A review by mschwa1118
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

dark sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Wow. I am very confused at the collective lauding of this book. This was lazy and traumatizing. Daphne is the only saving grace and even a part of her own endgame is disappointing. This was really a story about abuse by way of sociopaths, and instead it was cheap shock value for a “thriller”. 
Content warnings include: rape, body shaming, being drugged, making up being SA’d for personal gain, lovebombing, gaslighting, discussions of abortion, ableism, domestic/spousal abuse and violence, eating disorders, isolation, stalking, having someone committed to control them, grooming, manipulating one’s own children, verbal child abuse, humiliation, degradation, threats of gun violence, and control. I suggest anyone planning to read this take these very seriously. Amber’s character is ridiculous and we spend 200+ pages being mortified about everything she complains about, and wondering well why is she like this? I’ll tell you- the end most definitely tells us nothing. Then, spoiler, we get about 100 pages of reading how relentlessly abusive Jackson actually is. It is graphic, horrifying, and devastating. And it all seems for shock value. And not to mention, his behavior isn’t even explained at all after all that. Then, while Daphne is the hero, her freedom comes at the cost of someone else’s ultimate abuse from him. Also, no explanation on how Amber found them. The laziest writing I could ever imagine. I just cannot understand why people rave about this. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings