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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Unpredictable and fife with creeping horror.
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
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
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I waffled between 3 and 4 stars for this book while I was reading it. Having read all of Harrison's later books, I can feel the "first novel" vibes on this one. It has some issues with pacing and characterization. But I really liked the reflections on longtime friendships among women. The conclusions Elise reaches about her friends and the nature of their relationships are bittersweet and poignant. I remain a Harrison superfan.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked this book, and I'm puzzled by its relatively low Goodreads rating. It strattles a line between psychological thriller and horror. I deducted a star because I felt a little like Harrison couldn't decide whether she wanted The Return to be a haunted hotel or a creature feature. But I loved the way the protagonist was written, fully realized and remote yet relatable with a strong voice. I enjoyed the convincing female friendship. The body horror was genuinely creepy and delightfully gruesome. The Return was a wild ride, and I wish I could find more books like it.