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sausome's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
3/5 stars - This book was so stressful and frustrating! Not really a mystery, more just suspense and horrible people being horrible. It all starts with a reality show premise for couples and ends with stranded island survival and a bit of "Lord of the Flies" stuff. Conor is one of the worst characters to be invented in fiction, I think, so that's a lot of "fun." I'm mostly glad to be done, as I definitely do not enjoy feeling like this while reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Thank you to Libro FM for the ALC.
I hadn't read a Ruth Ware book in a while, but when I see a book compared to Agatha Christie, I am pretty much sold, so I wanted to give this one a try, and I'm glad I did!
It was a fun premise (post-doctoral researcher Lyla agrees to film on a remote island with her actor boyfriend Nico for a reality tv show; there is a lot of tension built up amongst characters and couples especially, as we see the cracks in their relationships begin to shine through.... then bodies of the other contestants begin to drop!), and I didn't expect the twists or turns, so overall, I had a good time with this one. I didn't fully understand why the final girls decided on what they did in the end (I mean, I did, but I also had to suspend a bit of disbelief).
Ultimately, I appreciate a commentary on why most cishet men are ass, and I will make statements like this until they prove me wrong. I chose the bear, and every woman in this book would also choose the bear. The honeys who get it get it.
Thank you to Libro FM for the ALC.
I hadn't read a Ruth Ware book in a while, but when I see a book compared to Agatha Christie, I am pretty much sold, so I wanted to give this one a try, and I'm glad I did!
It was a fun premise (post-doctoral researcher Lyla agrees to film on a remote island with her actor boyfriend Nico for a reality tv show; there is a lot of tension built up amongst characters and couples especially, as we see the cracks in their relationships begin to shine through.... then bodies of the other contestants begin to drop!), and I didn't expect the twists or turns, so overall, I had a good time with this one. I didn't fully understand why the final girls decided on what they did in the end (I mean, I did, but I also had to suspend a bit of disbelief).
Ultimately, I appreciate a commentary on why most cishet men are ass, and I will make statements like this until they prove me wrong. I chose the bear, and every woman in this book would also choose the bear. The honeys who get it get it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Sexism, Vomit, and Suicide
cristinaaa's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
bjacobsknits's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love this one, after reading the premise and the beginning, but it kind of fell flat for me. It had great promise, but maybe just the way it was marketed as a comparison to “And Then There Were None” led to my disappointment. The comparisons between the two were surface level, with the overarching character dynamics, conflict, and “twists” not relating to the referenced Christie story. I think overall the book was enjoyable and interesting, but I kept expecting more because of my own preconceptions.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Murder
cdubiel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Ware knocks it out of the park again. The beginning is a slow, tense burn but ramps up quickly. Lyla is the "black sheep" of the reality show her boyfriend wants to go on. He's a struggling actor, and all the others on the cast are looking for their big breaks too. Except for Lyla--she's a scientist with a big brain and doesn't really fit in. She spends her time assessing the other contestants and trying to get kicked off so she can go home first. But her boyfriend fails the challenge before she does, so she stays--but that's when the storm comes along. Now they're all struggling to survive, and Lyla knows her boyfriend must be dead out at sea. More and more people die as they figure out there is something sinister going on after all. I loved ZERO DAYS and that Ware is always coming up with something new. I look forward to every book she writes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Murder
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