A review by _inge_
Het dorp by Nikita Lalwani

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book fell flat for me. From the blurb, I expected the book to be more about the people in the prison village, but in reality it is about the producers of a documentary about the prison village. All characters but the main character are one dimensional, and the main character is quite naïve. 

I did think the book succeeded in showing how stories are manipulated to be 'suitable' for film, even in documentaries. The subjects of the documentary are basically moved around like pawns and the scenes are scripted. There is no curiosity about who they really are and what motivates them. The MC's colleagues are just looking for a dramatic story and then run with it, creating more drama in their wake.