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A review by travelseatsreads
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
3.0
Alice Feeney's writing is always fantastically dark and Daisy Darker is yet another book which lives up to both its name and Alice's usual gripping twisted style.
The book follows the Darker family as they reunite at the family home for their Grandmother's 80th birthday, for any normal family this would be a pleasant and joyous occasion. However, it's quite clear from the offset that the Darker family are no ordinary family and all is not as it seems. Indeed, this family is bursting with characters that you just love to hate and it's almost fun to see their panic and demise as the body count rises.
The story is told in alternate timelines with plenty of atmospheric gems to keep you suitably uneasy throughout. Those 80 ticking clocks really gave me the shivers and also can we take a moment for that eerie repetitive nursery rhyme!
There's no doubt that Feeney is a master of the plot twist and she sure does land one hell of a twist in Daisy Darker. Unfortunately for me, it was the twist in this book that I just didn't love. Maybe it's an 'it's me, not you' moment as it's a trope I can't stand but it dropped the book from a 4 star to a 3 star for me. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed this book and would still recommend it as a good read, I just didn’t love it as much as her others!
What I Loved
• Dark, atmospheric writing style
• The setting of the quirky Sea Glass House on the remote island was perfect
• Some great jaw dropping moments
• Audiobook narration was fantastic and really amplified the sinister feel
What I Didn’t Enjoy
• The plot twist
• Middle section lagged a little
Read If You Like
• Locked room mysteries
• Unreliable and unlikable characters
• Spooky reads
• Big twists
For Fans Of
• Sarah Pinborough
• Riley Sager
• JP Delaney
Favourite Quote
“Books saved me, and I ran away inside the stories I read as a child. They were the only place where I could run, and swim, and dance without fear of falling and not being able to get back up. Books were full of friends and adventures, whereas my real childhood was cold, and dark, and horribly lonely.”
The book follows the Darker family as they reunite at the family home for their Grandmother's 80th birthday, for any normal family this would be a pleasant and joyous occasion. However, it's quite clear from the offset that the Darker family are no ordinary family and all is not as it seems. Indeed, this family is bursting with characters that you just love to hate and it's almost fun to see their panic and demise as the body count rises.
The story is told in alternate timelines with plenty of atmospheric gems to keep you suitably uneasy throughout. Those 80 ticking clocks really gave me the shivers and also can we take a moment for that eerie repetitive nursery rhyme!
There's no doubt that Feeney is a master of the plot twist and she sure does land one hell of a twist in Daisy Darker. Unfortunately for me, it was the twist in this book that I just didn't love. Maybe it's an 'it's me, not you' moment as it's a trope I can't stand but it dropped the book from a 4 star to a 3 star for me. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed this book and would still recommend it as a good read, I just didn’t love it as much as her others!
What I Loved
• Dark, atmospheric writing style
• The setting of the quirky Sea Glass House on the remote island was perfect
• Some great jaw dropping moments
• Audiobook narration was fantastic and really amplified the sinister feel
What I Didn’t Enjoy
• The plot twist
• Middle section lagged a little
Read If You Like
• Locked room mysteries
• Unreliable and unlikable characters
• Spooky reads
• Big twists
For Fans Of
• Sarah Pinborough
• Riley Sager
• JP Delaney
Favourite Quote
“Books saved me, and I ran away inside the stories I read as a child. They were the only place where I could run, and swim, and dance without fear of falling and not being able to get back up. Books were full of friends and adventures, whereas my real childhood was cold, and dark, and horribly lonely.”