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A review by bridgetfrances_
The Nowhere Child by Christian White
3.0
3⭐️
while i enjoyed this book, i found it a quick read that i didn’t really think twice about. the premise was fantastic and the writing relatively good. i’m a new thriller reader (usually sticking to fantasy) but white’s books were recommended to me by a friend who’s taste i trust.
we find out kim is sammy went from the beginning - there’s never much doubt about it. even though i would have known it was her the whole time i would have liked another woman brought into it to spice it up a bit. the entire plot twist felt like it was based around dean being the kidnapper not carol leamy.
i didn’t enjoy particularly how the racism, homophobia and religious trauma was portrayed. i really appreciated the representation and am glad it appeared as it was (and still can be) a very prevalent issue in the States, especially in the South. i felt the approach was tacky and played exactly into the stereotypes. a troubled married man who used to be in love with his childhood best friend having a torrid affair with a troubled man who he ends up marrying? i think jack went could have had so much more character development. molly was a typical fundamentalist church goer and i think there was a lot more to her than was described.
i enjoyed the ‘then’ and ‘now’ descriptors, and how each chapter left us wondering what would happen when we returned to that timeline. still also think a little more could have been done about that.
for a debut novel i think it was good. i’ve read white’s ‘the wife and the widow’ and LOVED it and am intending on reading ‘wild place’. i think he’s an excellent writer and am hoping there’s more big things in the pipeline.
while i enjoyed this book, i found it a quick read that i didn’t really think twice about. the premise was fantastic and the writing relatively good. i’m a new thriller reader (usually sticking to fantasy) but white’s books were recommended to me by a friend who’s taste i trust.
we find out kim is sammy went from the beginning - there’s never much doubt about it. even though i would have known it was her the whole time i would have liked another woman brought into it to spice it up a bit. the entire plot twist felt like it was based around dean being the kidnapper not carol leamy.
i didn’t enjoy particularly how the racism, homophobia and religious trauma was portrayed. i really appreciated the representation and am glad it appeared as it was (and still can be) a very prevalent issue in the States, especially in the South. i felt the approach was tacky and played exactly into the stereotypes. a troubled married man who used to be in love with his childhood best friend having a torrid affair with a troubled man who he ends up marrying? i think jack went could have had so much more character development. molly was a typical fundamentalist church goer and i think there was a lot more to her than was described.
i enjoyed the ‘then’ and ‘now’ descriptors, and how each chapter left us wondering what would happen when we returned to that timeline. still also think a little more could have been done about that.
for a debut novel i think it was good. i’ve read white’s ‘the wife and the widow’ and LOVED it and am intending on reading ‘wild place’. i think he’s an excellent writer and am hoping there’s more big things in the pipeline.