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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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 I Liked
* Complex storytelling that adds a lot of layers not just to the plot but more so, to the characters as well.
* I always love a story about a mother-daughter relationship and putting it in a thriller story makes it a lot better
* The narration on the back story of some characters made me understand their motives better however, some characters were not just lovable.
What I did. not Liked
* The novel could have been shorter. It felt like there were fillers and had they been removed, the story would have remained the same.
* The ending was not as explosive as her other work that made me fall in love with Karin's writing (pretty girls)
* Complex storytelling that adds a lot of layers not just to the plot but more so, to the characters as well.
* I always love a story about a mother-daughter relationship and putting it in a thriller story makes it a lot better
* The narration on the back story of some characters made me understand their motives better however, some characters were not just lovable.
What I did. not Liked
* The novel could have been shorter. It felt like there were fillers and had they been removed, the story would have remained the same.
* The ending was not as explosive as her other work that made me fall in love with Karin's writing (pretty girls)
Karin Slaughter is one of my favorite suspense/thriller authors. This story was complex and exciting and the ending tied everything up into a neat little package. The reason for my 3 star review is the villains in this story, nick, jasper, and paula were a little much, and Andy’s inability to speak in the beginning got to be a little frustrating. As always though, I couldn’t put it down
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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:
Complicated
This book kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly wanting more. The plot line was well articulated and easy to follow while maintaining the element of surprise.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
This was a VERY LONG book. I felt there was too much written about in 1986. I am eager to see how they do the Netflix movie, but feel that Pretty Girls blows this book out of the water.
Some turns and excitement but was a pretty steady plot the whole time. Feeling like it missed an opportunity.
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. I was enthralled with the majority of this story and loved the writing. Laura fascinated me, especially in the flashbacks, as I experienced her odd obsession with, and attachment to, Nick. I've never quite understood the cult phenomena and I thought the author did a great job explaining how that can happen. The supporting characters who populated mostly the flashback scenes, with some bleed over into the present, were also very compelling: Andy, Jasper, Paula, Laura J/Alex, Clara, and Edwin.
Andrea mostly annoyed me; she came across as weak and needy; that seemed a little off given what her mother went through. I would have expected Laura to prepare her for the possibility that she may need to defend herself at some point in the future, at the very least, which she could have done without revealing anything about her past. While Andrea did manage to come out of her shell some toward the end, I didn't completely buy the transformation.
It was the ending that kept this book from a 4/5 star rating. When I finished the epilogue, I was left feeling somewhat deflated. It was weak compared to the rest of the story. The interactions with Mike and Laura felt contrived and over-the-top, especially Laura's references to "pigs". Throughout the book, it was emphasized that Laura wasn't a true believer and only did what she did to please Nick. I never got the feeling that she actually hated the cops and, in fact, I felt like she was grateful that they let her be with her brother while she was making her deal.
While I was glad that Laura finally got some closure, the whole scene with Laura and Andrea in the car was boring and didn't really add anything new. The circumstances surrounding the gun didn't matter beyond who put it there, and what she said to Paula, while funny, also wasn't important. It's a solid 3 star book and I will read more from this author. I do recommend reading it and I'm sure others will appreciate the end more than I did.
Andrea mostly annoyed me; she came across as weak and needy; that seemed a little off given what her mother went through. I would have expected Laura to prepare her for the possibility that she may need to defend herself at some point in the future, at the very least, which she could have done without revealing anything about her past. While Andrea did manage to come out of her shell some toward the end, I didn't completely buy the transformation.
It was the ending that kept this book from a 4/5 star rating. When I finished the epilogue, I was left feeling somewhat deflated. It was weak compared to the rest of the story. The interactions with Mike and Laura felt contrived and over-the-top, especially Laura's references to "pigs". Throughout the book, it was emphasized that Laura wasn't a true believer and only did what she did to please Nick. I never got the feeling that she actually hated the cops and, in fact, I felt like she was grateful that they let her be with her brother while she was making her deal.
While I was glad that Laura finally got some closure, the whole scene with Laura and Andrea in the car was boring and didn't really add anything new. The circumstances surrounding the gun didn't matter beyond who put it there, and what she said to Paula, while funny, also wasn't important. It's a solid 3 star book and I will read more from this author. I do recommend reading it and I'm sure others will appreciate the end more than I did.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes