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A review by madelinemaesmith
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave
4.0
3.5⭐️/5 - Rounded up to 4 on Goodreads.
Fans of Laura Dave's breakout hit "The Last Thing He Told Me" will likely enjoy this one too. Thought the plot is a bit copy/paste from her first book (a death instead of a disappearance, two siblings instead of a mother/stepdaughter, and similar flashbacks) it still delivered an engaging story that kept me guessing until the end.
Dave excels at crafting introspective, character-driven narratives. However, while the mystery at the heart of this novel intrigued me, it lacked the suspense and sharpness I was hoping for, which is why this is a 3.5⭐️. I looked forward to the flashbacks the most, as the most interesting and complicated characters lived in the past. That said, the parallel drawn to the FMC in the present didn’t quite work for me and felt overly drawn out.
I always appreciate observations that aren't forced upon the reader. In this one, there were some excellent insights about grief and loss, which felt authentic and underline-worthy.
All in all, it's bingeable, engaging, and keeps you guessing. Fans of Lucy Foley may find similarities in Dave’s writing style, though without the multiple POVs or atmospheric tension. A solid, enjoyable read, but not one that fully captivated me.
Fans of Laura Dave's breakout hit "The Last Thing He Told Me" will likely enjoy this one too. Thought the plot is a bit copy/paste from her first book (a death instead of a disappearance, two siblings instead of a mother/stepdaughter, and similar flashbacks) it still delivered an engaging story that kept me guessing until the end.
Dave excels at crafting introspective, character-driven narratives. However, while the mystery at the heart of this novel intrigued me, it lacked the suspense and sharpness I was hoping for, which is why this is a 3.5⭐️. I looked forward to the flashbacks the most, as the most interesting and complicated characters lived in the past. That said, the parallel drawn to the FMC in the present didn’t quite work for me and felt overly drawn out.
I always appreciate observations that aren't forced upon the reader. In this one, there were some excellent insights about grief and loss, which felt authentic and underline-worthy.
All in all, it's bingeable, engaging, and keeps you guessing. Fans of Lucy Foley may find similarities in Dave’s writing style, though without the multiple POVs or atmospheric tension. A solid, enjoyable read, but not one that fully captivated me.