A review by mairead_parade
Small Game by Blair Braverman

challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Totally gripping but not overly plotty, and didn’t feel like anything else I’ve read recently. Braverman makes the reader sit with some dark stuff and grapple with the choices you might make in similar circumstances. I thought Mara was a fascinating character to have as POV - at times she seemed to verge on sociopathic with the way she managed her behavior and emotions in response to others, but later I came to see it as just another survival tactic. I see some other complaints about the ending but I found it fitting for the style of story and would just warn against approaching Small Game like a mystery to be solved. 
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