Review by lookingmuchimproved - Elizabeth Is Missing

You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

lookingmuchimproved 's review for:

Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey

3.75

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This was a very emotional read for me. Healey does a very good job of putting us in the head of the main character, who has dementia, which allows us to experience her frustration along with her as she fails to get people to listen to her refrains that "Elizabeth is missing" due to a breakdown in communication between her memory and thoughts and words. The characters in this book want things that should be reasonable. Maud wants someone to listen, and she wants the peace that comes with finally having answers. Her daughter wants her Mum's last bit of time where she has any cognitive clarity to be focused on her already deceased father and memories of their family. The injustice in this book is seeing people have to bear an emotional or mental toll that never should have been theirs in the first place, and seeing that solving the mystery is more than anything a fight for peace. The book is definitely worth a read, especially if you want a very non-traditional mystery and emotional storyline, but it didn't entirely wow me which is why I'm giving it a 3.75 star rating. There were some portions that dragged and where I didn't feel excited to pick the book back up again.

Content Warnings