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A review by kateea7536
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Unlike anything I’ve ever read. Simply incredible. So many twists and turns and secrets and lies that it was just fascinating as it unfolded. It is rare that such good and vivid writing is paired with a plot that unwravels so flawlessly without being clunky. I love how little I knew even halfway through the book - the characters were set up sooo well that you felt lied to as the reader. Even side characters were given substance and depth so that every part felt relevant to the story. There were lots of false alarm moments of tension that ramped up and then diffused, which kept me on my toes. The stark contrast between foolish child-like men and the intricate murder mystery was unique and captivating and also contributed to lots of looks at how females are treated and schoolboy culture, which can be highly toxic. So many ideas and themes were covered but it never felt like too much and this has shot into one of my top 5 books of all time.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abortion, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Murder, Child death, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Misogyny