annoyedhumanoid 's review for:

The Very Nice Box by Eve Gleichman, Laura Blackett

4.0

hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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(vague spoilers about the premise)
this doesn't really become a thriller until over three-fourths of the way through—before then it's more contemporary relationship fiction. but i think it was necessary, for the most part, and actually really well done. even though i knew from the blurb and other reviews that the love interest was not to be trusted, i found myself won over by his charm just like our protagonist. and the thriller part was also very well executed. i enjoyed both aspects of the book.
as for its themes. the woes of corporate capitalism are played out in a nuanced subplot, but i wish it had a bigger role in the end, maybe somehow connecting back to Mat, like if he had been

one of the "Vandals"

(but like in a way that makes sense). or maybe i just want to see a man be the root of all evil

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Minor: Animal death, Biphobia, Bullying, Gore, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Alcohol

not so much murder but manslaughter