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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
McGinnis’ books have been hit or miss for me. I either absolutely love them or I don’t really like them very much at all. The Initial Insult was one I really, really enjoyed. It was dark and gritty. It was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and that absolutely comes through in the story. It follows Tress and Felicity in alternating chapters.
Tress and Felicity were best friends, but then Tress’s parents disappear late one night while they were giving Felicity a ride home. Felicity doesn’t remember what happened. She didn’t see anything, but vaguely remembers being carried away from the car. Since then, she’s become one of the popular girls in high school. She also has seizures that she doesn’t let anyone know about. I thought it was really interesting to see how Felicity deals with this. She uses drugs and drinks to excess. While I didn’t like Felicity for most of the book, especially after we flashback to story after story of her not handling things with Tress well, it was hard not to feel for her. She’s been pushed this way and that by her mother, her friends, even by Tress. The way her story ended was definitely shocking and I am very eager to see what will happen with her in the next book.
Tress was a very unlikable character as well. But in a different way. Her parents went missing and she was sent to live with her grandfather. Her grandfather owns an exotic animal zoo (think Tiger King). It’s certainly an adjustment for her, moving from a stable home with two parents to a trailer on land with incredible dangerous animals that she’s now been enlisted to help take care of. To say that Tress is unhappy doesn’t accurately explain her feelings. She has never gotten over her parent’s disappearance. This is what fuels Tress to trick Felicity into the basement and question her about what Felicity remembers from that night.
I think this story was a wild ride. It had so many different things going on, but it wasn’t too much. None of the plotlines took away from any of the others. I loved how dark this story was. Tress was a really dark character. She did illegal things to make money. She essentially tortures Felicity, who used to be her best friend. But also, I sort of loved her.
The way the story was told was really well done. We start in present day, leading up to the Halloween party where most of this story happens. But while Tress is questioning Felicity, we get flashbacks into the past that show us both Tress and Felicity’s points of view in these moments. I thought McGinnis did an incredible job getting me to like both of these terrible girls. They’re so different from one another, but they’re both terrible.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think anyone that likes dark books will like this one. I loved the way the story was told, the characters, the mood and tone of the story. I loved it all. The ending matched the rest of the story by being totally wild. Also, I just have to mention the chapters from the panther’s point of view. They were weird and I completely loved them. I definitely recommend this one.
Tress and Felicity were best friends, but then Tress’s parents disappear late one night while they were giving Felicity a ride home. Felicity doesn’t remember what happened. She didn’t see anything, but vaguely remembers being carried away from the car. Since then, she’s become one of the popular girls in high school. She also has seizures that she doesn’t let anyone know about. I thought it was really interesting to see how Felicity deals with this. She uses drugs and drinks to excess. While I didn’t like Felicity for most of the book, especially after we flashback to story after story of her not handling things with Tress well, it was hard not to feel for her. She’s been pushed this way and that by her mother, her friends, even by Tress. The way her story ended was definitely shocking and I am very eager to see what will happen with her in the next book.
Tress was a very unlikable character as well. But in a different way. Her parents went missing and she was sent to live with her grandfather. Her grandfather owns an exotic animal zoo (think Tiger King). It’s certainly an adjustment for her, moving from a stable home with two parents to a trailer on land with incredible dangerous animals that she’s now been enlisted to help take care of. To say that Tress is unhappy doesn’t accurately explain her feelings. She has never gotten over her parent’s disappearance. This is what fuels Tress to trick Felicity into the basement and question her about what Felicity remembers from that night.
I think this story was a wild ride. It had so many different things going on, but it wasn’t too much. None of the plotlines took away from any of the others. I loved how dark this story was. Tress was a really dark character. She did illegal things to make money. She essentially tortures Felicity, who used to be her best friend. But also, I sort of loved her.
The way the story was told was really well done. We start in present day, leading up to the Halloween party where most of this story happens. But while Tress is questioning Felicity, we get flashbacks into the past that show us both Tress and Felicity’s points of view in these moments. I thought McGinnis did an incredible job getting me to like both of these terrible girls. They’re so different from one another, but they’re both terrible.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think anyone that likes dark books will like this one. I loved the way the story was told, the characters, the mood and tone of the story. I loved it all. The ending matched the rest of the story by being totally wild. Also, I just have to mention the chapters from the panther’s point of view. They were weird and I completely loved them. I definitely recommend this one.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
1) that sped up toward the end 2) THE POE REFERENCES 3) how the heck is this a duology.
Also the BookishBox’s edition has beautiful art and the alternative cover is just AGH
Also the BookishBox’s edition has beautiful art and the alternative cover is just AGH
An enjoyable, dark, twisty, and creepy atmospheric read. The writing style makes this book. It takes place in two timelines present, and past, as Tress Montor slowly bricks her former best friend Felicity into a wall. I really liked the dual POV (Tress & Felicity) as they each explain their side of the story, and the cliff hanger ending is great! Will definitely read the sequel.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WOOF this was certainly a way to kick off my 2024 reads! I've wanted to read this for a while because the premise is wild, and it delivers. This is a super dark, horrific dive into what the stressors of strongly socially stratified small town can do, and how grief and trauma can break a person. McGinnis cranks everything up to 100; the flu outbreak and the awful focus of the party give the story an apocalyptic vibe, although this isn't an apocalyptic novel. It feels right to evoke it, because such a brutal, drawn-out end to a friendship can only feel apocalyptic. I'm diving right into the next one.
"It won't be what kills you."
Woah, what a lovely and deliciously dark story. It completely blew me away. Tress and Felicity are two girls with history. They were best friends in 4th grade until one night, Tress's parents go to drive Felicity home and disappear. Felicity is found bloody on the side of the road but Tress's parents are just....gone. Felicity has no explanation for what happened, no memory, and her money and privilege have left her protected. She has continued to easily sail through her life.
Tress has not had an easy life since her parents disappeared. She was left with no guardians and now lives with an alcoholic grandfather. She spends most of her days nearly neglected while she tends to the "white trash zoo" her grandfather owns - an odd assorted mix of animals from ostriches all way to deadly panthers. She has suffered injustices, prejudice and had to fight to survived since her parents disappeared. Now the girls are seniors and Tress is tired of waiting for answers, tired of Felicity sailing through her easy life without ever having to explain what happened. It's time to make her talk.
I was completely wrapped up in Tress's outrage and anger and need for revenge. Her plan is beautiful, wonderfully orchestrated and aided. The writing is alluring, seamlessly weaving between past and present, bringing us to the ultimate conclusion. Once started, be ready to give up the next few hours - you won't want to put it down until you find out what happens.
I will be anxiously awaiting a pre-order of book 2! I can't wait to see how this all ends.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author, [a:Mindy McGinnis|5351825|Mindy McGinnis|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1379437958p2/5351825.jpg] and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Woah, what a lovely and deliciously dark story. It completely blew me away. Tress and Felicity are two girls with history. They were best friends in 4th grade until one night, Tress's parents go to drive Felicity home and disappear. Felicity is found bloody on the side of the road but Tress's parents are just....gone. Felicity has no explanation for what happened, no memory, and her money and privilege have left her protected. She has continued to easily sail through her life.
Tress has not had an easy life since her parents disappeared. She was left with no guardians and now lives with an alcoholic grandfather. She spends most of her days nearly neglected while she tends to the "white trash zoo" her grandfather owns - an odd assorted mix of animals from ostriches all way to deadly panthers. She has suffered injustices, prejudice and had to fight to survived since her parents disappeared. Now the girls are seniors and Tress is tired of waiting for answers, tired of Felicity sailing through her easy life without ever having to explain what happened. It's time to make her talk.
I was completely wrapped up in Tress's outrage and anger and need for revenge. Her plan is beautiful, wonderfully orchestrated and aided. The writing is alluring, seamlessly weaving between past and present, bringing us to the ultimate conclusion. Once started, be ready to give up the next few hours - you won't want to put it down until you find out what happens.
I will be anxiously awaiting a pre-order of book 2! I can't wait to see how this all ends.
An e-ARC was provided to me by the author, [a:Mindy McGinnis|5351825|Mindy McGinnis|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1379437958p2/5351825.jpg] and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
*this e-arc was given to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
I enjoyed reading this book. It's about two girls named Tress and Felicity. Tress loses her parents one night and now is being taken care of by her drunken grandfather. Then there is Felicity who was with Tress's parents that night but won't reveal anything because she can't remember and if she does, she tries to forget it so it won't bring her social life down. But now Tress has a plan to get her answers and revenge. I enjoyed the author's writing in this book and was instantly hooked in the beginning. The pacing was well in the beginning and middle but the ending was rushed. I enjoyed the two different POVs so we can get into both of the main character's minds and see their secrets.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. My favorite character was Tress because she has such a hard time with having no parents and she develops throughout the story. Her plan may be evil but I love how she fights for herself and lives instead of giving up. I did enjoy Felicity and trying to find out what happened that night with Tress's parents. There were some good side characters in this book and also this book isn't focused on romance for those who would like mystery/thriller without it.
Even though the ending was rushed, I did enjoy it because it was thrilling and finally figuring out the truth. There are some parts left open-ended that I was disappointed in before not finding out but realized there is a second book coming out which I'm excited for. To make you want to read it more, it's also a retelling of The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe. I think this was a greatly written thriller retelling (which I never read before) and recommend it to fans of Edgar Allen Poe and Kit Frick.
I enjoyed reading this book. It's about two girls named Tress and Felicity. Tress loses her parents one night and now is being taken care of by her drunken grandfather. Then there is Felicity who was with Tress's parents that night but won't reveal anything because she can't remember and if she does, she tries to forget it so it won't bring her social life down. But now Tress has a plan to get her answers and revenge. I enjoyed the author's writing in this book and was instantly hooked in the beginning. The pacing was well in the beginning and middle but the ending was rushed. I enjoyed the two different POVs so we can get into both of the main character's minds and see their secrets.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. My favorite character was Tress because she has such a hard time with having no parents and she develops throughout the story. Her plan may be evil but I love how she fights for herself and lives instead of giving up. I did enjoy Felicity and trying to find out what happened that night with Tress's parents. There were some good side characters in this book and also this book isn't focused on romance for those who would like mystery/thriller without it.
Even though the ending was rushed, I did enjoy it because it was thrilling and finally figuring out the truth. There are some parts left open-ended that I was disappointed in before not finding out but realized there is a second book coming out which I'm excited for. To make you want to read it more, it's also a retelling of The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe. I think this was a greatly written thriller retelling (which I never read before) and recommend it to fans of Edgar Allen Poe and Kit Frick.