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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
I thought this was supposed to be a mystery novel, but it was really more of a contemporary. Not that I have an issue with contemporary, but when a book is advertised as mystery, well, I want a mystery. Now, that's not enough of a reason to give a book two stars, is it? Nope, definitely not. It's only the tip of the iceberg. To put it succinctly, after finishing Vanishing Girls, I felt ripped off. Cheated. The entire book was a slow build to a confusing, disappointing conclusion that was obviously supposed to be a twist, and it could've been intriguing, but it just didn't work for me. I mean, please.
Spoiler
Was this supposed to be unreliable narrator to the extreme? Are you telling me I read nearly the entire book, wondering why she disappeared, only to learn that she died in the car accident and thus all of Dara's POVs were basically pointless? Yes, Nick's fugue state had potential, but only if it'd been pulled off properly. Because there were details that didn't make sense/didn't add up: 1) Parker knew Dara was dead. So how did Nick magically construct that moment where Parker confesses to Dara that he's in love with someone else, and as he's kissing Dara, whispe's Nick's name? 2)I highly doubt their parents would agree to a dinner, including Dara, and kee referring to it as a family dinner. They know she's dead. They know she's not coming. 3)How did Dara's phone still have battery?
I guess this is the standard twist in YA fiction now?
357 p.
357 p.
The story was compelling, but I found myself getting irritated by the main character's frequent conviction that she "just knew" something was wrong. The twist at the end was a surprise and I'm not sure if it was entirely convincing. I'm tempted to go back and skim through the book again to see what I think now that I know the twist.
I generally love Lauren Oliver books, but I wasn't as crazy about this one as I have been about most of them. It's interesting and compelling, though, and I'm not sorry I read it.
I generally love Lauren Oliver books, but I wasn't as crazy about this one as I have been about most of them. It's interesting and compelling, though, and I'm not sorry I read it.
This book was totally unexpected, like completely. There was a total plot twist at the end and tears threatened more than once. This book was marvelous, stunning, amazing and heartbreaking. Towards the end I couldn't put it down and although it did confuse me at points I think that was the point. This book was beautiful and way more than I expected. It had so much in it for such a short book and I do not regret a moment of it.
There were so many plot twists that at points I was almost gasping for oxygen in my attempt to catch up with the fast moving plot. Once again Lauren Oliver has done it and blown me away. Her books never fail to stun and exhilarate me. All of her characters are so believable it's almost as if they're in the room with you, telling you the story. Whilst there was a romance aspect to the book, I felt as if it was necessary and it really was tinny so it doesn't get in the way of the overall plot.
I love that Nick has someone other than the main love interest during the book and I love how that plays out because it shows that she is so independent which just adds to the overall tragedy of the book.
This book was truly magnificent and I would highly reccomend it to people who love psychological thrillers.
There were so many plot twists that at points I was almost gasping for oxygen in my attempt to catch up with the fast moving plot. Once again Lauren Oliver has done it and blown me away. Her books never fail to stun and exhilarate me. All of her characters are so believable it's almost as if they're in the room with you, telling you the story. Whilst there was a romance aspect to the book, I felt as if it was necessary and it really was tinny so it doesn't get in the way of the overall plot.
I love that Nick has someone other than the main love interest during the book and I love how that plays out because it shows that she is so independent which just adds to the overall tragedy of the book.
This book was truly magnificent and I would highly reccomend it to people who love psychological thrillers.
this book caught me off guard, i never expected that ending!!
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm quite disappointed since it had good ratings. The twist was predictable right after the accident occurs. No one referred to 'After Dara' with her name. The two sisters were never in the same place in the same time. Plus Parker calls her Nick when they are in Dara's car.
I has hoping for some crazy ending where Dara is the one who actually survived.
I has hoping for some crazy ending where Dara is the one who actually survived.
I always enjoy a book with a twist. I just wish the twist had been further explored in the last part of the book.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I mean, I figured it out less than halfway through, but it kept me interested so I stayed up until 4 to finish it. So I liked it. Makes me want to read more Lauren Oliver again!
Original review posted at www.fictitiousdelicious.com on 03/09/15:
Here's what I've learned about myself over the last year: I'm the target reader mystery/thriller storytellers have in their mind when they set out to write their next whodunit. I tell you what, I'm a smart cookie, but I NEVER figure out the end of a book before it's written out for me in capital letters and highlighted with a yellow marker. I was browsing through some reviews of VANISHING GIRLS and so many people claim they knew the ending a million years before it came that I'm beginning to question my smarts. Maybe I'm not a smart cookie after all. More like cookie crumb brained, I guess.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, guys. In the first chapter, you get the sense that Dara and Nick are besties in addition to being sisters. Then you turn the page and learn that nothing could be further from the truth in the current day (This story alternates time frames, which I also love.) WHY?! You'll find out why fairly quickly, but then you'll wonder why these girls who were so, so close to each other haven't been able to work out the difficult time they go through. It's a family dynamic that I'm familiar with and am fascinated by.
When Dara disappears on her birthday, Nick is convinced it's somehow connected to another missing girl in the community. She believes that she can alleviate the mountain of guilt she's carrying around if she can piece the puzzle together and get her sister back. I was rooting for Nick and was completely snowballed by the ending. I honestly did not see it coming. So, there.
Sidenote: I read this book in the tropics of Maui a few weeks back. I gotta tell you, my senses were tickled while reading this. The smell of the ocean, the doves cooing, and the sun beating down on my face added an incredible smelltrack/soundtrack/feeltrack to my reading. It's actually kind of eerie how well it fit into the story.
Here's what I've learned about myself over the last year: I'm the target reader mystery/thriller storytellers have in their mind when they set out to write their next whodunit. I tell you what, I'm a smart cookie, but I NEVER figure out the end of a book before it's written out for me in capital letters and highlighted with a yellow marker. I was browsing through some reviews of VANISHING GIRLS and so many people claim they knew the ending a million years before it came that I'm beginning to question my smarts. Maybe I'm not a smart cookie after all. More like cookie crumb brained, I guess.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, guys. In the first chapter, you get the sense that Dara and Nick are besties in addition to being sisters. Then you turn the page and learn that nothing could be further from the truth in the current day (This story alternates time frames, which I also love.) WHY?! You'll find out why fairly quickly, but then you'll wonder why these girls who were so, so close to each other haven't been able to work out the difficult time they go through. It's a family dynamic that I'm familiar with and am fascinated by.
When Dara disappears on her birthday, Nick is convinced it's somehow connected to another missing girl in the community. She believes that she can alleviate the mountain of guilt she's carrying around if she can piece the puzzle together and get her sister back. I was rooting for Nick and was completely snowballed by the ending. I honestly did not see it coming. So, there.
Sidenote: I read this book in the tropics of Maui a few weeks back. I gotta tell you, my senses were tickled while reading this. The smell of the ocean, the doves cooing, and the sun beating down on my face added an incredible smelltrack/soundtrack/feeltrack to my reading. It's actually kind of eerie how well it fit into the story.