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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
neliadiedenise's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Cancer, Grief, Medical content, Confinement, Cursing, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Stalking, Terminal illness, and Violence
holdenwunders_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Wow. This was one of the most triggering books I've ever read in my entire life. It was incredibly well written, horrifying, vivid, and while it has violent aspects it wasn't overtly so. There was something about this that was so visceral and felt like it could only be told by a victim of abuse and it left me reeling. I can handle a lot but this felt like Room but a suspense version and man it gave me nightmares. Fantastic debut but be warned if you've ever been a victim. I don't think I'll ever be able to read another by this authour again for my own mental health but it really was that good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Torture, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
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