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lindseyslittlelibrary's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! If you are looking for a page turner this is it!! I couldn't put it down!
lovesresqdogs's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great page turner. I have never been disappointed by this author.
marusik_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
cathiedalziel's review against another edition
4.0
Good book; kept me engrossed and wanting to read on ~ always a very good thing.
I guessed who the "bad guy" was about half way in and was annoyed with Meg who didn't catch on. However, like Meg, I never knew how really psycho this guy was.
This book is told through the eyes of 5 main characters and it is interesting how the story unfolds and background information is revealed.
While reading it I couldn't help but realize that 25 years ago this story would have been classified as horror and unthinkable and now, in today's society, I read it as a fictionalized account of a true crime likelihood ~ that's probably one of the most gripping things about this book and it's subject.
I guessed who the "bad guy" was about half way in and was annoyed with Meg who didn't catch on. However, like Meg, I never knew how really psycho this guy was.
This book is told through the eyes of 5 main characters and it is interesting how the story unfolds and background information is revealed.
While reading it I couldn't help but realize that 25 years ago this story would have been classified as horror and unthinkable and now, in today's society, I read it as a fictionalized account of a true crime likelihood ~ that's probably one of the most gripping things about this book and it's subject.
justlily's review against another edition
4.0
I'm such a fan of how Heather Gudenkauf writes. Her style is pretty much perfect, especially in terms of character development and weaving in multiple stories at once completely seamlessly. Her books flow along at the perfect pace and always keep you guessing right up to the very end.
I would have liked a little more towards the end of this book, to have seen The Answer fleshed out a bit more. But overall it was a really satisfying read.
I would have liked a little more towards the end of this book, to have seen The Answer fleshed out a bit more. But overall it was a really satisfying read.
jacki_f's review against another edition
3.0
In a small town in Iowa, a gunman walks into a school during a snowstorm. He sets himself up in a classroom and calmly takes control. Outside, the policeforce mobilise, but due to the poor weather their numbers are small and extra reinforcements are not available. Anxious parents also gather. Inside the school, 12 year old Augie worries about her younger brother, trapped in the gunman's classroom. No one knows who the gunman is or what he wants.
The book unfolds over the course of a single day and chapters move between the perspective of five characters: Augie, her mother Holly (in hospital in Arizona), her grandfather Will, Mrs Oliver (a teacher inside the school) and Meg, one of the policemen. The chapters are short - usually a few pages, sometimes only as a paragraph or two.
I read most of the book in one setting so I suppose that suggests I loved it, but the truth is that I found it pretty slow going. There is not a lot of action and not a lot of suspense (though it does ramp up somewhat towards the end). Most of it is treading water as the children wait for something to happen and the police on the outside try to identify the gunman. I know that there are many rapturous reviews out there but honestly, I didn't feel it. Heather Gudenkauf is compared to Jodi Picoult, but having recently read [b:The Storyteller|15753740|The Storyteller|Jodi Picoult|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356328634s/15753740.jpg|21449403], I didn't feel that this book was nearly as complex or absorbing. It's okay, but that's all.
The book unfolds over the course of a single day and chapters move between the perspective of five characters: Augie, her mother Holly (in hospital in Arizona), her grandfather Will, Mrs Oliver (a teacher inside the school) and Meg, one of the policemen. The chapters are short - usually a few pages, sometimes only as a paragraph or two.
I read most of the book in one setting so I suppose that suggests I loved it, but the truth is that I found it pretty slow going. There is not a lot of action and not a lot of suspense (though it does ramp up somewhat towards the end). Most of it is treading water as the children wait for something to happen and the police on the outside try to identify the gunman. I know that there are many rapturous reviews out there but honestly, I didn't feel it. Heather Gudenkauf is compared to Jodi Picoult, but having recently read [b:The Storyteller|15753740|The Storyteller|Jodi Picoult|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356328634s/15753740.jpg|21449403], I didn't feel that this book was nearly as complex or absorbing. It's okay, but that's all.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
3.0
Hard to put down. All the stories twist and weave through each other as the different characters narrate their parts. I honestly had no idea how this would end, but was satisfied with the solution.
ris_stitches's review against another edition
4.0
I think I liked Heather Gudenkauf's other two books a but better but this was still really good. Great story and she did an amazing job of telling the story from so many points of view. Really couldn't put this one down.
katreadingbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Story flowed seamlessly even with each chapter being told from a different person.
betty816's review against another edition
5.0
Wow!! I couldn't put this book down! Fast paced, nail biter with a twist that some wont see coming!!!