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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Christmas-time is perfect for spending time with family, sitting by the fire, and thrillers! Yes, this short novella is short but not-so-sweet in a mysterious sort of way.
*Spoilers ahead*
The first half of the book starts off as a mystery as we are reading the diary of Ashley and trying to figure out what is happening in this flashback. Who dies? Who did it? And what's the deal with Emma's brother, Adam? By the second half of the book, however, things take a bit of a twisty turn. The reveal of who did it brought up, and the rest of the book becomes a question of why as we learn a bit more truth from other people's perspective. It's this weird, psychological thriller with the backdrop of a festive time of year that makes this all the more unsettling. Add to that the titular Christmas Guest that finally shows up adds a Dickensian flair to the whole thing.
If you need to step away from the festivities of Christmas and are looking for something to read in one quick sitting, The Christmas Guest is a perfect getaway.
*Spoilers ahead*
The first half of the book starts off as a mystery as we are reading the diary of Ashley and trying to figure out what is happening in this flashback. Who dies? Who did it? And what's the deal with Emma's brother, Adam? By the second half of the book, however, things take a bit of a twisty turn. The reveal of who did it brought up, and the rest of the book becomes a question of why as we learn a bit more truth from other people's perspective. It's this weird, psychological thriller with the backdrop of a festive time of year that makes this all the more unsettling. Add to that the titular Christmas Guest that finally shows up adds a Dickensian flair to the whole thing.
If you need to step away from the festivities of Christmas and are looking for something to read in one quick sitting, The Christmas Guest is a perfect getaway.
mysterious
fast-paced
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was a good little murder mystery. My only disappointment is that they didn't touch on the obvious twincest aspect.
dark
mysterious
fast-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
dark
sad
tense
Felt like the author struggled to write the perspective of a young woman. Kind of fun mystery but also a bit labored.