A review by nightswim78
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I am genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Though there was a pacing issue at the beginning that left me uninterested, I became enraptured as soon as the main character started diving deeper into her messy relationship with her ex-best friend. Another highlight was the 'book within a book' element, which was well done and each excerpt was well placed. There's something about books with characters trapped in a cycle of obsession that just hits the spot. I can't wait to see what Bartz does next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Antisemitism and Racism

There's a scene in which a character shares the experiences of two families: one who survived The Holocaust, and one who participated in The Holocaust. There's joy from a character when it comes to the latter point.