Review by vivisms_82 - What Happened to Nina?

vivisms_82 's review for:

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

My first book by this author and WOW. I need to note the audiobook with the full cast were amazing - probably the best ensemble cast I've heard in a while; the teens sound like teens (and not 60yr olds) and each voice actor brought their characters to life phenomenally - so authentic.

Now for the book. I'm not going to rehash the plot because you can read that easily anywhere. I will say if you want a thriller that will have you reading at a frantic pace and in a mostly tense state this is it. If you want one that is satisfying, this is it. Well written and will no doubt have book clubs discussing the actions of Simon and Nina's parents as well as debating doing the right thing vs protecting your family vs protecting public opinion of you. To me, I get why these themes and dilemmas are presented in this book, I do. What it made me feel even more strongly about and want to scream though is

we have got to do better and call out abuse - even if it's someone we love who is the abuser. Not pulling someone up on this is just agreeing with this despicable behaviour. And they will do it again. Simon's parents protecting their scumbag son made me think of Gabby Petito's killer's parents. It's one thing to do everything you can for your kids, it's a whole other thing helping them to get away with murder. I did however like how the author showed Jaime's struggle recognising her son as a violent murderer; how she reflects on what she may have done wrong or if this is just the way her son always was going to be.

I thought how Dervla presented the icky parts of modern society was well presented - the gossip in the community, crummy social media and the press, the misinformation and lack of ethics and conscience; how people with money and power have access to the best lawyers and certain helpful connections that can manipulate a narrative.

The depictions of domestic violence was uncomfortably accurate -

Nina saying she bets people will judge her saying "why didn't you just leave?" is so stupidly common; how leaving an abusive partner is so difficult because the victim knows it's the most dangerous thing they can do. The friends and family not really knowing about the abuse (bar Julie Bradley's suspicions) is also statistically true. Nina hiding the bruises. Nina could be any one of us and I thought Dervla told a really important societal problem in a way that does justice to all of the Nina's out there. Simon not looking like what people imagine a violent abuser to be is the point. Him having no prior record and people saying what "a good kid" he was is the point. The man at school that knew years earlier, Simon planted things in his friend's locker to get him in criminal trouble BUT DID NOTHING to call him out is the point. Simon's subtle disrespect for women is the point. Simon saying men have gotten such a bad rap since #metoo without realising he is part of the problem is the point.

Dervla not only gets it, she flippin' nails it.

Content Warnings