A review by illtakethenightshiftx
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
It's been over a month since I finished this, and yet I'm still not sure if this was a book for me. I loved the way Bieker explored trauma, grief, and motherhood through Clove's experiences, but being inside Clove's head for the duration of the book was grating for a number of reasons, namely the writing style. I'm realizing that first-person pov isn't something I love and something about the way this was written added to my dislike of the book as a whole. The story within is a visceral gut punch of a story, but getting to it wasn't easy. I also wasn't a fan of the "twists" regarding certain characters and had whiplash 3/4 of the way through when it suddenly became a thriller.

Not giving this a star rating because none feel quite right
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