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A review by awebofstories
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Alice Feeney is an author I've heard a lot about but had never read. I chose this as my first Alice Feeney reading experience when I learned that it was meant to be an homage to Agatha Christie, which it pays successfully.
Between the time I heard about this and when I read it, I saw a lot of mixed reviews, and I get why that is. This is based on And Then There Were None, which puts it in a difficult position. Some readers will expect something they may not get, while others will feel it is treading on well-trod ground. However, I didn't find myself torn on this point--in many ways, it was a love letter to Agatha Christie, and I was happy to go where Feeney was taking me.
Okay, I see how the ending can be divisive. I fell into the camp of enjoying it, but I understand that others may not have liked it. I thought I had the book figured out and was surprised at how things went, yet felt like it made sense when it was revealed. I will say that there were some logistical issues in the end--not in how it ended, but more in the "how does that work?" sort of way.
I was struck by the loveliness of Feeney's writing and even copied out some passages that I found particularly evocative. I felt that the pacing was perfect for this sort of story, and it kept me turning the pages.
While there were a few things that I felt could have been improved, I did enjoy this book and I will be adding Alice Feeney's backlist to my TBR.
Between the time I heard about this and when I read it, I saw a lot of mixed reviews, and I get why that is. This is based on And Then There Were None, which puts it in a difficult position. Some readers will expect something they may not get, while others will feel it is treading on well-trod ground. However, I didn't find myself torn on this point--in many ways, it was a love letter to Agatha Christie, and I was happy to go where Feeney was taking me.
Okay, I see how the ending can be divisive. I fell into the camp of enjoying it, but I understand that others may not have liked it. I thought I had the book figured out and was surprised at how things went, yet felt like it made sense when it was revealed. I will say that there were some logistical issues in the end--not in how it ended, but more in the "how does that work?" sort of way.
I was struck by the loveliness of Feeney's writing and even copied out some passages that I found particularly evocative. I felt that the pacing was perfect for this sort of story, and it kept me turning the pages.
While there were a few things that I felt could have been improved, I did enjoy this book and I will be adding Alice Feeney's backlist to my TBR.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, and Medical trauma