A review by cepbreed
Five Survive by Holly Jackson

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

3.5

I didn't think Holly Jackson could follow up her A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series but she did...by cloaking the same tried and true tropes with another thriller plot. Jackson sticks to what she knows and does a great job of it. Thriller in itself is a repetitive genre, but the main point is to keep it entertaining which Jackson genuinely succeeds at. Around page 150 is when I seriously couldn't put this book down. I say that about a lot of books, but I mean it in the truest sense writing this review at 3 am. I wish it had picked up earlier because maybe it wouldn't have taken me so damn long to finish. I mean the whole everyone-has-a-secret thing has been done a million times in the same exact ways. This is definitely one of those cookie-cutter times, but a cookie-cutter plot point done right. Jackson takes these stiff archetypes of characters and almost hyperbolizes their roles which makes for a captivating climax and dozens of plot twists. Oliver stands out as this hyper-masculine alpha male type, think Fred from the Scooby-Doo franchise off steroids. Red is another striking offender. She's the wounded protagonist, the girl who is "not like the others" because of her traumatizing and twisted past. Everyone has their role in the story and plays it so well. But there is a flaw with this because I can't really say I liked any of the characters for 99% of the book.
(I say 99% because I ended up liking Arthur and his relationship with Red only after the letter we're given from him. Which I have SO much to say about. First of all when I said everyone fit archetypes that means I immediately clocked Arthur as "the nice guy" and in thrillers you can NEVER trust those types. It's always a mask, a wolf in sheep's clothing type deal, so I was weary of him. I'm glad to know he turned out to be a morally sound guy which led me to appreciate that whole thing Jackson had going on between him and Red. As much as I loved them I really feel like they were developed enough. Like they’ve known each other for what, ballpark 6 months and he is willing to divert his organized crime plan for her? That’s insane devotion. And all of that just to get some longing glances and touches held for seconds too long?! Man didn’t even get a kiss. Which leads me to the DAMN cliffhanger. Holly Jackson took everything unsatisfying and painful about As Good As Dead and decided to do it all again. Can't this woman figure out a new way to end a work? I noticed all of these flaws and I still fell for Red and Arthur hook line and sinker. I am going to need an additional epilogue immediately of ANYTHING. Their meeting, them on the run, or even them just hanging out I literally would not care and I would eat up any little tidbit. Holly Jackson this is my formal plea for more content.)
In the first half, everyone was annoying, Oliver especially. And Reyna played the same role as the RV. She had no contributions to the plot except for one brief minute and then she just was there the whole time. The girl wasn't given any development of her own which is tragic. 

All this talk about tropes isn't really natural to me. This is the second book for a small book club I'm in and it's not exactly full of sustained discussion material, so I've been grasping at straws to find stuff the entire time I was reading. That grasping was fruitful hence the trope discussion and the extensive list in my notes app of themes including morality and accountability.  

NO ONE KILL ME FOR THIS CONTROVERSIAL TAKE but Holly Jackson easily could’ve had a romance plot line and added depth to Maddy’s character if she was in love with Red. I’m sorry but it’s true. Maddy’s devotion to her and to taking care of her. Plus imagine the tension of Red discovering Maddy’s been hiding
that she knew about what her mother had done the whole time.
Like that would’ve been insane and kept me SAT. 

Song: 
  • Roll Call - The Neighbourhood 
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