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I kid you not when I say this is literally one of the most messed-up books I have ever read. The Liars series had bad stuff like this IN those books, BUT THE PLOT TWISTS MADE SENSE. This book literally feels like a fever dream. I can’t even put it into words. The only thing I can say is that it spellbound me. I literally COULD NOT put it down, I HAD to know how it ended. Just…I can’t. I don’t know what else to say. This book sucked.
Revisited (4.0 stars):
Yes, I reread it. And BOY OH BOY, I was READY for it this time.
I think that for books like this, you really have to know what you're getting into. You need to know what level of disgusting, messed-up crap is gonna be in these types of books before
That being said, for this genre? Then She Was Gone is MASTERFUL in its storytelling, and I think it paved the way for a lot more books like it, like I Invited Her In by Adele Parks. I'll have to fact-check that, but the two fall in the same category. However, where I Invited Her In is basically just a bunch of things happening in quick succession, Then She Was Gone is actually a narrative that is woven through multiple different time frames, and just about EVERYTHING ties together in the end. It's very smart, and honestly just very good writing.
Ellie is very well-written for being a teenager, and no one can fault her for the mistakes she makes that lead to her downfall. You can feel genuinely bad for her and what she goes through down in that basement.
Floyd, Laurel, and Poppy are all VERY well-rounded characters, and I liked them a lot. Not much to say on that front. Laurel and Poppy's relationship is very sweet, especially in the end.
I would probably rate this book higher, but we have history. Maybe I'll revisit it sometime in the future for a higher rating, but for now, I'm satisfied with what we have.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Murder
Minor: Physical abuse, Violence
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment
• It was easy to figure out the mystery behind Ellie’s disappearance. I even have a sticky note that I put in the book just to go back to it and prove myself right. Though I must say, the finer details did have me feeling very uncomfortable and kinda sick to my stomach. That’s superb writing right there, because some people in this world are actually that sick and twisted.
• Why was American English being used in a book set in the United Kingdom?? That was such a pet peeve for me as someone who uses British English. If they’re in England, it should be ‘humour’ not ‘humor’.
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• I hate ending. I really do
I just overall was not a fan of this. Disappointed
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Stalking
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Suicide, Terminal illness, Murder, Pregnancy
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicide, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Abandonment
Very slow start and I didn't think it was going to pick up. Almost to the end I said out loud "well I still don't understand". Middle gave us all the info but the characters still didn't know. Then the last few pages were just like oh, what's the point of the book of the main character doesn't know guess I better tell her.
Potentially a good story I just didn't enjoy the way it was presented.
Will not read again.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide, Kidnapping, Pregnancy
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape