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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Not a fan of this one. It was strange, the writing wasn't bad, but it was just dull to me.
Meh. Definitely paints religious people in a bad light, which felt a bit heavy handed. And the ending was a bit too neat and tidy for me.
Also. Why was Lib so averse to force feeding the girl? "I'll do anything to save her" my ass.
The random journalist who gives up his life and agrees to kidnap and raise a little girl out of the kindness of his heart seemed... a bit too fortuitous. Like, what are the odds that a super nice guy would randomly show up. It would have been a more satisfying story if Lib had managed to save the girl on her own, without the inexplicable help from some random dude.
Anyway. A forgettable mystery about the stupidity of religious people.
Also. Why was Lib so averse to force feeding the girl? "I'll do anything to save her" my ass.
The random journalist who gives up his life and agrees to kidnap and raise a little girl out of the kindness of his heart seemed... a bit too fortuitous. Like, what are the odds that a super nice guy would randomly show up. It would have been a more satisfying story if Lib had managed to save the girl on her own, without the inexplicable help from some random dude.
Anyway. A forgettable mystery about the stupidity of religious people.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was kind of boring. The last 30 or so pages were the most interesting bits and felt rushed after a couple hundred pages of not much happening. But like Lib couldn't turn away from a dying child, I couldn't turn away from this book though I can't say that I enjoyed it
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
slow-paced
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I have many thoughts about this book! First off, I listened to the audiobook version, and maybe it’s just me, but that narrator‘s voice was like nails on a chalkboard for the entire book. There is something about those breathy female voices that makes me want to crawl out of my skin. As for the story itself, it would have been better served if the author had not sprung the particularly repulsive twist on her readers that she did. There were so many other options she could have chosen, but she chose that (I don’t want to have to tag my review as including spoilers, so I’ll refrain). I nearly put the book down right then. But beyond the narration and the choice of reason for the child refusing to eat, there is the topic of religion. I find it shocking that the professional reviews of this book don’t mention it. It was like an enormous elephant taking up the entire room and nobody mentioning it. Religion is the root of so much evil and so much vice, and this story creates such a clear connection between blind faith in God and the Bible and operating against one’s own best interests that I can’t believe the powers-that-be don’t talk about it in their reviews. I thought that very serious topics such as despicable family secrets and the powerful control exerted by the Catholic church, both at the heart of the story, were given very little real attention in this book, and therefore I found it wanting. The fairytale ending and the glossing over of the real issues made for a weak novel.
I enjoyed this story. It was engaging and had several twists. Gothic and sinister at times, the setting and mood were well-crafted. I never really connected with the characters and found it difficult to buy the resolution.