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brenxbee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Stalking, Death, and Forced institutionalization
beckyremillard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I loved this book. I finished it so quickly and I’m definitely looking forward to future books from this author.
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Gaslighting, and Stalking
colleensreadingadventures's review
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Grief, Death, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity
Moderate: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Drug abuse
Minor: Mass/school shootings and Toxic relationship
jeannine6's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking
reading_and_roaming20's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The main issue I took was the constant use of gaslighting against our MC, Elisa. I’m good with it here or there, but when I say “constant” I mean chapter-after-chapter CONSTANT.
While I do love an unreliable narrator, I do not love it so much when it is the barrage of other characters treating her like an unstable, weak head-case, to the point that she is constantly questioning her own sanity, that makes her so unreliable.
Also, wtf with her brother-in-law and his girlfriend constantly letting themselves into her home? Like imagine you’re in your kitchen, enjoying a good, old fashioned mid-day mental breakdown and your brother-in-law walks in. Or how about you just need a night to question your entire life from the comfort of your bathtub and instead you have to cook dinner and entertain your husband’s family for the third time this week. Um, what?
Listen, there were some good twists. I didn’t see the identity of Concerned coming and had a few guesses as to who the mystery narrator might be. It wasn’t completely predictable.
Until it was. And then I just wanted the end to end so I could move on. This book could have dropped 100 pages of “wow Elisa, that sounds insane, you really should chill” and found its way to the same conclusion. Had it been 315-ish pages instead of 415, I may have enjoyed it more.
All-in-all, not a win for me. That said, it sure does seem like I’m in the minority given its average rating of 3.68 on both @the.storygraph and @goodreads so if it sounds like it may tickle your fancy, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try! Sometimes thrillers hit people differently! (I’m talking to you, people who didn’t love THE SILENT PATIENT. Y’all blow my mind.)
Graphic: Gaslighting and Stalking
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Mental illness