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calturner's review
4.0
Lake Child by Isabel Ashdown is one of those books that’s very difficult to review for fear of giving too much away. It’s a gripping psychological thriller that drew me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final page had been turned. Full of twists and turns that will keep you on your toes throughout, the surprises kept on coming thick and fast, so much so that every time I thought I’d finally worked out what was happening, something else happened that made me realise I’d got it all completely wrong!
I warmed to the character of Eva and the situation she found herself in from the very start, my heart aching for her as she attempted to put the missing pieces of her memories back together again. The fear and confusion she felt were palpable as we slowly moved through the story, with Eva being such an unreliable narrator that you never really knew what was real and what wasn’t.
Lake Child is a book that builds slowly, with the tension increasing in momentum as the threads of the story gradually begin to come together. It’s a heartbreaking and shocking read, brilliantly written by the talented Isabel Ashdown, keeping me on the edge of my seat as we raced towards its thrilling conclusion.
A suspense filled, atmospheric thriller that I would highly recommend. A must read.
I warmed to the character of Eva and the situation she found herself in from the very start, my heart aching for her as she attempted to put the missing pieces of her memories back together again. The fear and confusion she felt were palpable as we slowly moved through the story, with Eva being such an unreliable narrator that you never really knew what was real and what wasn’t.
Lake Child is a book that builds slowly, with the tension increasing in momentum as the threads of the story gradually begin to come together. It’s a heartbreaking and shocking read, brilliantly written by the talented Isabel Ashdown, keeping me on the edge of my seat as we raced towards its thrilling conclusion.
A suspense filled, atmospheric thriller that I would highly recommend. A must read.
meijke's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! The first few chapters were a bit confusing and took a while to get into. But after that, the book was really great. There is a lot left open for your own interpretation, which I liked. Why is she locked in the attic, and why are her parents not answering any questions? The book is full of lies, secrets, and I couldn't put it down.
erin__'s review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
whirl's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Car accident, and Incest
mpr2000's review
4.0
Can you imagine waking up in a room you are not familiar with and without any memory of how you arrived there?
That’s Eva’s worst nightmare, being retained at her own house by her parents, with no memories from her last months and without any contact with the exterior. Of course she will try to escape and discover the truth; because the only thing that she knows for sure is that her parents are lying to her and there’s something much bigger hiding behind all the blank lies.
I don’t want to talk much about the plot of the book in case I make any spoiler, just to let you know that I started this book flying to London and I sat in a coffee shop till I finished it, leaving all my appointments in stand by till I finished it!
This is a psychological thriller with a few twists and surprises awaiting for you on your trip. There were a few hints for the reader to know where the plot was going to but there were some unexpected twists too that made the book more real and complex.
There are characters I didn’t like but I fully understood their part on the plot. Sadly I don’t understand them when you find them in our society; how can you close your eyes when something horrendous happens around you? Why not face it and go to the police instead of lying and look at another side? Really, sometimes I wonder what type of society we live in!
This is a book with many layers and interesting situations that you will not know who to trust. Because if your parents lie to you, who can you believe?
Ready to discover the Lake Child?
That’s Eva’s worst nightmare, being retained at her own house by her parents, with no memories from her last months and without any contact with the exterior. Of course she will try to escape and discover the truth; because the only thing that she knows for sure is that her parents are lying to her and there’s something much bigger hiding behind all the blank lies.
I don’t want to talk much about the plot of the book in case I make any spoiler, just to let you know that I started this book flying to London and I sat in a coffee shop till I finished it, leaving all my appointments in stand by till I finished it!
This is a psychological thriller with a few twists and surprises awaiting for you on your trip. There were a few hints for the reader to know where the plot was going to but there were some unexpected twists too that made the book more real and complex.
There are characters I didn’t like but I fully understood their part on the plot. Sadly I don’t understand them when you find them in our society; how can you close your eyes when something horrendous happens around you? Why not face it and go to the police instead of lying and look at another side? Really, sometimes I wonder what type of society we live in!
This is a book with many layers and interesting situations that you will not know who to trust. Because if your parents lie to you, who can you believe?
Ready to discover the Lake Child?
herreadingroom's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this book - a huge 5 golden stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. I felt completely invested in all of the characters and found the storyline absolutely riveting. A real twisty turny novel that kept me gripped from start to finish. Highly recommended!
melaniesreads's review
5.0
Where on earth do I start with this review ?? Lost memories, lost time, secrets, lies and an unreliable narrator are just the start of this terrific read. Then to throw in transcripts of a ghost writers interview leads you to another mystery.
The start was slightly confusing but then the protagonists start was and that just heightened the feeling of what the hell is going on. But it soon starts to become clear and before you know it you’ve nearly finished the book as it’s too damn good to put it down.
The setting was exquisite and so beautifully described and the characters wow. You can’t help but urge on Eva in her attempts to find out what happened that night and why her parents have kept her locked in the attic and away from her friends.
This had more twists than a child proof medication bottle top. I did guess one but the rest I was way off. This has a great mystery at its core but to me it was all the other little sub plots that gave this a well deserved five stars.
The start was slightly confusing but then the protagonists start was and that just heightened the feeling of what the hell is going on. But it soon starts to become clear and before you know it you’ve nearly finished the book as it’s too damn good to put it down.
The setting was exquisite and so beautifully described and the characters wow. You can’t help but urge on Eva in her attempts to find out what happened that night and why her parents have kept her locked in the attic and away from her friends.
This had more twists than a child proof medication bottle top. I did guess one but the rest I was way off. This has a great mystery at its core but to me it was all the other little sub plots that gave this a well deserved five stars.
prdgreads's review
4.0
it took a few chapters to get into this book, the first few were a little confusing, but I stuck it out and honestly I'm glad I did, there is so much that is left open to the readers interpretation, why is she locked in the attic? - why are her parents being evasive whenever Eva asks questions? What's the real reason they don't even let her into her old room? Why are they keep her best friends away?
It's not until she manages to escape out of the attic that she understands the gravity of the secrets that are being kept from her.
With them still not knowing who or what caused Evas accident she's still on edge, and constantly feels like she's being watched, this book honestly had me on the edge of my seat, it made me feel anxious/scared along with the main character.
Just as you think you've worked out what's happening and where the story is headed another twist is thrown at you and I honestly felt myself getting tied up in knots along the way.
If you're a fan of this genre this is a book you absolutely have to pick up!
It's not until she manages to escape out of the attic that she understands the gravity of the secrets that are being kept from her.
With them still not knowing who or what caused Evas accident she's still on edge, and constantly feels like she's being watched, this book honestly had me on the edge of my seat, it made me feel anxious/scared along with the main character.
Just as you think you've worked out what's happening and where the story is headed another twist is thrown at you and I honestly felt myself getting tied up in knots along the way.
If you're a fan of this genre this is a book you absolutely have to pick up!
mbjrose99's review
challenging
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Brilliant.
ehumbe21's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0