A review by yourbookishbff
One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This is exactly the kind of thriller I enjoy reading - character driven, with nuanced social commentary and a slow-boiling tension humming throughout. This is also the first I've seen an author position a main character with dissociative identity disorder (DID) as the protagonist from the start, where DID is not used as a plot twist or reveal and where it is not used to suggest villainy. I listened to this on audio and felt the narration brought each headmate to life with distinct tonal and style differences, so I always felt these characters were distinct, which made transitions between who was fronting and when more seamless. I thoroughly appreciated how we know from the start that one of our headmates knows more than they're disclosing, and we are left feeling the loss of memory and control that Ken, our primary POV, feels upon waking. By giving us only as much information as Ken and a few select headmates have at any one time, Cole ensures we feel the dawning urgency and fear and frustration of this scenario, particularly in the second half of the story. The gothic atmosphere - our haunted island castle appearing inside the mind and outside of it - and its strange historical legacy make this compelling as a thriller and, moreso, as a commentary on class, power, and trauma. The conclusion was satisfying and hit exactly the notes I was hoping for, without straying into wholly gratuitous gore. My only minor quibble would be the slower pacing in the first half, but honestly, as a character study, I still felt it was incre ibly compelling, and it won't stop me from recommending this one.
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