Review by mock_turtle - The Confession

mock_turtle 's review for:

The Confession by Jessie Burton

1.5

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ugh, this book contains my pet hate which is writers commenting on their own work via their characters. As Connie tells the story we've just heard from an earier time period, it' described by Rose as "wow [...] a story so intricate and intense". This wouldn't annoy me so much if the story was intricate and intense; actually not much happens at all in the 'unravelling' of the story and at the end of the book we know the same as we did as the beginning; Rose's mum left her as a baby and we don't know where she is. I'm ok with an unresolved ending but ideally the reader has gained something before that point. But, I know, I know, it was never about Rose finding her mum, it was about her finding herself. Vom.
It also annoys me that the earier time has an omniscient narrator - so it doesn't make sense the implication that Connie tells the story to Rose that we've just heard - she wasn't there for half of it.
To give credit, sometimes the book has interesting things to say about women' bodies, motherhood, relationships... but mostly not. The writing itself was fine. All in all a shame; I wasn't a fan of how the Minaturist nor the Muse panned out, but they at least had interesting characters, intruige, and atmospher.

Content Warnings