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This is the story of a 7 year old girl who is abducted while on a play date.
The pace of this book was so fast and kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. The tension and suspense continued through the pages.
The characters were well developed and relatable. I did feel that the character of the girl who was abducted felt older than 7. Some of the dialogue with her felt more mature than a conversation with a young child.
The ending was good and all the loose endings were tied up. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. A great page turner.
The pace of this book was so fast and kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. The tension and suspense continued through the pages.
The characters were well developed and relatable. I did feel that the character of the girl who was abducted felt older than 7. Some of the dialogue with her felt more mature than a conversation with a young child.
The ending was good and all the loose endings were tied up. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. A great page turner.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is another hard book to rate. I don’t tend to read books in this genre because I don’t enjoy the realism as much. The book covers various point of views; victims parent, a journalist, the kidnapper, the victim and one or two chapters on a prisoner who we don’t find out his involvement in the case till the end. I really ppreciate books that switch povs often however, the characters were a little 2D and typical so none really gave a lasting impression. The character Selma who was the journalist was a really strange one, the book eludes to her having psychic powers which I thought was quite silly and very confusing as this is a book based on realism. Elisa the parent of the victim I found quite annoying and completely ignorant, like if she was truthful in the first place about her past then her daughter could have been found a lot sooner! That really frustrated me!
I thought the plot was okay but It was quite repetitive throughout. I also found the ending revealing Elisa’s secret not really that shocking to be honest. I did finish the book but I only stayed to see if Lucia made it home and why she was kidnapped in the first place.
Overall, I didn’t hate this book, it may possibly be that I just don’t enjoy this type of genre as much. It was a fairly quick and easy read but I most likely won’t read it again.
I thought the plot was okay but It was quite repetitive throughout. I also found the ending revealing Elisa’s secret not really that shocking to be honest. I did finish the book but I only stayed to see if Lucia made it home and why she was kidnapped in the first place.
Overall, I didn’t hate this book, it may possibly be that I just don’t enjoy this type of genre as much. It was a fairly quick and easy read but I most likely won’t read it again.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lucia blix is taken from her family on a after school playdate, little to no trace of the people who took her left behind everything her mother elisa had been told was lies. This story follows the reasons why she was taken and the unravelling of same by reporter selma. This is a fast page turner was we go on the run with luica through Europe. What is the truth and who to believe! 3.5 stars well written thought it was a little long in places but overall enjoyed the intrigue and the search for Lucia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death, Murder
Minor: Child abuse
Wow! I haven’t been able to put this book down! I think this is everyone’s nightmare- a missing child. This situation even worse when you think it’s an innocent sleepover.
However, I’m not sure I’d let a child sleep over if I didn’t know the parent better. That places a lot of trust in another person. With that said, I know how excited little ones get over play dates and sleepovers, often you don’t want to upset them.
I do like the author’s writing style, I have been pulled into this one and able to lose myself in the pages quite quickly. The ending was completely unpredictable, which made this book even better for me.
I have had a clear and vivid image in my head, the whole time of reading this one. This has made this a more enjoyable read because I felt as though I was watching the scenes play out.
I have thought about this one, long after finishing the book. The plot aroused feelings of unease, discomfort and tension. I would absolutely read more by this author, this book has definitely been a read which I’m glad I came across.
I also like that we’ve had differing points of view. As a reader you’ve really had a feel for the different characters. For me, based purely on the fact of Eliza allowing her daughter to go off with a stranger this is a four star read. I think that factor has made me want to shake her and shout “what are you doing?”.
However, I’m not sure I’d let a child sleep over if I didn’t know the parent better. That places a lot of trust in another person. With that said, I know how excited little ones get over play dates and sleepovers, often you don’t want to upset them.
I do like the author’s writing style, I have been pulled into this one and able to lose myself in the pages quite quickly. The ending was completely unpredictable, which made this book even better for me.
I have had a clear and vivid image in my head, the whole time of reading this one. This has made this a more enjoyable read because I felt as though I was watching the scenes play out.
I have thought about this one, long after finishing the book. The plot aroused feelings of unease, discomfort and tension. I would absolutely read more by this author, this book has definitely been a read which I’m glad I came across.
I also like that we’ve had differing points of view. As a reader you’ve really had a feel for the different characters. For me, based purely on the fact of Eliza allowing her daughter to go off with a stranger this is a four star read. I think that factor has made me want to shake her and shout “what are you doing?”.
3,5 ⭐️
What kind of mother allows her 7 yo daughter to go on a playdate and sleepover with a person she just literally met? Clue: not a very good one!
Although the premise sounded quite improbable I bought it for the sake of the story. It started pretty high and at first I thought this would be more of a thriller where we follow the investigation into the kidnapping, but instead I found more of a family drama where we follow Lucia’s parents and how they deal with her absence, the new life Lucia is living with her kidnapper, and Selma, a journalist that becomes obssesed with Lucia’s case and my favorite character in this story.
All the different perspectives made this an interesting read, as we get to know also about the villain’s motivations and, although they were not justifiable at all, I couldn’t help to feel some sympathy for her. Certainly more than I did for Elisa, Lucia’s mom, as I could not understand how, in her situation, she was silent for 18 months just to save her sorry ass (I refer to the clue in my opening
What kind of mother allows her 7 yo daughter to go on a playdate and sleepover with a person she just literally met? Clue: not a very good one!
Although the premise sounded quite improbable I bought it for the sake of the story. It started pretty high and at first I thought this would be more of a thriller where we follow the investigation into the kidnapping, but instead I found more of a family drama where we follow Lucia’s parents and how they deal with her absence, the new life Lucia is living with her kidnapper, and Selma, a journalist that becomes obssesed with Lucia’s case and my favorite character in this story.
