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abookwanderer 's review for:
Our Little World
by Karen Winn
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Our Little World, Karen Winn’s debut novel, is strangely comforting with its nostalgic reminders of my childhood growing up in the mid-1980s. I say strangely because this is primarily a mystery novel that revolves around the disappearance of a four-year old girl. But Winn has done such a good job of placing the reader in the carefree summer days of 1985 as this novel opens, I felt at home despite the fearful nature of the subject matter. I found myself engrossed in the story, eager to uncover the secrets the pages held.
Our narrator is Bee, who is twelve years old in the summer of 1985, which is two years older than I was that year. I could easily relate to Bee, her younger sister Audrina, and their neighborhood friends. Unending hours playing outdoors, a childhood free of restrictions and expectations. It was a time like no other.
But for Bee this idyllic time is brought to an abrupt end when Max’s four year old sister Sally, Bee’s new neighbors who moved in across the street, disappears while Bee, Audrina, Max, and Sally are spending the day together at the local lake. The events of this traumatic day spark a change in Bee’s life that ripples through her family, her neighborhood, and her town.
Bee is a complicated character with her own set of problems. She’s very jealous of her sister, who she feels is more popular, prettier, and their father’s favorite. Bee and Audrina have supportive parents, but they aren’t very affectionate with the sisters, and they also seem to have problems in their marriage. Like many siblings, Bee and Audrina can be very close at times and very cruel to each other, as well. And as the next year unfolds after the disappearance of Sally, we see how Bee’s life is intertwined with this event, how she internalizes all her fears, makes poor decisions, and finds herself closely observing the people that inhabit her little cul-de-sac.
Our Little World is a quick read, and while I was entranced with the story, I found myself mostly enjoying the setting of a close neighborhood in the 1980s. This one is very well-written, and the mystery remained unsolved for me until the reveal, which always enhances the experience. If you’re a fan of mysteries, stories about sisters, or getting lost in nostalgia, be sure to add this one to your summer reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Dutton and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
Check out my reviews and playlists at A Book Wanderer
Our narrator is Bee, who is twelve years old in the summer of 1985, which is two years older than I was that year. I could easily relate to Bee, her younger sister Audrina, and their neighborhood friends. Unending hours playing outdoors, a childhood free of restrictions and expectations. It was a time like no other.
But for Bee this idyllic time is brought to an abrupt end when Max’s four year old sister Sally, Bee’s new neighbors who moved in across the street, disappears while Bee, Audrina, Max, and Sally are spending the day together at the local lake. The events of this traumatic day spark a change in Bee’s life that ripples through her family, her neighborhood, and her town.
Bee is a complicated character with her own set of problems. She’s very jealous of her sister, who she feels is more popular, prettier, and their father’s favorite. Bee and Audrina have supportive parents, but they aren’t very affectionate with the sisters, and they also seem to have problems in their marriage. Like many siblings, Bee and Audrina can be very close at times and very cruel to each other, as well. And as the next year unfolds after the disappearance of Sally, we see how Bee’s life is intertwined with this event, how she internalizes all her fears, makes poor decisions, and finds herself closely observing the people that inhabit her little cul-de-sac.
Our Little World is a quick read, and while I was entranced with the story, I found myself mostly enjoying the setting of a close neighborhood in the 1980s. This one is very well-written, and the mystery remained unsolved for me until the reveal, which always enhances the experience. If you’re a fan of mysteries, stories about sisters, or getting lost in nostalgia, be sure to add this one to your summer reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Dutton and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
Check out my reviews and playlists at A Book Wanderer
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief
Moderate: Infidelity, Self harm, Murder