depth explanation of who our narrator IS.
Also? Her husband seemed like a dick, but she talks about him like he was great. Just a lot of loose ends.
I appreciated the flashbacks to our character's life, the lack of empowerment she felt, tied to the death of her mother, apparently a bad relationship with her father? (though that was really never fleshed out), her insecurities with her ventiligo, and her fraught relationship with her father-in-law. There's also a mutated mountain lion and maybe an assault in college? Despite being referenced to a few times, it's never fully explained. I think overall, the feeling of being watched in your safe space was well explained, but largely it was a bit of a snore. I would have liked less police interviews, and more in-depth explanation of who our narrator IS.
Also? Her husband seemed like a dick, but she talks about him like he was great. Just a lot of loose ends.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
5/01 - rating this book a low 2.5 after the book club session.
will rate the book on here after last session with book club in jan!
will rate the book on here after last session with book club in jan!