Scan barcode
A review by lovepotion
Wretched by Emily McIntire
dark
fast-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
3.0
Third book in the series and the third book I read and the series, so far it’s not my favorite. I still liked it.
I felt like a lot of writing was “tell and not show” for example, Nessa.
Nessa damaged the family name in the criminal underworld. I guess because she was too meek? I would of liked to see more as why the family started to fail under her.
Dorothy’s reason for killing Nessa seemed underwhelming. There was so much talk of Nessa, yet I feel like we hardly got to know her. A lot of secondary characters felt two-dimensional to me.
Nicholas backstory was lacking. Much of his backstory was his sister getting involved with drugs and his mother disappearing. I would like to see more of the drive as to why join the DEA. We know, he wanted to put drug criminals behind bars, similarly the ones one cost him his childhood. But that’s just about it. I wish we saw a detailed memory of when he came to recognize the problem in his childhood and when drugs became an issue or the deciding moment of him wanting to join the DEA. I felt like Nicholas’ character fell a little flat, I would have like to see him more thoroughly in depth.
Also, Nicholas was also referred to as “heartless” but, I don’t see him as heartless really. We see him care for his sister Rose, Evie, and Seth. He has a big heart for the people around him. I get that he was supposed to be the tin-man in series. But the idea didn’t really quite catch on for me.
The “I love you” was a little sudden. I get it’s a short book, but I would like to see there characters grown more and develop to reach that stage.
I felt like at times, the set up was a little similar to Hooked. The drugs, a club, problematic father, a charity formal event scene.
Evie I did enjoy. It was refreshing to see a FMC with a backbone. I did enjoy her quick wits and bold comments.
The smut was decent- there a gun scene that wasn’t for me, but hey if you are into that. No judgment.
Overall, I did enjoy Wretched. I just there more of a development along the cast of characters for it make me really enjoy it. It was a fun take of Wizard of Oz.
I felt like a lot of writing was “tell and not show” for example, Nessa.
Dorothy’s reason for killing Nessa seemed underwhelming. There was so much talk of Nessa, yet I feel like we hardly got to know her. A lot of secondary characters felt two-dimensional to me.
Nicholas backstory was lacking. Much of his backstory was his sister getting involved with drugs and his mother disappearing. I would like to see more of the drive as to why join the DEA. We know, he wanted to put drug criminals behind bars, similarly the ones one cost him his childhood. But that’s just about it. I wish we saw a detailed memory of when he came to recognize the problem in his childhood and when drugs became an issue or the deciding moment of him wanting to join the DEA. I felt like Nicholas’ character fell a little flat, I would have like to see him more thoroughly in depth.
Also, Nicholas was also referred to as “heartless” but, I don’t see him as heartless really. We see him care for his sister Rose, Evie, and Seth. He has a big heart for the people around him. I get that he was supposed to be the tin-man in series. But the idea didn’t really quite catch on for me.
The “I love you” was a little sudden. I get it’s a short book, but I would like to see there characters grown more and develop to reach that stage.
I felt like at times, the set up was a little similar to Hooked. The drugs, a club, problematic father, a charity formal event scene.
Evie I did enjoy. It was refreshing to see a FMC with a backbone. I did enjoy her quick wits and bold comments.
The smut was decent- there a gun scene that wasn’t for me, but hey if you are into that. No judgment.
Overall, I did enjoy Wretched. I just there more of a development along the cast of characters for it make me really enjoy it. It was a fun take of Wizard of Oz.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, and Sexual content