A review by frahhn
Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 Haunting themes and a horrible plot—what more can you ask for :) The author did an incredible job driving up the suspense in the book, I was *so* tense by the climax!! The writing was beautiful and I was moved by the compassionate portrayal of all of our main characters. I felt in hinsight that while the ending was good and satisfying, i would have liked a little more peppered throughout the book leading up to it, but perhaps that would have robbed surprise from the ending. One image that has latched to my mind is the young boy, Ben, clinging to a mezuzah for comfort and safety. The book is very cyclical, engaging with the transition from child to babysitter, daughter to mother, child to adult. Another major theme is the frustration and fully enveloping horror of anxiety. I was impressed how the author was able to convey how complex many of the secondary characters were, without providing clarifying insight into them, fully aligning the reader with the knowledge of our main characters. Sorry if that doesn’t make sense lol. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings