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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
I love a good Poe reference so this book had me hooked from the beginning. Been awhile since I read a book with a cliff-hanger type ending so make sure you have the second part handy once you start the first!
That ending was…unexpected. This was a great read. It kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Great buildup, great narration and each character had their own distinct inner monologue. This will definitely be one that I reread in the future!
Going into this book, I really wondered how on earth a thriller could possibly be two books.
But it's Mindy McGinnis and she nails everything she does.
This book was fascinating with three points of view (one which was unexpected) and a slow yet exhilarating pace to understand why these characters are connected and what their motivations are. At times gruesome, McGinnis weaves gore and unusual circumstances that reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Saw, with a dash of Edgar Allen Poe. Overall, I don't think this is for the faint of heart (in regards to the descriptive torture scenes), but it is a must for anyone who loves an unsettling mystery.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars!
But it's Mindy McGinnis and she nails everything she does.
This book was fascinating with three points of view (one which was unexpected) and a slow yet exhilarating pace to understand why these characters are connected and what their motivations are. At times gruesome, McGinnis weaves gore and unusual circumstances that reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Saw, with a dash of Edgar Allen Poe. Overall, I don't think this is for the faint of heart (in regards to the descriptive torture scenes), but it is a must for anyone who loves an unsettling mystery.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars!
Damn. This book was fucked up.
I really love it.
I read The Cask of Amontillado for one of my English classes in college, but it didn't leave the biggest impact on me. But this one - McGinnis really knows how to make the fucked-up compelling.
McGinnis took Poe's original story and expanded it on ways that not only made the story more compelling but bat-shit insane, too. I mean, a goddamn panther escaped from Tress' grandpa's zoo, shows up at the party, and Yes, saying it out loud is ridiculous, and there's quite a few things in this book that can be classified in the same manner, but I was still entranced, all the same.
God, the deep exploration of Tress and Felicity's friendship was so fucking good. Between Felicity being forced to keep her seizures a secret due to fear of scrutiny from her peers, the same scrutiny that lead her to distance herself away rom her best friend, and Tress enduring all kinds of abuse from her grandpa because her parents died, their relationship was always meant to end in its demise. But, despite all that, despite all the hurt Tress lays upon Felicity throughout the book, you can really see how much they still cared for each other. It's so complicated and messy and I devoured every page of it.
I'm so glad I do not have to painstakingly wait for the sequel to come out.
I really love it.
I read The Cask of Amontillado for one of my English classes in college, but it didn't leave the biggest impact on me. But this one - McGinnis really knows how to make the fucked-up compelling.
McGinnis took Poe's original story and expanded it on ways that not only made the story more compelling but bat-shit insane, too. I mean, a goddamn panther escaped from Tress' grandpa's zoo, shows up at the party, and
Spoiler
eats William Wilson, AKA the mean girl's dog.God, the deep exploration of Tress and Felicity's friendship was so fucking good. Between Felicity being forced to keep her seizures a secret due to fear of scrutiny from her peers, the same scrutiny that lead her to distance herself away rom her best friend, and Tress enduring all kinds of abuse from her grandpa because her parents died, their relationship was always meant to end in its demise. But, despite all that, despite all the hurt Tress lays upon Felicity throughout the book, you can really see how much they still cared for each other. It's so complicated and messy and I devoured every page of it.
I'm so glad I do not have to painstakingly wait for the sequel to come out.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Yes
I always hesitate with YA books. First and foremost, I am pretty damn far from young adult. And two, I sometimes find the dialogue cloying and annoying and unrealistic. I often have to say to myself “Do teens actually talk like that these days?” or “This author clearly has no idea how teens talk.”
So, I gave this one a try - and I was pleasantly surprised.
I am passingly familiar with Poe, having read him in high school - and knowing that he has been referenced time and time again throughout pop culture and modern entertainment and literature. So, a modern take on the Cask of the Amontillado?! Could it work.
And overall, it does. Tress Montor uses a Halloween party as an opportunity to take revenge on her former best friend Felicity Turnado - by bricking her up in a coal chute. This is one of many Poe Easter eggs - the story is replete with them - even as a casual Poe reader - my brain pinged with all the references. They can be a bit “on the nose”, but McGinnis walks the line without it becoming overdone. I mean, they do live in the Town of Amontillado!
There are your usual high school tropes - but they seem real and layered, especially since the story is told from both Tress and Felicity’s perspectives. Felicity has the chance to become the popular girl stereotype and Tress the typical YA outsider, but they are written more nuanced, especially with Felicity and Tress’s relationships with the outside characters. Especially Hugh - the quarterback with a heart of gold.
The story also features the perspective of a panther who escapes Tress’s family zoo - which I don’t think was absolutely necessary...but plays a part in the larger story.
The book is well paced - with some drag - but then the book careens towards the end, almost devolving into nonsense narrative. Some reviewers mentioned a twist, there wasn’t a twist to be found? Or maybe I just missed something towards the end?
But ultimately a satisfactory Poe tribute that also captures the angst and complexity of high school friendships, social castes, and how people are more than what we see on the surface.
And also, be careful who you piss off in high school.
(I may even revisit the Cask of the Amontillado after this!)
So, I gave this one a try - and I was pleasantly surprised.
I am passingly familiar with Poe, having read him in high school - and knowing that he has been referenced time and time again throughout pop culture and modern entertainment and literature. So, a modern take on the Cask of the Amontillado?! Could it work.
And overall, it does. Tress Montor uses a Halloween party as an opportunity to take revenge on her former best friend Felicity Turnado - by bricking her up in a coal chute. This is one of many Poe Easter eggs - the story is replete with them - even as a casual Poe reader - my brain pinged with all the references. They can be a bit “on the nose”, but McGinnis walks the line without it becoming overdone. I mean, they do live in the Town of Amontillado!
There are your usual high school tropes - but they seem real and layered, especially since the story is told from both Tress and Felicity’s perspectives. Felicity has the chance to become the popular girl stereotype and Tress the typical YA outsider, but they are written more nuanced, especially with Felicity and Tress’s relationships with the outside characters. Especially Hugh - the quarterback with a heart of gold.
The story also features the perspective of a panther who escapes Tress’s family zoo - which I don’t think was absolutely necessary...but plays a part in the larger story.
The book is well paced - with some drag - but then the book careens towards the end, almost devolving into nonsense narrative. Some reviewers mentioned a twist, there wasn’t a twist to be found? Or maybe I just missed something towards the end?
But ultimately a satisfactory Poe tribute that also captures the angst and complexity of high school friendships, social castes, and how people are more than what we see on the surface.
And also, be careful who you piss off in high school.
(I may even revisit the Cask of the Amontillado after this!)
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. The writing was enthralling. I couldn't put it down. But there was so much going on and so much that was just implausible. And the weird cat point of view threw me/wasn't at all necessary. But it ends on such a cliffhanger, there is no way that I can't read the next one. Must know how it ends!
Tiger King meets Heathers meets Edgar Allan Poe? What’d I just read? I love Mindy’s writing though - always gorgeous story telling. Wait… it’s a duology?