Scan barcode
A review by dans_bookscape
This is Where We Talk Things Out by Caitlin Marceau
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“Miller and her estranged mother, Sylvie, have always had a tense relationship. But after Miller’s father dies, she agrees to a girls’ vacation away from the city to reconnect with the only family she has left.
Unfortunately, Sylvie’s trapped in the past. She’s recreated Miller’s childhood home down to the smallest details – she’s even found adult versions of Miller’s childhood outfits – and is desperate to revive the ‘happy family’ they once had, at any cost.”
I don’t think I recall enjoying a book and being infuriated with it as much as I have with this brilliant novella. Not infuriated with it in a bad way, it actually helped with the enjoyment!
As the novella is so short and the time period of the story is over a couple of days the pace of it is at breakneck speed, which plays into the feeling of Miller being trapped in this bizarre recreation of her childhood, in the middle of nowhere.
Sylvie is awful, no better way to describe her. She claims to want to get a relationship with her daughter back but spends the whole time gaslighting her...I could feel every nasty comment, shifting of blame and emotional blackmail from my own past which heightened the fury I felt with every interaction.
The feeling of just wanting to shout into the pages for Miller to run and get away, was felt almost immediately, there was just the sense that this wasn’t going to end well.
Excellent book from @caitlinmarceau ... if you haven’t read it yet you really should!
Unfortunately, Sylvie’s trapped in the past. She’s recreated Miller’s childhood home down to the smallest details – she’s even found adult versions of Miller’s childhood outfits – and is desperate to revive the ‘happy family’ they once had, at any cost.”
I don’t think I recall enjoying a book and being infuriated with it as much as I have with this brilliant novella. Not infuriated with it in a bad way, it actually helped with the enjoyment!
As the novella is so short and the time period of the story is over a couple of days the pace of it is at breakneck speed, which plays into the feeling of Miller being trapped in this bizarre recreation of her childhood, in the middle of nowhere.
Sylvie is awful, no better way to describe her. She claims to want to get a relationship with her daughter back but spends the whole time gaslighting her...I could feel every nasty comment, shifting of blame and emotional blackmail from my own past which heightened the fury I felt with every interaction.
The feeling of just wanting to shout into the pages for Miller to run and get away, was felt almost immediately, there was just the sense that this wasn’t going to end well.
Excellent book from @caitlinmarceau ... if you haven’t read it yet you really should!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting