A review by abookishtype
The Usual Desire to Kill: A Novel by Camilla Barnes

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There’s no one who can get on our nerves like family can. This is certainly the case with Miranda’s family in Camilla Barnes’s entertaining and layered new novel, The Usual Desire to Kill. Almost everything about Miranda’s parents drives her nuts. Her mother is a terrible communicator who constantly blames others for not doing things she forgot she didn’t actually tell them and insists on having things done her own way. Her father turns off his hearing aid so that he can ignore everyone when he wants to. Both parents engage in petty revenge and generally bring out the worst in each other. And, in spite of this and more, Miranda dutifully travels from Paris to her parents’ rural home every weekend...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.