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shrutialavala's review against another edition
5.0
Another gripping, thought-provoking mystery/thriller from Angie Kim! My favorite aspect was the discussions on human psychology and linguistics, particularly the exploration of how our society equates verbal proficiency (particularly in English) with intelligence.
All of the family members felt distinct and showed how different people react in a crisis. Additionally, they felt like a real family with deep emotional connections with each other, shown through the flashbacks. I liked Mia's character, her analytical nature (sometimes to an extreme) felt personally relatable and she felt and acted like a 20 year old trying to figure out herself and the world.
I think the mystery aspect of this was weaker than Miracle Creek, the courtroom drama is hard to top, but I was still fully engaged and eager to find out what happened to Adam. Kim masterfully builds suspense by having Mia say things like "if I only knew at that moment".
I'll be reading whatever Kim releases!
All of the family members felt distinct and showed how different people react in a crisis. Additionally, they felt like a real family with deep emotional connections with each other, shown through the flashbacks. I liked Mia's character, her analytical nature (sometimes to an extreme) felt personally relatable and she felt and acted like a 20 year old trying to figure out herself and the world.
I think the mystery aspect of this was weaker than Miracle Creek, the courtroom drama is hard to top, but I was still fully engaged and eager to find out what happened to Adam. Kim masterfully builds suspense by having Mia say things like "if I only knew at that moment".
I'll be reading whatever Kim releases!
tnguyening's review against another edition
slow-paced
I wish there was more plot twist on what happened with the dad.
msmegquinn's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.0
thejeneral's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jenjajoy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
keave's review against another edition
4.0
Very good. Would recommend to those w interest in neurodivergent comms
rsagarin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Cancer, Bullying, Grief, Hate crime, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Cursing, and Sexism
minniepauline's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The story gets bogged down in all of Mia’s/the author’s research, musings and sidetracks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Racism
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Police brutality
erinrehmann's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 ⭐️ absolutely loved the characters (except the detective but i’m pretty sure that was the author’s intention), liked the narration and mix of philosophy with storytelling, and only kind of liked the actual plot of the story. i think i was expecting it to be heavier on the mystery and less about the dynamics of the family which set me up to feel underwhelmed at some points. but, i really, really loved the depiction of ASD and neurodiversity and the way in which Mia and her family’s perspectives of Eugene changed and developed. don’t read if you hate reading about the pandemic, though
jbrooks124's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
At first, Mia didn't think anything was wrong. Sure, it was strange (at best) that her brother Eugene, with the dual diagnoses of autism and Angelman's syndrome, has run home from the park without her father. Why wouldn't Dad come home with Eugene, as he always has? It's probably a misunderstanding, a lost phone or Eugene ran off so Dad is still looking for him, believing him to be lost. But as more information is uncovered, it's clear that something has happened. Did Dad leave them? Was he hurt? Worse, was Eugene (accidentally or otherwise) the perpetrator? Heightened by the fact that this story takes place during the early days of COVID-19, with everyone isolating, this story follows the sudden and unexpected disappearance of a parent who has always been at the center of the family's day-to-day lives.
The concept of this book was so interesting, with great focus on alternative means of communication for a child who is unable to vocalize and has limited fine motor skills due to his disorders. What knocked this book down a * for me was the narrator's (Mia's) voice. One of her character flaws is that she constantly believes herself to be smart, smarter than, making considerations that surely no one else has thought of, totally ignoring the fact that her mother has a PhD and her twin's fatal flaw is apparently being too kind/positive. While there were times I would have agreed with her stance, her delivery was unkind. I will note, it was mentioned at one point that she too could have been on the spectrum, but it was never confirmed, and I felt like she just frequently was unkind to her family. Even her Dad, who wasn't present to defend himself. An actual attempt at redemption of these flaws would have been nice, instead of just saying she would do better and then continuing on her path.
The concept of this book was so interesting, with great focus on alternative means of communication for a child who is unable to vocalize and has limited fine motor skills due to his disorders. What knocked this book down a * for me was the narrator's (Mia's) voice. One of her character flaws is that she constantly believes herself to be smart, smarter than, making considerations that surely no one else has thought of, totally ignoring the fact that her mother has a PhD and her twin's fatal flaw is apparently being too kind/positive. While there were times I would have agreed with her stance, her delivery was unkind. I will note, it was mentioned at one point that she too could have been on the spectrum, but it was never confirmed, and I felt like she just frequently was unkind to her family. Even her Dad, who wasn't present to defend himself. An actual attempt at redemption of these flaws would have been nice, instead of just saying she would do better and then continuing on her path.