Reviews with content warning for Islamophobia - Drie uur

😱 This literally had me on the edge of my seat. Think rocking back and forth, screaming at the book. That’s how good we’re talking.

🕚 The story takes place over just 3 hours, telling the story of a school in England under attack by a gunman. I couldn’t put the book down, picking it up even for a couple of minutes.

💭 The insight into the characters thoughts and motivations as they live through this tragic experience was truly captivating.

🤔 Rosamund drops hints about who the gunman is throughout and it was brilliant. It made me theorise and guess all the way through and when I was sure who it was, I was screaming at the book. But even then, there was a twist towards the end that turned my stomach.

🌊 I felt like there was wave after wave of realisation. Each one hit me a little harder as I realised what it meant for the characters.

📝 Not only is this a brilliant piece of writing, it’s an important message too. It shook me, but in the best possible way.

Content Warnings

thepagesofmrsd's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

As implied from the title, this much-anticipated thriller takes place over just three hours, three hours in which there has been a shooting at a school and some pupils are trapped inside.
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I felt this this was incredibly well done. A range of difficult and important themes (ranging from terrorism, radicalisation, and Islamophobia to parenthood, adolescence, and the impact and responsibility of the media) are explored with sensitivity, and feel central to the plot without taking away from it. This was a thriller that kept you on the edge of your seat, like any good thriller should, whilst also making you think more deeply.
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There are a lot of characters to keep track of which could feel overwhelming, but I actually liked it. The structure of multiple points of view, as well as the references to time, made the narrative feel more urgent and more believable. As well as this, despite the multiple viewpoints, the characters have very well thought out histories, making it easier to engage with them and their individual stories within the main tale.
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The writing, too, was very emotive and I loved the links with Macbeth that were scattered throughout. Yes, there were some elements of the plot that I found less believable than others, and it all ended very neatly, but I was actually quite okay with that.
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This book won't necessarily be for everyone, and the difficult themes may be too much for some readers (particularly if you have school age children), but my goodness I thought it was brilliant. I read it quickly and found it both thrilling and extremely powerful. It was a story of misunderstanding and fear, yet also one of resilience, courage, and love. This is a must read for thriller fans who are looking for something a little more thought-provoking, whilst still packing a punch.

Content Warnings

lani's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

pagesofquinn's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

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