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A review by lilifane
There Should Have Been Eight by Nalini Singh
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Uuuuuh, this is difficult. I love Nalini Singh's mystery thriller books, especially because she tries new and different things every time. So even if this is not my favorite, I really like it for what it is. Whatever that may be. XD
This is a book about a group of friends who lost one of their own 9 years ago and now meet again after a long time apart. The protagonist never forgave the dead girl's sister for keeping them all from properly saying goodbye, and wants to use a reunion to finally get all the answers. The reunion is taking place at an isolated estate with a creepy mansion the sisters' family owns, and once the group gets there, weird things start to happen.
I said it before, and I will say it again, the beginning had a lot of Until Dawn vibes. Nalini Singh takes her time to describe the house, set a creepy and mysterious atmosphere and lets us get to know the characters, their problems and their relationships to each other. For the most part this reads like a gothic haunted house story where you constantly ask yourself if there is a ghost, if someone is messing with the characters or if it's all just nerves and imagination. It's very slow and atmospheric, which I loved. And I actually thought it was creepy. I had regrets reading some of the chapters at night, alone...
The ending... gets wild. I loved the tension that leads up to a turning point in the story, the chaotic scene afterward is so vivid in my head. But when it comes to the actual solution behind everything, I'm not sure. It's not as good as it could have been. Everything is explained, we get all the answers, but some of them feel a little forced. The motivation for all of it just doesn't feel right/fitting? It's a little too much and takes away from some of the more emotional revelations, in my opinion.
Anyway, loved the atmosphere, the writing, the tension and intrigue. I really liked the characters, but I also think, most of them were a little one dimensional. And the logic/plot got a little messy towards the end. Still, overall, really enjoyed it and hope to get more mystery thrillers by Nalini Singh.
This is a book about a group of friends who lost one of their own 9 years ago and now meet again after a long time apart. The protagonist never forgave the dead girl's sister for keeping them all from properly saying goodbye, and wants to use a reunion to finally get all the answers. The reunion is taking place at an isolated estate with a creepy mansion the sisters' family owns, and once the group gets there, weird things start to happen.
I said it before, and I will say it again, the beginning had a lot of Until Dawn vibes. Nalini Singh takes her time to describe the house, set a creepy and mysterious atmosphere and lets us get to know the characters, their problems and their relationships to each other. For the most part this reads like a gothic haunted house story where you constantly ask yourself if there is a ghost, if someone is messing with the characters or if it's all just nerves and imagination. It's very slow and atmospheric, which I loved. And I actually thought it was creepy. I had regrets reading some of the chapters at night, alone...
The ending... gets wild. I loved the tension that leads up to a turning point in the story, the chaotic scene afterward is so vivid in my head. But when it comes to the actual solution behind everything, I'm not sure. It's not as good as it could have been. Everything is explained, we get all the answers, but some of them feel a little forced. The motivation for all of it just doesn't feel right/fitting? It's a little too much and takes away from some of the more emotional revelations, in my opinion.
Anyway, loved the atmosphere, the writing, the tension and intrigue. I really liked the characters, but I also think, most of them were a little one dimensional. And the logic/plot got a little messy towards the end. Still, overall, really enjoyed it and hope to get more mystery thrillers by Nalini Singh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Self harm, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury