A review by tori2629
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

dark emotional 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

3.75

You think you know exactly what's going to happen from the summary. Then, just 50 or so pages in, you are SURE you know what's happened, and you will think "Wow, is this just the most predictable book ever???" But, then, when things are finally revealed, you realize, "Hm. Well, this went in a different direction than I expected!" I do feel like it being obvious what happens to Ellie, and how she connects to Floyd and Poppy, was kind of the whole point. The story isn't a mystery about "what happened to Ellie." It's about her Mum, Laurel finally putting the pieces of her life together and moving on afterwards.  

Overall, I liked the book. It got a little slow in the middle, and I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable, not even Laurel or Poppy, really, but the plot was compelling enough that I wanted to see what happened, and how things wind up in the end. I was pleasantly surprised. 
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