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A review by theespressoedition
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow wow WOW! When people say this book is good, they're not messing around. This book is good. You've probably heard that it resembles Knives Out, and that description is spot-on! I was only a few chapters in before I exclaimed aloud (to my very kind husband who regularly has to listen to me spout my thoughts on books while we're in bed at night and he'd rather be watching YouTube) that "OMG this is so much like Knives Out!" But... it might be, dare I say... better?
I have always been a sucker for a good mystery. As a kid, I loved finding the most obscure kid's mystery books (no Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys for me) and seeing how quickly I could solve them. Bonus points if it happened before the halfway point. As an adult, this has become nearly a toxic trait because I see things coming from a mile away. Usually, even with mystery books, I'm disappointed when I realize that I've discovered all of the plot twists before they happen. This is even the case when I'm watching TV shows (again, bless my dear husband who has to listen to me tell him my predictions, which often ruins whatever we watch because I'm typically right - oops) and it becomes quite irritating after a while. I just want something to surprise me!
The Inheritance Games surprised me - over and over and over again. There weren't necessarily jaw-dropping moments where I thought, "OMG IT WAS THEM?!" so much as subtle twists and turns that kept me on my toes. It was so satisfying to read, predict, and then be swept away towards another direction, only to be pleasantly surprised when that earlier detail came back up again in a way that was unexpected. I had a tough time putting the book down for this exact reason!
I loved the different characters in this. You really never know who to trust, who's to blame, and what the motives are for any character at any given time and that is such fun. I certainly have my favorites (Xander and Libby) but it'll be interesting to see how everyone develops over the rest of the series.
Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP because it really is that good (in case my earlier pronouncement of this wasn't enough).
I have always been a sucker for a good mystery. As a kid, I loved finding the most obscure kid's mystery books (no Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys for me) and seeing how quickly I could solve them. Bonus points if it happened before the halfway point. As an adult, this has become nearly a toxic trait because I see things coming from a mile away. Usually, even with mystery books, I'm disappointed when I realize that I've discovered all of the plot twists before they happen. This is even the case when I'm watching TV shows (again, bless my dear husband who has to listen to me tell him my predictions, which often ruins whatever we watch because I'm typically right - oops) and it becomes quite irritating after a while. I just want something to surprise me!
The Inheritance Games surprised me - over and over and over again. There weren't necessarily jaw-dropping moments where I thought, "OMG IT WAS THEM?!" so much as subtle twists and turns that kept me on my toes. It was so satisfying to read, predict, and then be swept away towards another direction, only to be pleasantly surprised when that earlier detail came back up again in a way that was unexpected. I had a tough time putting the book down for this exact reason!
I loved the different characters in this. You really never know who to trust, who's to blame, and what the motives are for any character at any given time and that is such fun. I certainly have my favorites (Xander and Libby) but it'll be interesting to see how everyone develops over the rest of the series.
Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP because it really is that good (in case my earlier pronouncement of this wasn't enough).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Gun violence, Murder, and Abandonment