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A review by kmc_reads7490
The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald
5.0
5 stars- this novel was amazing.
This was the best book I’ve read all year. It doesn’t come out until February 2019 but I’ve already pre-ordered it. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a free e-ARC to review.
The plot of this novel seems pretty straightforward, something you’d normally see in a suspense/thriller novel - daughter “mysteriously” injured in an accident, trying to find out whodunit, etc. However, there were a few things that elevated this novel and made it stand out for me.
In regards to the thriller/suspense plot , the author did a great job of casting doubt & suspicion on several characters, and I truly didn’t figure it out until the end of the novel. I thought I had it figured out right away, but to my pleasant surprise, found myself questioning the killer as the novel went on. I very much enjoyed how to the story played out, as Abi worked tirelessly to figure out what happened to Olivia.
However, most thrillers don’t have an emotional component like this one did. The fact that Olivia is pregnant AND brain-dead, being kept alive on life support, adds so many feelings to this one, and evokes lots of emotion from the reader. Usually, the victim has already passed away, making the reader feel more detached- you feel no real connection to the victim. That was not the case in this story.
Without giving anything away, I was sobbing at the end of the novel - like loud, mascara-down-my cheeks ugly crying, causing my husband to ask (a few times) if I was okay. Especially in the last few chapters, the author did a phenomenal job of creating detailed, heartfelt scenes that made you feel like you were right there.
I think I also felt so strongly and was so emotional due to the way the book was written, with the alternating narratives and flashback chapters. Often, the reader only hears from 1 narrator and it’s not the victim. Hearing Olivia’s POV and knowing what was going on with her, made me connect with her on a much deeper level. The reader is in Olivia’s head right through the heartbreaking scene on the bridge. The writing for these scenes was just incredible.
Whether you’re a fan of thrillers or women’s fiction, this book will appeal to so many people and will resonate with you on a deeper emotional level. Highly, highly, recommend.
This was the best book I’ve read all year. It doesn’t come out until February 2019 but I’ve already pre-ordered it. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a free e-ARC to review.
The plot of this novel seems pretty straightforward, something you’d normally see in a suspense/thriller novel - daughter “mysteriously” injured in an accident, trying to find out whodunit, etc. However, there were a few things that elevated this novel and made it stand out for me.
In regards to the thriller/suspense plot , the author did a great job of casting doubt & suspicion on several characters, and I truly didn’t figure it out until the end of the novel. I thought I had it figured out right away, but to my pleasant surprise, found myself questioning the killer as the novel went on. I very much enjoyed how to the story played out, as Abi worked tirelessly to figure out what happened to Olivia.
However, most thrillers don’t have an emotional component like this one did. The fact that Olivia is pregnant AND brain-dead, being kept alive on life support, adds so many feelings to this one, and evokes lots of emotion from the reader. Usually, the victim has already passed away, making the reader feel more detached- you feel no real connection to the victim. That was not the case in this story.
Without giving anything away, I was sobbing at the end of the novel - like loud, mascara-down-my cheeks ugly crying, causing my husband to ask (a few times) if I was okay. Especially in the last few chapters, the author did a phenomenal job of creating detailed, heartfelt scenes that made you feel like you were right there.
I think I also felt so strongly and was so emotional due to the way the book was written, with the alternating narratives and flashback chapters. Often, the reader only hears from 1 narrator and it’s not the victim. Hearing Olivia’s POV and knowing what was going on with her, made me connect with her on a much deeper level. The reader is in Olivia’s head right through the heartbreaking scene on the bridge. The writing for these scenes was just incredible.
Whether you’re a fan of thrillers or women’s fiction, this book will appeal to so many people and will resonate with you on a deeper emotional level. Highly, highly, recommend.