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A review by pandasbookshelf
Day One by Abigail Dean
5.0
Abigail Dean is a new author to me but one whose reputation preceded her thanks to the popular book, Girl A. I was eager to experience her latest novel and found myself intrigued by the engaging premise that explored the impact of tragedy on a small community. I’ll admit I went in with expectations of this being more of a mystery novel and while it certainly had elements of that, I’d not describe this as a thriller, rather a captivating drama featuring complex and layered characters which leave the reader thinking about what they would do in similar circumstances.
The story is told from multiple points of view and across various timelines with the central linking event as “Day One” during which a school shooting occurs. While not overly graphic in details, this theme may not something that is for everyone. The themes of loss and grief in the aftermath of such a tragedy are well presented and the questions asked about what motivates someone to commit such a heinous crime are explored here. I was drawn in by the hints about secrets and truth which left me anticipating more of a substantial reveal or twist when the story ultimately concluded. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the psychological aspects and moral dilemmas faced by the characters which left a lasting impression.
I would certainly be interested to explore more of Abigail Dean’s work in the future.
The story is told from multiple points of view and across various timelines with the central linking event as “Day One” during which a school shooting occurs. While not overly graphic in details, this theme may not something that is for everyone. The themes of loss and grief in the aftermath of such a tragedy are well presented and the questions asked about what motivates someone to commit such a heinous crime are explored here. I was drawn in by the hints about secrets and truth which left me anticipating more of a substantial reveal or twist when the story ultimately concluded. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the psychological aspects and moral dilemmas faced by the characters which left a lasting impression.
I would certainly be interested to explore more of Abigail Dean’s work in the future.