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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
In her fourth Dublin murder squad book, Tana French brings back a few characters we've seen before. This time, the action takes place over one day with flashbacks through a year. Eight 15 year old girls at a boarding school must grapple with growing up, first love, and the politics of being a teen-aged girl while 2 detectives try to unravel a mystery of a year old murder.
3.5
A slow-burner that’s.......REALLY slow. I started to lose interest toward the end partly because of the he said/she said, partly because some of the girls were SO annoying when they talked, and partly because the murder felt like it took FOREVER to solve even though the story took place in literally one day. Still forever in love with Tana and her writing though!!
A slow-burner that’s.......REALLY slow. I started to lose interest toward the end partly because of the he said/she said, partly because some of the girls were SO annoying when they talked, and partly because the murder felt like it took FOREVER to solve even though the story took place in literally one day. Still forever in love with Tana and her writing though!!
This was probably my least favorite of all of Tana French's novels. It proved what an amazing author she is as the writing style and voice was completely different from all her other works. But the characters were unpleasant and I found the narrative voice to be grating. Also, "who done it" not at all a surprise.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked this book. I think French does her best when she weaves the drama of a very closely knit friend group into her mystery. Didn't really understand the inclusion of magic though. It would have been fine, but it felt like it wasn't fully realized.
Really the only thing that bothered me was the supernatural bit of the book, with the light bulbs and the telekinesis....other than that, beautiful writing and a great story. I'm glad this was better than #4. Where's #6.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I had the murder figured out in the first 100 pages. A lot of the stuff from the teenagers' point of view had me rolling my eyes. Some of the plot felt repetitive. I didn't like the ending.
But. There is something about French's writing and storytelling that kept me pulled in. Even though I knew what was coming, I wanted to keep reading. Definitely not my favorite of hers, but I'll read whatever she puts out next.
But. There is something about French's writing and storytelling that kept me pulled in. Even though I knew what was coming, I wanted to keep reading. Definitely not my favorite of hers, but I'll read whatever she puts out next.
If you like Tana French, this will be right up your alley: slow build, compelling plot, cold case, elements of a locked room mystery, complex characters, flashbacks, etc. French also adds a mild (and unexplained) supernatural element, but the overall plot remains firmly real-world.