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ktrain3900's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
While the conversational-slash-confessional style didn't always quite work for me, and things seemed to happen a bit too neatly in places, overall I enjoyed this book and consumed it pretty quickly. The story, of four girls made to believe the murder of a new friend was committed on their watch, was fascinating. An account of the murder comes together as we hear from each girl (now in their mid-20s) as well as the victim's mother, and we learn what became of each of them and how the murder affected each of them. This is where the book shines, in my opinion: in how the past is pieced together and built in the present, as we learn not just who the murderer is (and his motivation), but who the girls, the mother, and the victim are. The slim last chapter was beautifully written.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Child death, and Suicide
There is one pretty graphic description of the victim's body after she's been murdered but I found all other potentially triggering topics to be covered either briefly or as tastefully as possible. It all worked in service to the story hence only selecting "minor" for each.harureads's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Reading this book right before going to sleep was not a fantastic idea but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. This story centres around a child, Emily, who is memorialised through her murder in a small town. The book's epistolary format showed the thought process of each child that had witnessed the murder and how the consequences led them all to become murderers. I enjoyed how Minato spruced up these twists between each narrative and how their lives, after being separated, had become so interconnected. I just thought that the continuation of each person harming or causing the death of someone was a bit forced, especially since it seemed like all those incidents happened in the same timeline. The story was a reflection of how the death of someone can alter the course of the lives of people even though in a fast-paced world where every day there is a new crime, those deaths become forgotten, albeit their reality was horrifying. I personally enjoyed the grim facet of the novel and also the way I could feel as if a different person was writing each chapter just as the author intended I suppose.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape
jaezel's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Rape, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Suicide
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