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A review by bybookandbone
Pine by Francine Toon
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
For a book I knew nothing about when I took it from the library, it certainly managed to be everything I don't like in a story.
I mean, for one thing, there's very little story. The blurb covers well over half the book.
It's about a terrible father, drinking his life away because his wife left him, barely caring for his little girl (who seems to be a interesting character that the book refuses to dive into in any meaningful way). The mystery, if you can call it that, is what happened to Christine, the wife. Later on, almost at the end, Ann Marie goes missing because she wants to solve this mystery. Who is Ann Marie? I dunno... the babysitter? and that's about the characterisation we get from her.
she shows up again in a few chapters and lamely names the killer. We never see the aftermath of this and there's no indepth explanation of who he is or why.
The way this non-story wraps up is just lame. Lame is the only descriptive word I can think of for it.
It honestly feels like even the author was bored by their own book and just wanted it to be over.
I mean, for one thing, there's very little story. The blurb covers well over half the book.
It's about a terrible father, drinking his life away because his wife left him, barely caring for his little girl (who seems to be a interesting character that the book refuses to dive into in any meaningful way). The mystery, if you can call it that, is what happened to Christine, the wife. Later on, almost at the end, Ann Marie goes missing because she wants to solve this mystery. Who is Ann Marie? I dunno... the babysitter? and that's about the characterisation we get from her.
The way this non-story wraps up is just lame. Lame is the only descriptive word I can think of for it.
It honestly feels like even the author was bored by their own book and just wanted it to be over.