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A review by beate251
Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a Marvel crime thriller about Jessica Jones, superhero turned private investigator, written by an author who is new to the Marvel universe but is well-known for her exciting psychological thrillers.
One day wealthy Amber Randall comes to Jessica asking her to investigate why her two teenagers, Fox and Lark (boy and girl) have come back from a month-long visit with their father in England totally changed in personality, with unblemished skin but constantly confirming that they are "perfect". Do a girl called Belle and her guardian Debra have something to do with it, and what happened to three missing girls?
The second plotline starts 38 years earlier and involves a clairvoyant named Ophelia, a man with a lust for blood, a highly intelligent nerd and an ambitious young woman, moving forward in time in alternating chapters until the two storylines collide in the present.
Together with her eager 17 year old assistant Malcolm, Jessica starts to unravel a pretty sinister attempt at controlling the world population through an iffy beauty product. Some people will stop at nothing to become someone!
I have watched Marvel films and know the names of some big players but I had to Google Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. I read this book purely on the strength of Lisa Jewell's name and quite frankly, this can be read just like one of her usual psychological thrillers as Jessica's superpowers really aren't what drive this story. I've read that fans of the author like this book better than Marvel fans, and that is certainly true for me.
Jessica is a complex character struggling with her superpowers and broken by events from her past. Nevertheless, she doesn't hesitate in helping people but is conflicted about getting her young assistant into danger. She also tries to come to terms with some developments in her private life.
I was blown away by the clever plot and well-written dual POV storyline, leaving us to wonder for big chunks of the story what on earth is going on, but having hell of a ride getting there. My first thought after finishing the book in one day (all 464 pages) was simply "wow". To me, Lisa Jewell can do no wrong, and I will read anything she ever writes, though I'm pretty certain I will skip the other two Marvel crime novels that are in the pipeline by different authors. Can't win them all!
One day wealthy Amber Randall comes to Jessica asking her to investigate why her two teenagers, Fox and Lark (boy and girl) have come back from a month-long visit with their father in England totally changed in personality, with unblemished skin but constantly confirming that they are "perfect". Do a girl called Belle and her guardian Debra have something to do with it, and what happened to three missing girls?
The second plotline starts 38 years earlier and involves a clairvoyant named Ophelia, a man with a lust for blood, a highly intelligent nerd and an ambitious young woman, moving forward in time in alternating chapters until the two storylines collide in the present.
Together with her eager 17 year old assistant Malcolm, Jessica starts to unravel a pretty sinister attempt at controlling the world population through an iffy beauty product. Some people will stop at nothing to become someone!
I have watched Marvel films and know the names of some big players but I had to Google Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. I read this book purely on the strength of Lisa Jewell's name and quite frankly, this can be read just like one of her usual psychological thrillers as Jessica's superpowers really aren't what drive this story. I've read that fans of the author like this book better than Marvel fans, and that is certainly true for me.
Jessica is a complex character struggling with her superpowers and broken by events from her past. Nevertheless, she doesn't hesitate in helping people but is conflicted about getting her young assistant into danger. She also tries to come to terms with some developments in her private life.
I was blown away by the clever plot and well-written dual POV storyline, leaving us to wonder for big chunks of the story what on earth is going on, but having hell of a ride getting there. My first thought after finishing the book in one day (all 464 pages) was simply "wow". To me, Lisa Jewell can do no wrong, and I will read anything she ever writes, though I'm pretty certain I will skip the other two Marvel crime novels that are in the pipeline by different authors. Can't win them all!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail