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ciarajordann 's review for:
Someone Is Always Watching
by Kelley Armstrong
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is honestly a guilty pleasure for me- but a pleasure nonetheless!
This reads as a perfect YA thriller. There are cracks in the friend group, the adults are complicit in some unknown horror against them, and it's impossible to know which clues hold truth in them. I don't want to spoil the unknown horror, but it felt like a unique idea that offers many opportunities for discussion about trauma and healing. There are a lot of elements that don't come together until the very end, which felt very Nancy Drew to me. (It's a good thing! The classic sleuth series!)
Another aspect which is Nancy Drewesque is that teenagers seem to be too good and too wise beyond their years. However, it didn't bother me or come across as insincere. (There is also the unquestioned amount of freedom these kids have, but how else could the plot get interesting?). Each character's story is also explored well enough for the reader to have a good understanding of their histories, personalities and perspectives. I was really glad for this because the friend group is very interconnected in the story and it informs the group dynamic, and also reveals how the group affects the individuals.
TW note: there are some descriptions of violence in the beginning of the novel which were more graphic than I expected.
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Tundra Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. It's been... a pleasure.
This reads as a perfect YA thriller. There are cracks in the friend group, the adults are complicit in some unknown horror against them, and it's impossible to know which clues hold truth in them. I don't want to spoil the unknown horror, but it felt like a unique idea that offers many opportunities for discussion about trauma and healing. There are a lot of elements that don't come together until the very end, which felt very Nancy Drew to me. (It's a good thing! The classic sleuth series!)
Another aspect which is Nancy Drewesque is that teenagers seem to be too good and too wise beyond their years. However, it didn't bother me or come across as insincere. (There is also the unquestioned amount of freedom these kids have, but how else could the plot get interesting?). Each character's story is also explored well enough for the reader to have a good understanding of their histories, personalities and perspectives. I was really glad for this because the friend group is very interconnected in the story and it informs the group dynamic, and also reveals how the group affects the individuals.
TW note: there are some descriptions of violence in the beginning of the novel which were more graphic than I expected.
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Tundra Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. It's been... a pleasure.