All the different perspectives made this an interesting read, as we get to know also about the villain’s motivations and, although they were not justifiable at all, I couldn’t help to feel some sympathy for her. Certainly more than I did for Elisa, Lucia’s mom, as I could not understand how, in her situation, she was silent for 18 months just to save her sorry ass (I refer to the clue in my opening
Playdate.
Definition: noun
noun: play date; plural noun: play dates; noun: playdate; plural noun: playdates
a social occasion arranged for children to play together.
Define play?
Alex Dahl definitely plays with the reader in this exceptionally raw and taut psychological thriller in which an absolute mundane sleepover turns into a nightmare.
Kids always try and buy time to stay together and play. I used to do it, you probably did too. Parents organize playdates for their offspring to burn off some energy with friends and sometimes… Sometimes, sleepovers happen. For a night, you loosen the loving grip you have on your child’s tiny hand and let them taste freedom, fun, and sweets.
Elisa only hesitates for a bit when her daughter Lucia asks if she can have a playdate with a new girl at school. The mother is elegant and kind. The silent alliance between mothers works its magic and Lucia doesn’t come home with Elisa. Did I find it plausible? Frighteningly so! We rely on the idea that mothers can be trusted, don’t we? Why wouldn’t your kid have a good time under the watching eye of someone who, like you, pours her love into her child?
When the playdate transforms into a sleepover, Elisa is slightly worried, but Josie and her mom don’t wear balaclavas or guns! She has nothing else in mind that her daughter’s happiness.
Despite not getting much family time before the worse happens, it is easy to slip into the Blixes’ life. A dad, a mom, both working. A girl, a boy. A nice house. That could be you. Or me. At least at first glance.
I admire how the author starts by painting a generic landscape and creates a world that feels familiar enough so the reader enters without a second thought and with confidence, Slowly, she adds layer upon layer with a thin brush, building a more intricate picture with details that single out the family, while keeping them close enough to us so we never lose the connection she has created between her reader and the characters.
You might think the playdate is only the beginning, but the game lasts until the very last page. A dangerous, tortuous game of wringing hands and looks behind the shoulder, and the aching pain of missing the ones you love. The psychology behind this novel is top-notch, tearing at the seams of what we take for granted or what we gloss over. Split-moment decisions that dismantle your life piece by piece, leaving you raw and naked in the light.
Each chapter starts with the name of the character you’ll be travelling with for a few pages. This jump from one point of view to the other keeps the tension… or should I say tensions with a plural, at its highest, giving the reader the opportunity to experience a nightmare from different angles.
The setting adds a beautiful touch of cold and is perfect to immerse yourself a little deeper into the story.
Playdate is a breathtaking read about motherhood, but also past and present mistakes. It belongs up there with the most chilling novels which make you bite your nails and stay up past your curfew!
Definition: noun
noun: play date; plural noun: play dates; noun: playdate; plural noun: playdates
a social occasion arranged for children to play together.
Define play?
Alex Dahl definitely plays with the reader in this exceptionally raw and taut psychological thriller in which an absolute mundane sleepover turns into a nightmare.
Kids always try and buy time to stay together and play. I used to do it, you probably did too. Parents organize playdates for their offspring to burn off some energy with friends and sometimes… Sometimes, sleepovers happen. For a night, you loosen the loving grip you have on your child’s tiny hand and let them taste freedom, fun, and sweets.
Elisa only hesitates for a bit when her daughter Lucia asks if she can have a playdate with a new girl at school. The mother is elegant and kind. The silent alliance between mothers works its magic and Lucia doesn’t come home with Elisa. Did I find it plausible? Frighteningly so! We rely on the idea that mothers can be trusted, don’t we? Why wouldn’t your kid have a good time under the watching eye of someone who, like you, pours her love into her child?
When the playdate transforms into a sleepover, Elisa is slightly worried, but Josie and her mom don’t wear balaclavas or guns! She has nothing else in mind that her daughter’s happiness.
Despite not getting much family time before the worse happens, it is easy to slip into the Blixes’ life. A dad, a mom, both working. A girl, a boy. A nice house. That could be you. Or me. At least at first glance.
I admire how the author starts by painting a generic landscape and creates a world that feels familiar enough so the reader enters without a second thought and with confidence, Slowly, she adds layer upon layer with a thin brush, building a more intricate picture with details that single out the family, while keeping them close enough to us so we never lose the connection she has created between her reader and the characters.
You might think the playdate is only the beginning, but the game lasts until the very last page. A dangerous, tortuous game of wringing hands and looks behind the shoulder, and the aching pain of missing the ones you love. The psychology behind this novel is top-notch, tearing at the seams of what we take for granted or what we gloss over. Split-moment decisions that dismantle your life piece by piece, leaving you raw and naked in the light.
Each chapter starts with the name of the character you’ll be travelling with for a few pages. This jump from one point of view to the other keeps the tension… or should I say tensions with a plural, at its highest, giving the reader the opportunity to experience a nightmare from different angles.
The setting adds a beautiful touch of cold and is perfect to immerse yourself a little deeper into the story.
Playdate is a breathtaking read about motherhood, but also past and present mistakes. It belongs up there with the most chilling novels which make you bite your nails and stay up past your curfew!
4,5/5
tak, tak, taaaak!
bardzo dobry thriller, świetnie napisany. ale ostrzegam - od początku wiemy kto jest tym złym
tak, tak, taaaak!
bardzo dobry thriller, świetnie napisany. ale ostrzegam - od początku wiemy kto jest tym złym