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sasha_is_reading's review against another edition
Not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't the narratives of a bunch of women whose only known ttait is that they know the same handsome serial killer. TBH this was so uncomfortable to read I thought it was written by a man.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Minor: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Emotional abuse
shelfofrie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
It’s not bad, but it wasn’t necessarily spectacular. It was very triggering and uncomfortable for me.
The book follows the POV of 3 Women in a kidnapper and serial killer man’s life.
- the Woman he kidnapped
- His teenage daughter
- The bartender he frequents to
It was very uncomfortable because it truly follows the journey of the survival of the woman he kidnapped, it’s dark and triggering.
I finished this faster than expected because I truly just wanted to see if the Woman he kidnapped survived or not. It wasn’t bad, because the writing flows pretty well and easy to follow. (There wasn’t any explicit Triggering content per se but the implication is there so PLEASE be careful!)
She wrote the book with a pretty well balance to show the true double side life of a Serial Killer/Kidnapper. I said well, because in some cases through his daughter POV, I can see the good dad he was, the human side of him, and on the other side. The violent and monstrous side of him.
⚠️The Woman he kidnapped ⚠️
TW: Sexual Abuse, R***, Stockholm Syndrome
For her chapters it was written in second POV, so it really pulled you into her survival state of mind and it could be triggering
Her inner monologue is heartbreaking and stay true to the modern topic of sexual abuse towards women. It was truly the biggest motivator I kept on reading, her heartbreakingly strong will to survive and escape. We heard so many stories of brave women who escaped and this book really put you in the moment of THAT. How? Will I be able to? It’s very dark.
It made me uncomfortable because a lot of women out there do or did get through this. It’s just hard to explain as a women reading it as a fictional book. So maybe thats why, it was an uncomfortable experience for me.
PLUS, the bartender girl he frequents to; she turned out has feelings for him. Because he was so “normal” to the outside world. Her chapters were especially hard to read for me because of it’s naivety (because we as a reader knows what he’s capable of) but at the same time as an overall it adds that balance duality the author was probably aiming for.
In overall, I probably wouldn’t want to read this type of book again. Because it made me feel very uncomfortable and how triggering it was. The ending was also very anticlimactic, I wished there’s a better wrap up ending and exploration to how it actually affected the lives of people surrounding a Serial Killer. Since it was mostly the survival story of the Woman he kidnapped, his teenage daughter and his unassuming bartender girlfriend(?). It didn’t really have any closure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
grasse_matinee's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
kendal4kendal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
A fast paced thriller
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death
amanda_reads89's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
htheade's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved the perspectives this book was written from. Flowed really well, good speed. Absolutely recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Murder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Confinement, and Violence
isacarvalho91's review against another edition
dark
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Cancer, Sexual assault, Confinement, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Terminal illness
zenzi2read's review against another edition
mysterious
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
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
ms_sarah621's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.5
I do not have words for how I feel about this book. This is a phenomenal thriller. This was heartbreaking, triggering, powerful, and so tense. The descriptions, the writing, the plot, the characters are all so well done. I felt like I was experiencing things with the characters. Everything was described so deeply and so fleshed out. The dynamics and the different relationships throughout were incredible. The only reason I’m not giving it a 5 is mostly because I really wish we could have had more chapters with Cecelia and/or Caroline. I felt like the Emily chapters were an uncomfortable perspective, rather than focusing on the women in Aiden’s life for much longer and more personal in their relationship. However, the story is still amazing and works with the Emily perspective. It’s made to be an uncomfortable book, and I devoured it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Car accident, Chronic illness, and Death
michaelawatkins's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Torture, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent