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A review by marilynw
The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Things I enjoyed about this story are that I enjoyed the setting of the Tuscan villa and vineyards and the historic places that Julia visits while in Italy. I am a homebody but still enjoyed the idea of how interesting it would be to tour this region and enjoyed getting to do so from my home side of the book. I also enjoyed that there is a great big dog who knows the value of getting his beauty sleep above all else. Thank you to the author for allowing this dog to get his sleep and relaxation while making sure he got taken care of properly whenever he needed attention.
I can't say I got much of a gothic feel from the book but I think it was because I had a hard time relating to Julia. We meet her after her husband was murdered as he tried to protect her and Julia's grief and feelings of guilt are bottomless pits. When Julia is told she's inherited a huge sum of money and a villa in Italy, she doesn't want to go see the villa but her best friend encourages her to do so as a great way to get moving and to possibly find out just who the stranger is who would leave all this to her. So off Julia goes, from grieving, hermetic widow to an heiress in a foreign country.
Julia is very big into astrology, just so you know. I don't think you'll forget it as you read the book since it's mentioned often. But is she into dead people communicating from the other side? Apparently she's getting vibes, lights, bad dreams, and visions from somewhere and she's just as likely to act on those things as to opt for more traditional choices as she tries to learn who left her this fortune and if they might be related to her. She is also trying to avoid bad guys who are trying to do her and those she cares about major harm. While staying very busy, Julia has a meet cute that progresses very quickly despite Julia still wearing her wedding ring. See, Julia is conflicted about stuff!
Overall, Julia reads a immature, gullible, and prone to making about the last choice I'd ever make in her situation (although I'd love to inherit all the goodies she inherits). Julia also tromps all over pesky things like preserving evidence, even in the presence of the law, telling the truth, and self preservation. At least Julia comes out of her grieving shell for a while although she has reasons to dive right back in at some point. I enjoyed the last two books by Lisa Scottoline and look forward to reading more but I'd prefer to leave astrology and the paranormal out of the mix next time.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
Things I enjoyed about this story are that I enjoyed the setting of the Tuscan villa and vineyards and the historic places that Julia visits while in Italy. I am a homebody but still enjoyed the idea of how interesting it would be to tour this region and enjoyed getting to do so from my home side of the book. I also enjoyed that there is a great big dog who knows the value of getting his beauty sleep above all else. Thank you to the author for allowing this dog to get his sleep and relaxation while making sure he got taken care of properly whenever he needed attention.
I can't say I got much of a gothic feel from the book but I think it was because I had a hard time relating to Julia. We meet her after her husband was murdered as he tried to protect her and Julia's grief and feelings of guilt are bottomless pits. When Julia is told she's inherited a huge sum of money and a villa in Italy, she doesn't want to go see the villa but her best friend encourages her to do so as a great way to get moving and to possibly find out just who the stranger is who would leave all this to her. So off Julia goes, from grieving, hermetic widow to an heiress in a foreign country.
Julia is very big into astrology, just so you know. I don't think you'll forget it as you read the book since it's mentioned often. But is she into dead people communicating from the other side? Apparently she's getting vibes, lights, bad dreams, and visions from somewhere and she's just as likely to act on those things as to opt for more traditional choices as she tries to learn who left her this fortune and if they might be related to her. She is also trying to avoid bad guys who are trying to do her and those she cares about major harm. While staying very busy, Julia has a meet cute that progresses very quickly despite Julia still wearing her wedding ring. See, Julia is conflicted about stuff!
Overall, Julia reads a immature, gullible, and prone to making about the last choice I'd ever make in her situation (although I'd love to inherit all the goodies she inherits). Julia also tromps all over pesky things like preserving evidence, even in the presence of the law, telling the truth, and self preservation. At least Julia comes out of her grieving shell for a while although she has reasons to dive right back in at some point. I enjoyed the last two books by Lisa Scottoline and look forward to reading more but I'd prefer to leave astrology and the paranormal out of the mix next time.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.